22 Kappa Delta Pi Record • Fall 2003 lt i ll The ABC’s of Professionalism

To develop a strong sense of profession alism, a teacher must focus on the critical elements of attitude, behavior, and communication. E very teacher must develop the characteristics of a professional and model professionalism every day. In fact, among the standards of the Na tional Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is a re quirement that teacher candidates demonstrate specific dispositions of professionals (NCATE 2001). Bridges (in Ben-Peretz 2001, 50) advised that, aside from academic qualifications, professional teachers must “act in an ethical manner, based on an explicit or implicit code of conduct.