Learning opportunities should also include teachers as reflective practitioners who do research on their own experiences and their students' experiences, thus continuing to increase the knowledge base of the profession. Symbols of Professionals Symbols are used in our society to nurture and build professional images. They identify a person's professional status to others and aid in interaction and communication. For example, students and adults with whom one interacts can recognize the accomplishments and subsequent status of a teacher when teachers frame and display diplomas and certificates of licensing, of participation in study seminars, of appreciation, and awards. The code of ethics displayed on a wall announces the existence of professional standards.
Business cards facilitate networking.
The profession and individual teachers should develop deliberate public relations initiatives to build a public image supporting science teacher professionalism. Professional science teachers facilitate the construction of science concepts for learners. They are decision makers who employ knowledge of science, pedagogy, and change to fulfill their individual responsibilities. They are continuous learners who stay current in scientific, pedagogic and change literature and are reflective practitioners who generate new knowledge and share knowledge. They assume collective responsibility for the profession, model ethical behavior in keeping with the profession's standards of practice, and are accountable for their actions.