Teacher Citizenship is student citizenship times ten. Because teachers have very important role in educating students not only in academics, but also life and social skills, they need to be a positive role model for their students. Their etiquette, netiquette, moral beliefs and values are always on display. A teachers character should portray a positive example of what a citizen should look like. In order that these students understand the importance of being a good citizen, it is important that the people who are teaching these skills uphold good moral standards. Children, especially teen-agers, will not do something that their parents either do not demonstrate themselves or do not address as something they should not do.
It is especially important that a teacher is careful about how he portrays himself online. This generation knows all about technology. They use it. When a teacher talks about a student online or posts information about themselves that is not appropriate students are able to see stuff like that, and this reflects a bad image of not only the teacher, but the school and teaching that they represent. Many teachers have gotten in trouble and fired for such behavior. Because teachers are a very important factor in a students life it is important that they have high standards for themselves to portray what good citizens, online and in real life look like.
Erica, I hadn't really thought about the fact that teachers are the role models of society. I had focused mostly teachers needing to do what was right for their own conscience, but you made a really good point.
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