Ethical Conduct Guidelines for SAA Members
As Suzuki teachers and members of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, we espouse the ideals of Dr. Suzuki as represented in the Suzuki Method. In supporting these ideals, we should put the welfare of our students first and commit to open communication with families and colleagues. We are responsible to our students and their families for loving and fair dealings, to our colleagues for mutual respect and support, and to ourselves for our individual integrity and commitment to personal and professional development. This code of ethics is not enforced but members are asked to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct.
As SAA members, we demonstrate responsibility...
... to the Suzuki philosophy by:
- Reflecting and promoting the Suzuki philosophy in teaching and in dealings with others.
- Maintaining high standards of personal conduct and professional integrity.
- Encouraging untrained or minimally-trained teachers to pursue Suzuki training.
- Seeking opportunities to endorse the philosophy of Dr. Suzuki and to promote public understanding of it.
- Recognizing the dignity and potential of all individuals.
... to the Association by:
- Participating in Association activities that promote and upgrade the Suzuki teaching profession.
- Carrying out our responsibilities to the profession in a way that reflects positively on the Suzuki method.
- Respecting and supporting the values and vision of the SAA.
- Respecting privileged information and confidentiality.
- Demonstrating an open, sharing spirit and cooperation and collegiality toward other member teachers.
- Avoiding activities that seek personal gain at the expense of the Association’s integrity or growth.
... to our students by:
- Providing an encouraging environment in which students can develop their musical and personal potential.
- Setting an excellent personal and musical example for them.
- Teaching with loving awareness of each child’s individuality.
- Considering first the welfare of the child when guiding decisions on his/her behalf.
... to our parents by:
- Educating and encouraging parents to participate effectively in their child’s musical education.
- Respecting and supporting parents’ efforts.
- Maintaining confidentiality in personal matters regarding student and family.
- Maintaining appropriate teacher-child relationships.
... to our colleagues by:
- Maintaining a professional attitude and acting with integrity in regard to colleagues.
- Respecting the rights of colleagues when speaking of their work and/or students and respecting differences in teaching styles.
- Respecting the instruction of a students’ regular teacher when serving as an interim teacher.
- Giving credit to colleagues for ideas they have shared.
... for our own personal and professional development by:
- Making a commitment to life-long learning.
- Conducting business in an honest and ethical manner.
- Representing our professional training and competency accurately and honestly.
- Avoiding activities that would create a conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety.