Professionalism in Early Childhood Education: an Ethical Self

The theme of professionalism in early childhood education is the main topic of this essay. There will be attempts to describe the ethical self and identify key characteristics of the ethical self and why it is important for teacher to learn some professional ethical principles to safeguard and protect the confidentiality of the young learners. 

Being ethical involves thinking about everyday actions and decision making, either individually or collectively, and responding with respect to all concerned. Individual’s in contact with the children, have a responsibility and commitment to maintain confidentiality of the children they work with. Being an effective early childhood teacher requires a clear understanding of yourself, using yourself as a tool, and developing skills that help you lead others. To a very large extent eraly childhood teacher’s help shape values and establish competence of children. As persons working with children our individual values and beliefs influences our teaching effectiveness.

Dalberg and Moss claim, Ethics is “a very practical matter” which should form the basis of childcare policies and practices. Decisions made by Staff, working with young children must be moral and ethical. Educators, developing competency in working with young children includes learning about and abiding to accepted professional standards of conduct. Personal values and beliefs, in relationship to the early childhood education profession must also be of an ethical nature. In addition, researches are making strong arguments that focus should shift from “technical” approach to the recognition that ethics is the heart of early childhood education and care. This identifies, that childhood is unique and crucial. Also, early childhood programs and teacher’s, are accountable, to provide safe, healthy nurturing, and responsive settings for children, by valuing individual differences and cultural heritage. Also, supporting children to enhance their development, socially, emotionally to interact and work collaboratively, thus promoting their self-esteem.

Within my ethical framework, I think my primary ethical principle and practices evolves around the concept of high-quality programmes, as the foundation for education throughout the school community. In my practice, I am constantly making decisions about children based on family, cultural values, centre policies and procedures. Also, my personal values and beliefs are among the many things that affect the decisions I must make regarding the children in my care. Most often, decisions about a child is made either with involving the child’s family or in collaboration with colleagues. However, at times, when a decision is made against my personal values or research and I am forced to practice something against my best judgement, I am often faced with an ethical dilemma. For example, in the Kindergarten, the most common means of disciplining students is to reward them with stickers when they obey and punish them when they disobey with consequences such as time out or missing out on play. I believe in intrinsic rewards and conflict resolutions as best practices. In such instances two values are in conflict and we are often forced into choosing an answer that does not feel right, however in any given situation as a teacher I feel I must focus on the doing the right thing, making an ethical decision. However, when faced with ethical dilemmas, the code of ethics defines our responsibilities and guides the relationships we maintain as ECE teachers with our Students, Colleagues, Families and Community in an ethical manner. It is a document we can refer to when we face difficult decisions.

In taking on an early childhood teacher’s role, a person assumes some ethical responsibility of another person’s learning. This specifies that a teacher is much more than a dispenser of information. We have the responsibility of creating helpful relationships with our students. This also extends to teacher agency. We as collaborators within a professional learning team have a voice, choice ownership in shaping the learning environment. As teachers of early years, we are thoughtful participants, observers and guides in children’s, constantly evolving explorations investigations and learning. These observations help us to reach deeper interpretations of children’s thinking to plan for individual children and small groups. We also set the framework and structures of learning by presenting learning experiences and choices throughout the day. These engagements are well sequenced to ensure that all students see the connections between past and new learning experiences. Thus fostering equitable learning. There is an emphasis on sustained shared thinking between the teacher and groups of children to share points of views and consider next possibilities for learning. Furthermore, Levinasian pedagogy, does not simply say to “feel” others experiences and sufferings, but to acknowledge that the “other” is beyond our ability to know. As teachers, therefore, we take the responsibility for nurturing healthy relationships with our students to help them as well as us grow.

In addition, as teachers, we also act as researchers, refining our theories constantly. I am always looking for opportunities to align my practices and I am continually looking for ways to refine my personal beliefs about learning, to provide appropriate learning environments for the children. The collaborative work that I do at the school with the children, ultimately shapes our shared beliefs in the kindergarten setting. As an early chilhood teacher, I feel responsible to ensure high quality program that support young children’s holistic development in all areas. I also feel accountable to ensure quality curriculum and significant best practices that foster younger children’s growth and social competencies by addressing individual ways of learning. I can further enhance, relationships that provide the foundation for children’s excitement to learn with the aid of engaging in enticing conversations with learners, watching them at play, taking time to look carefully at artefacts of learning, such as children work. Collectively, analysing student work in collaboration with my colleagues, reflecting in what we are noticing and how we might respond, helps us gain further insight and different perspectives about the learning. In short collectively, we are making a commitment to bring a high-quality stance to our teaching. Listening and noticing is one of the key practices, I see, at its finest in the early years, regardless the age group with which we work.

