MTEL Professional Ethics in Education 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher realizes mid-year that their instructional methods are not effective for several English Language Learner students. Ethical professional practice requires the teacher to:
- Continue current methods since they work for most students
- Seek professional development and modify instruction for those students (Correct answer)
- Refer the students to special education for additional support
- Lower expectations for ELL students to reduce frustration
Correct answer: Seek professional development and modify instruction for those students
Professional ethics require educators to continuously improve their practice to meet the needs of all learners.
Question 2: In Massachusetts, which behavior by an educator would most likely constitute a violation of professional boundaries with students?
- Tutoring a struggling student during a free period at school
- Exchanging personal phone numbers with a student for non-school communication (Correct answer)
- Writing a college recommendation letter for a former student
- Attending a school-sanctioned sports event where students compete
Correct answer: Exchanging personal phone numbers with a student for non-school communication
Exchanging personal contact information for private communication violates professional boundaries between educators and students.
Question 3: A teacher administering MCAS testing observes a student using a prohibited calculator. According to testing ethics, the teacher should:
- Ignore it to avoid disrupting the test environment
- Confiscate the calculator and document the incident per protocol (Correct answer)
- Give the student a warning and allow them to continue
- Invalidate only that student's test without documentation
Correct answer: Confiscate the calculator and document the incident per protocol
Test integrity requires teachers to confiscate prohibited materials and document incidents according to established testing protocols.
Question 4: Which action best reflects the Massachusetts standard of maintaining professional relationships with families?
- Sharing concerns about school administration with parents who ask
- Providing objective, evidence-based information about student progress (Correct answer)
- Agreeing with all parental concerns to maintain positive relationships
- Limiting communication to required report cards and conferences
Correct answer: Providing objective, evidence-based information about student progress
Professional family relationships are built on providing honest, objective, evidence-based information about student progress.
Question 5: A tenured Massachusetts teacher is directed by an administrator to use a teaching strategy the teacher believes is pedagogically unsound. Ethically, the teacher should:
- Refuse outright and explain the reasons
- Follow the directive without question
- Raise concerns through appropriate professional channels while complying (Correct answer)
- Implement the strategy only when observed
Correct answer: Raise concerns through appropriate professional channels while complying
Educators should voice professional concerns through appropriate channels while fulfilling their professional obligations.
Question 6: A teacher learns that a student's parents are going through a contentious divorce and custody dispute. Regarding student records requests from each parent, the teacher should:
- Provide records only to the custodial parent
- Consult school legal counsel and follow FERPA guidelines on parental rights (Correct answer)
- Refuse to provide records to either parent until the dispute is resolved
- Provide records to whichever parent requests them first
Correct answer: Consult school legal counsel and follow FERPA guidelines on parental rights
FERPA grants both parents access to records unless a court order specifies otherwise, so legal guidance is essential in custody disputes.
Question 7: Which situation represents an appropriate use of social media by a Massachusetts educator?
- Posting photos from a staff holiday party that includes alcohol
- Sharing school-approved instructional resources on a professional account (Correct answer)
- Accepting friend requests from current students on personal accounts
- Venting about a difficult student's behavior without using their name
Correct answer: Sharing school-approved instructional resources on a professional account
Sharing approved instructional content on a professional platform maintains appropriate boundaries and serves an educational purpose.
MTEL Professional Ethics in Education 3
A teacher realizes mid-year that their instructional methods are not effective for several English Language Learner students.
Ethical professional practice requires the teacher to: