Ethical Belief Statement

Elizabeth Tallent

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

This quote has served me well personally on my life path, and professionally as a teacher and an
educational leader. My personal ethical beliefs connect to my professional goals as an educator. I believe in
instilling short-term and long-term goals to prepare for opportunities in the future. Communicating these ethics
is important for students, parents, and fellow educators to help them work through the process of making plans
and setting goals for the betterment of themselves, their families, and the school organization as a whole. My
personal ethics include values like respect, honesty, caring, and fairness.
Respect: I have a great deal of respect for students and their families and believe in patiently listening to their
concerns. It is important to acknowledge that parents want the best for their children. This is why when
working with students, it is essential to guide them in making goals in order to keep them on course. The
struggle of raising children in the 21st Century can be tough and balancing compassion with a little tough love,
we can work toward the best outcome. Having mutual respect and a positive working relationship with students
and families is one of my top priorities.
Honesty: In order to be honest you have to be vulnerable. I am always learning and growing and am never too
proud to admit a mistake or to listen to ideas and be flexible with my opinions. If I say I will do something, I
follow through and people can trust me at my word. It is vital that parents know that the success of the student
and the school are more than a job, but a passion and commitment to help our future generations succeed.
Caring: I am genuinely a curious person, and enjoy working with people to help them realize their goals and
dreams. To get to know people, I ask questions to get to the heart of a goal or concern, and then do my best to
facilitate a solution that matches my students’ needs both emotionally and academically. When people know I
truly care, they are not resistant or defensive because they know I will listen to their concerns and do my best to
help them move forward.
Fairness: I never want to be unfair or inconvenient to anyone, especially to students and their families. Rules
are important, they should be short and simple and people should be aware of the expectations ahead of time. It
can be beneficial for people in an organization to take part in the process of stating and understanding the rules
in order to establish a consensus and to benefit the group as a whole. People are more productive and will be
more at ease when they feel that their leaders are just and fair.
There are many challenges we face as students, parents and educators. Nowadays, the internet affords
students with massive amounts of information readily available, and sometimes it can be a blessing and
sometimes it can be overwhelming. I believe in helping people navigate their dreams and desires in order to
make them a reality. To take that energy and put it to action by setting short-term and long-term goals so when
the opportunity presents itself, they are ready to realize that with hard work, a wish can come true.