Examining Codes of Ethics

NAEYC ideals

• To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and stay informed through continuing education and training.

It is necessary to have foundational information with respect to early childhood.  More research is being done to enhance techniques used by educators.  We need to provide our families the most up to date practices for their child reach their full potential.  Each child is unique.  The more information we have as early childhood educators, the more children we can serve effectively.

•  To work with families to provide a safe and smooth transition as children and families move from one program to the next.

Many families do not understand why their child may need to transition to another program.  We need to make sure the family and the child have as many opportunities to be comfortable with the new program.  Early childhood educator know when one of their students will enter a new program.  We need to use all of the time preparing the child and family for the new program.

•  To listen to families acknowledge and build upon their strengths and competencies, and learn from families as we support them in their task of nurturing children.

Families need to understand that they are a very important person in their child's education.  The families support will encourage their child to reach their child's potential.  Early childhood educators need to listen to the family and incorporate some of their ideas into the classroom.  The parents are the expert when it comes to their child.  Early childhood educators foster additional learning opportunities.

DEC ideals

•   We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that enhance the quality of their lives.

Early Childhood educators need to be understanding to the unique demands of having a child with a disability.  We, as early childhood educators, must assist families find the necessary resources.  Many families do not understand what techniques they can use to help their children.  It is imperative to explain to parents how they can practice foundational skills in their daily routines.

•   We shall honor and respect our responsibilities while upholding the dignity and autonomy of colleagues and maintaining collegial interpersonal and intraprofessional relationships.

Early childhood educators need to work as a team by exchanging ideas without being critical.  We should not focus on receiving awards for our work but uplifting each other to continue with the journey of informing our society about early childhood education.  It is a wonderful opportunity to attend conferences and meet other early childhood educators from different districts can observe what techniques worked to engage the children an their families.

•   We shall demonstrate our respect and concern for children, families, colleagues, and others with whom we work, honoring their beliefs, values customs, languages and culture.

People an their situations are unique.  Whether we believe or practice certain traditions, it must not interfere with our professional relationships with the children, their families and our colleagues.  Our responsibility is to provide our students with necessary skills to reach their full potential.  We must focus our energy on serving our communities by preparing our students with knowledge they can build on through their entire life.

Additional Resources

Rigby, E & Neuman, M. (2005, January).  Making a difference:  leadership in early care and education policy.  Beyond the Journal:  Young Children on the Web.  Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200501/Rigby.pdf

This is a wonderful article which encourages early childhood educators that there are opportunities where early childhood educators are needed.  It provided me with the more confidence to use my chemistry background in the classroom and my experience can take me to different sectors in society.

www.feedthechildren.org

It is an organization that helps children in the United States not to go hungry.  I was watching the Hallmark channel when I saw the commercial on Feed the Children.  It was stated that one in five children go hungry in the United States.  I was alarmed.  This website provides opportunities to help these children not to go hungry.

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-