As a professional degree, the Bachelor of Education requires that students abide by a high standard of professionalism in every aspect of their academic and non-academic behaviour. The Werklund School of Education recognizes that teacher preparation and learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom and has the responsibility to ensure that its student teachers and graduates are competent and conduct themselves in accordance with the standards and expectations of the profession. As such, lack of professionalism, may be grounds for determining whether the student should continue in the program, with or without conditions, or be dismissed from the Bachelor of Education program.
The Director of Field Experience may prohibit a student from attending or completing a Field Experience if there is evidence that the student has acted in a manner that may be deemed harmful to oneself or others, or commits any other serious contravention of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) Code of Professional Conduct. Students will have the opportunity to make submissions and present evidence to address concerns about their attending a Field Experience.
Students have 15 working days from the date the Director of Field Experience prohibits them from attending or completing a Field Experience to submit an appeal to the Dean of the Werklund School of Education.
Reasons for which a student may be deemed unsuitable for the teaching profession, and the Bachelor of Education, are related to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) Code of Professional Conduct and include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Concealment or distortion of the truth on the Application for Admission to the Bachelor of Education program or the Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ.
- Persistent and/or serious conduct that contravenes the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà Statement on Principles of Conduct.
- Academic misconduct, including, but not limited to, plagiarism.
- Behaviour which would jeopardize the standing or reputation of the Werklund School of Education or the Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ.
- Behaviour that may be deemed harmful, whether physically or emotionally, to others, such as school children, partner teachers, partner schools, colleagues, staff, instructors, or others associated with the Werklund School of Education.
- Persistent and/or serious medical condition that affects the student's ability to perform as a teacher if that condition negatively affects judgment and interferes with the ability to function within a professional context.
- Persistent substance abuse (e.g., alcoholism, drug addiction, use of illegal drugs) that interferes with the ability to function within a professional context.
- Criminal behaviour which would result in a change to a student’s Police Information Check and/or Vulnerable Sector Check.
- Persistent and or/serious conduct that contravenes the policies of the Field Experience setting (applies to students in Field Experience).
- Harassment, physical, verbal, or emotional in nature, of a student or colleague, regarding, but not restricted to, behaviour, values, or roles related to race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, income source or amount, political affiliation, disability or diagnosis, or national origin, that would interfere with the provision of teaching.
- Persistent and/or serious inability to form professional relationships.
Werklund School of Education