Why a focus on speaking up?
As individuals committed to the teaching profession, there is a need to continue to reflect on our professional responsibilities. The information in this guide should be seen as support for that personal reflection, to guide professional behaviour and identify professional learning needs and discussion points. It aims to promote and build confidence in addressing professional challenges, this includes having the professional courage to ‘speak up’ when you have concerns.
Anyone on the Register of Teachers needs to feel confident that their voices will be heard and respected, particularly when they feel something isn’t right. Speaking up is a professional duty for all teachers including the need to take action in any workplace, to raise a concern if you’ve seen, heard or suspect wrongdoing or serious risk.
It is always better to have raised your concerns than to stay silent. By speaking up you could make a real difference or stop harm from happening. It is important that we enhance our selfawareness and professional confidence in raising and reporting any concerns we may have.
Teaching happens in different contexts, in different roles, within different learning and working cultures. Each context will have policies and procedures that need to be followed in certain circumstances, for example, when expressing opinions in public about your employer and an awareness of the Data Protection Act requirements on handling information about learners and their families. Teachers need to treat sensitive, personal information about learners with respect and confidentiality and not disclose it unless required to do so by your employer or by law.
Teachers sometimes need to address inappropriate comments, views and behaviour from learners, for example, bullying or racism and will need to open conversations, individually or collectively, that can inform and educate that these views or behaviours are never acceptable.
As teachers, we take the same stance with adults ensuring anyone who has experienced or has been a witness to unacceptable behaviour feels safe and knows it will never be acceptable.
As individuals committed to the teaching profession, there is a need to continue to reflect on our professional responsibilities. The information in this guide should be seen as support for that personal reflection, to guide professional behaviour and identify professional learning needs and discussion points. It aims to promote and build confidence in addressing professional challenges, this includes having the professional courage to ‘speak up’ when you have concerns.
Anyone on the Register of Teachers needs to feel confident that their voices will be heard and respected, particularly when they feel something isn’t right. Speaking up is a professional duty for all teachers including the need to take action in any workplace, to raise a concern if you’ve seen, heard or suspect wrongdoing or serious risk.
It is always better to have raised your concerns than to stay silent. By speaking up you could make a real difference or stop harm from happening. It is important that we enhance our selfawareness and professional confidence in raising and reporting any concerns we may have.
Teaching happens in different contexts, in different roles, within different learning and working cultures. Each context will have policies and procedures that need to be followed in certain circumstances, for example, when expressing opinions in public about your employer and an awareness of the Data Protection Act requirements on handling information about learners and their families. Teachers need to treat sensitive, personal information about learners with respect and confidentiality and not disclose it unless required to do so by your employer or by law.
Teachers sometimes need to address inappropriate comments, views and behaviour from learners, for example, bullying or racism and will need to open conversations, individually or collectively, that can inform and educate that these views or behaviours are never acceptable.
As teachers, we take the same stance with adults ensuring anyone who has experienced or has been a witness to unacceptable behaviour feels safe and knows it will never be acceptable.
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