Children’s own sense of responsibility, what does it really mean? Does it entail teacher’s acknowledging, children’s voice, choice and ownership and create a setting for learning, wellbeing by putting students at the centre of the learning. Children’s participatory rights involves students as active participants in and co constructors of their learning. If children are recognized as givers as well as takers, and knowledge is collaboratively constructed what would it look like? Actions speak louder than words and often convey to children what we really mean.

Teachers should encourage children, into collaboration and listening. In addition, adults shouldn’t inflict their views onto children to structure their behaviours. Once adults, manipulate or shape the behaviours of the young children, the encounter is now not true or authentic for the child. Children should be able to stipulate their views with autonomy. Listening is a significant skill. Children as well as teachers, want to be understood, noticed and listened to. Furthermore, listening is reciprocal. Unfortunately, as teachers, only a few of us are natural listeners, taking the time to listen to what children are really saying. I believe that the biggest communication problem I have, is that at times, I do not listen to understand, I listen to reply. Learning new ways of observing and being active participants in listening to each other, will help me learn about myself, as well as learning about the “other” which could be my colleagues as well as the children. Noticing, recognizing and interpreting, is all connected to active listening.

Moreover, listening additionally entails a choice to pay attention. We exhibit, to the children, that we care about them, through listening. Staying with the here and now, instead of speaking about another time or place. Also listening without judging is a special art. This does not always mean, that I agree with the children or colleague, but merely that I understood and pay attention to their point of view. Communication is a social, reciprocal interaction, that allows people to engage with one another and work cooperatively. I believe, to teach effectively, one must, not only speak, but also listen. By apprehending the “Other” point of view, instead of striving to make the “other” the “same”, I can vouchsafe, that I am positively on the way to display high-quality teaching.

Also, not all children are ready for instruction at the same level when they come to Kindergarten. My values and beliefs bestow that if I want to promote lifelong learning, children understanding fundamental concepts and skills must be associated with joy. Forcing children to practice tasks in frustration assures that they will avoid doing them in the future. Therefore, active listening, noticing and documenting is the ongoing process and condition of dialogue and change that raises the threshold of attention and sensitivity towards the learning opportunities we offer.

Manaakitanga, envisages, to welcoming creative environments that treats everyone with respect and dignity. An effective teacher, recognizes the significant role of creating relationships that provide the foundation that foster children’s learning, To be an effective carer to the cared for, teacher’s require good understanding and knowledge of self as well as the skills in relation to forming meaningful relationships as well as being receptive to the needs of other, in an ethical manner. Effective teachers often use themselves as tools to help others. To a degree, teacher’s help forms good values and establish the competence of children.

Children in the early years, require more individual attention. As an early year’s teacher, I need to be able to sit alongside a child or offer a lap to create a sense of physical closeness and trust. In addition positive nurturing relationships between children and teacher’s, develop when adult child ratio are kept and activities are organized to allow teacher’s to spend individual time with children everyday. This caring adult child relationships is crucial, especially when children are new to the centre. This positive closeness enhances a sense of belonging to the child and once the child is comfortable in his environment he is confident to participate, when introduced to new concepts or working in areas where children are putting new skills to test. Moreover, in an encounter, the carer is attentive, listens and is receptive to the needs of the cared for.

At work, since, it is the norm that we encounter ethical issues daily, ethics of care deems to be more than only engaging in caring relationships. Regardless of countless factors, one problem remains clear, a caring loving responsive surroundings is essential in supplying an experience of belonging. Children’s experiences of such surroundings promote secure attachments with adults. Next to their parents, early years teacher’s, are frequently the most significant people in children’s lives. Children’s first teacher is their parents and they experience a sense of belonging with family, which later extends when they enter kindergarten. Nurturing positive relationships, between home, family and school, help build trusting relationships with their teachers and sense a feeling of being protected and cared for, enhances a sense of belonging that encourages children to take responsibility for their learning. Successful kindergartens are warm, inviting places where children have ongoing opportunities for learning. My role as a carer and teacher, is fundamental in acknowledging that children’s learning and dispositions are built on trust, agency and reciprocal relationships. On the other hand, when the significance of relationships is strengthened, equitable learning is paramount, and children are treated as individuals, and learning is enhanced with respect and dignity. Regardless of ethnicity or cultural backgrounds, endorses the fundamentals for an effective learning environment.

