Hippocratic Oath for Teachers

I've posted this idea a few other places this week, but I wanted to really "own it" right here on my blog.  In our discussion of teaching as a profession and in comparing it to other professions such as the legal and medical professions, the question of the importance of a professional oath has come up a number of times. I was inspired by someone's reference to the medical profession's Hippocratic Oath to re-word it for the teaching profession. I have taken an initial stab at it below, incorporating some of the themes we have been discussing in class. I aim to revisit it later in the quarter to fine tune it further based on what we have learned.

A Teacher's Oath

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

• I will respect the hard-won gains of those educators in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
• However, I will fight to revoke or revise educational practices that are no longer relevant or unjust.
• I will apply, for the benefit of each child I teach, all measures that are required for their success, avoiding traps of stereotypes and rigid thinking.
• I will remember that there is art to teaching as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding must be incorporated into the daily lesson plan.
• I will not be ashamed to say "I don’t know", nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed to help a child succeed.
• I will respect the privacy of my students and their families, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of a child’s identity, self-worth and future potential.
• I will remember that I do not teach a test score, but a unique human being whose success in school may affect that person's family and economic stability for generations to come.
• I will prevent alienation and discouragement however I can, focusing on competencies rather than deficiencies.
• I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligations to children of all backgrounds and abilities as well as to their families and the general public who entrust and employ us.
• If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of teaching those who enter my classroom, making a lasting and positive difference in each of their lives.