Ethics

Three ideals contained in the codes of ethics that are meaningful and significant in one's professional life are: Professional collaboration; ethical responsibilities to children; and ethical responsibilities to families.

Effective communication among parents, families and colleagues will result in active professional collaboration, although it can be critical and challenging in the process. However, one's monitoring and supervising practices will be improved, so as to bring about changes that is needed in the school. Parties involved have the opportunity to share knowledge for better understanding of strategies, that will be more successful in matching situations, or individual child. Colleagues, professionals, and families must value the contributions that each brings to the table, by incorporating the developmental needs of children and their families into the system.  Collaboration also entails recognizing colleagues and families' strengths and individuality, and respect the various methods of coping.

Ethical responsibilities to children is from one's personal commitment on the part of an early childhood educator. The welfare of these children and their families will be held paramount, as they are being served, regardless of socio economic status, race gender, values, national origin, or disabilities. Their privacy must be respected, and confidentiality of information maintained. Demonstration of professional responsibility to protect children from harm, abuse, or neglect will be exhibited, as well as concern for their health, safety, and happiness, since professional standard requires what is best for the children in one's care. Also, it pays to be a good role model, and example for the children being served, because one might be the only readily available source of support, concern, and caring for many children.

Families and early childhood practitioner  have a common interest in the child's well-being, since it calls for building mutual trust, communicating children's progress in developmentally appropriate terms, and the rights of families to participate in decisions that affect their child. One's ethical responsibilities include a variety of family support programs, by having scheduled conferences among parents, families, and teachers. Communicating with integrity, honesty, and respect help to build a trusting, positive relationship with families.Opportunities will be provided   frequently for families to air their concerns, ask questions, make visits, and to call when issues concerning their children arise. As educators in the early childhood field, confidentiality has to be practiced when dealing with children's record and information.

                                                                        REFERENCE:

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment.

The Division of Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from

http://www.dec-sped.org/

Week Five Course Materials

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.

Part 2: Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
  
• Websites:
  
• • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP's mission.
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.

Note: Explore the resources in Parts 3 and 4 in preparation for this week's Application assignment.

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
  
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
  
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
  
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
  
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
  
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
  
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
  
• Children's Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
  
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
  
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  
• Institute for Women's Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/
  
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
  
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
  
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
  
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
  
• Voices for America's Children
  http://www.voices.org/
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
  

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to "How Do I...?", select "Tips for Specific Formats and Resources," and then "e-journals" to find this search interface.)

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education 

Three additional resources related to young children, families, and the field of early childhood are:

(1). Gordon, A. M., & Browne, K. W. (2011). Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth.

(2). Jackman,, H. L. (2009). Early Education Curriculum: A Child's Connection to the World. Clifton Park, N. Y: Delmar.

(3). Smith, J. T. (2010). Early Childhood Development: A Multicultral Perspective. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

AN EXCERPT FROM DR. SYLVIA CHARD'S WRITING:- WHY IS PROJECT LEARNING IMPORTANT?

One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life. In real life, we don't spend several hours at a time listening to authorities who know more than we do and who tell us exactly what to do and how to do it. We need to be able to ask questions of a person we're learning from. We need to be able to link what the person is telling us with what we already know. And we need to be able to bring what we already know and experience we've had that are relevant to the topic to the front of our minds and say something about them.

REFERENCE: http://www.edutopia.org/sylvia-chard-project-learning

AN EXCERPT FROM PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON'S INTERVIEW WITH TIME'S RICK STENGEL, ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK  'BACK TO WORK' AND HOW TO FIX THE ECONOMY.

First of all, we face more and more intense competition from around the world, and at the same time we have adopted - except in the eight years I served and the first two years President Obama was serving - this antigovernment philosophy, which has mostly, as I point out, been an antitax and antiregulation philosophy, so that we have dramatically increased the national debt and our reliance on other countries to fund it. Now we are facing the retirement of the baby boomers and once again a dramatic increase in health care cost. So we have to figure out a way to put the country in the future business.  We have to get a hold of the long-term debt problem, and we have to revitalize the private sector. And you can't do it with an antigovernment strategy. You have to have a smart government and a strong economy. That's basically the argument of the book.

REFERENCE: http://swampland.time.come/2011/11/09/qa-bill-clintons-vision.

QUOTES ABOUT PASSION, MOTIVATION, AND WISDOM FROM PROFESSIONALS IN WEEK 2 MEDIA SEGMENT.

Sandy Escobido

"Fortunately, I was lucky enough to enter the field of Early Childhood Education, and it's in Early Childhood Education that I was able to really see what a unique opportunity we have in working with children. We as professionals in the Early Childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child's life for the better, and so, that's what makes me passionate about this field".

 Raymond Hernandez Ms.Ed.

''I am not here to save the world, I'm here to make a difference in the community where I'm working, and to me, making a difference may sometimes mean helping one child to be able to be successful in the classroom''.

ADDITIONAL QUOTE:

Renatta M. Cooper

''Working intently with children and their families was almost like earning a Doctorate, because every year there was always a specific challenge that I was in charge. I had to meet it. I had to meet it for me.  I had to meet it in terms of what I was modeling for my staff, and what they will be taking  away and incorporate it into their own personal repertoire. And also, I had to meet it for the families that I worked with".

REFERENCE: Course Media: ''The Passion for Early Childhood''  http://www.waldenu.edu

My Childhood Web!!

 

The five persons who influenced my life

I am Joanne, encircled by the people who nurtured and care for me when I was a child. They include my father Maurice, and my mother Venessa, who played the most vital role in my life, since they were the most important role models whom anyone could have emulated. Both parents ensured that my basic needs were met, as well as, provided me with the essential habits and morals needed to develop into the proud individual I am today. They were excellent disciplinarians, who cultivated and guided my development by providing a safe, yet challenging arena for me to learn how to interact with society.

Not forgetting my Godmother Eunicey, an individual chosen by my parents to take an interest in my upbringing and personal development. She too had played an integral part in my childrearing years. She helped to instill moral intelligence in me, which now defines my ability that reflects upon what it means to be a “good person,” as opposed to a “not so-good person.”

In addition to the people mentioned above, is my big sister Marion who loved and cared for me, by bringing unique strengths to our family’s relationship. As a child, she washed my clothes, combed my hair, helped with my homework, and showered me with gifts on special occasions like my birthday, or Christmas. This disciplinarian sister was extremely warm and supportive, who encouraged me to share ideas even when there were conflicts or misbehaviours.

Last, but not least, was my cousin Jean who was mostly involved in my social upbringing. I had many opportunities to enjoy children parties, school fairs, matinee, Saturday shopping at the vegetable market in the city, going to the beach, as well as attending Sunday school every Sunday.  She provided bridges to aspect of the outside world, by allowing me to experience and explore things as a child.

Obviously, it is a well known fact that the influence that was given during childhood remains forever and impacts on my life. Certainly, the values that were instilled in me have led me at the peak of success today, by having proper perspective on the value of education, hence, and having a well-rounded one. Also, I am provided with motivation and guidance throughout my life, by having respect, co operation, understanding and situation handling, peace, integrity, honest, and trust.

“Manners and behavior will carry throughout the world” is one memorable statement made to me as a child.  As an adult and now an educator I can see the wisdom behind those  simple eight words.

Joanne