Pono, depicts showing integrity by acting in ways that are ethical and just. In centre based settings, teachers must support the social and emotional development of children by promoting an environment that encourages emerging communication skills of children by providing opportunities for children to interact with others and to express themselves freely. However, as professionals we are constantly confronted with the challenge of motivating and stimulating students to learn. I believe the single most important factor in motivating students, is encouragement. By acknowledging that students are capable and focusing on the child’s strength, their feelings of confidence and self-worth is enhanced. Thus, they grow to believe in themselves and their abilities.

Encouraging students is a perquisite for effective teaching, then again sadly few apprehend the technique of being an encouraging person. Some Teachers are critical, whereas others tend to be sarcastic. As teachers’, when we humiliate and degrade children, we tend to affect their self-confidence. As a result, children begin to believe, that they are no longer capable, and in turn negative self-concepts are formed. To avoid emerging negative thoughts, as an encouraging teacher, my role is to make it a habit to frequently reflect on my teaching practices to change any inappropriate verbal exchange or behaviour patterns. Rather than focusing on the negativity, we must analyse the behaviour, to celebrate, children’s action that is appropriate is of value.

Also, children need help in discovering their abilities. My responsibility is to encourage children to be active learners. I must take care in designing activities, keeping in mind, what is developmentally appropriate, challenging to an extent and exciting. Until children feel good about themselves and can relate to learning in a meaningful way, effective learning does not take place. Our beliefs or expectations of how a child develops, plays a big impact on how the child performs. If as adults, we show that a child can't complete a task, he or she, tends to doubt their very own ability. This enforces the child to attempt the task with much less assurance and there is an increased likelihood of failure.

Furthermore, to build self-esteem necessary for motivation, I believe teachers must focus on positive aspects of student’s behaviour and treat all children with respect and dignity. In addition, the concept of self is learned and the experiences both negative and positive helps children form the basis of developing the concept of self. To feel significant children must feel that they are respected and that their contributions are valid. Lifelong learning validates itself in terms of how children see themselves. As a teacher I can help develop children’s motivation and self-esteem by identifying and acknowledging their strengths and suggesting ways in which they might utilize these to contribute to the classroom community.

Acknowledging and assisting families as children’s first and most influential teachers, is a vital phase of my ethical self. To provide experiences that are knowledgeable by means of children’s cultural experiences, I ought to take the initiative to study more about their heritage, identity, language, beliefs and recognize their extent. As teachers, we know that learning begins at home and the prior learning obtained, develops throughout the kindergarten experiences. Parents and Whanau is a significant part in a child’s development. Furthermore, children who are nurtured and encouraged at home are confident in forming relationships with adults at school. In addition, when children, go back and forth between kindergarten and home, they go between environments in which they can also experience languages, cultures and expectations for behavior. Communications and relationships between home and kindergarten helps to ease transitions and enable children to develop confidence in building and maintaining positive relationships with others at school.

I can establish and maintain ongoing communication with families, by reporting to parents on their child’s progress on a regular basis. This will provide opportunities for parents to support and reinforce the learning. Creating newsletters to inform parents, learning by describing the skills the children are learning and ways parents can help their child at home, helps extend the experiences at home too. Also keeping newsletters centered on learning, supports parents stay connected to the school and its policies and procedure.

Children attending kindergarten may come from diverse cultures and backgrounds and they will learn best in setting that reflect and honor those experiences. By accepting cultural differences in the way children are brought up, helps develop my relationships with the children and this in turn can affect children’s approaches to learning and help sustain of sense of belonging in the classroom environment. Also, children’s experiences in kindergarten, helps them develop their knowledge of the wider community in which they live. The community forms a context for learning and organizing field trips to places such as the library, park, fire station, can further enhancing learning and develop children’s sense of connection and belonging to the wider community, besides just their home and school.

We, as early childhood teachers can be a part of a child's first years fostering secure relationships. Where in a child’s life these relationships will help is unknown. However, it is our duty to advocate for high quality early years settings. Unacceptable practices and policies may cause implications; but teachers should feel confident to use the trusted voice of the ethical self to advocate for the needs of the children. Focusing on building a strong school community to enhance best practices for the betterment of children regardless of difference in culture, form strong connections between families, teachers and the wider community serving children. Every country has a code of conduct. I have my personal moral self and the challenge I face, is when I am working in an environment that conflicts with my values and beliefs. The moral dilemma, then would be as to how I enable my moral self to play in this environment. I believe teachers respond to children and families are most sincere when they combine knowledge, experiences over time and individual values and beliefs, which help develop the ethical self, that empowers individuals to become effective ethical teachers.