What Ethical Conduct Means to Me

This week I have been asked to take three of the ideals from the NAEYC and DEC Codes of Ethical Conduct and talk about why they are meaningful to me and how they are a part of my professional life.

 

The first statement comes from DEC. It says that, as professionals, "we shall honor and respect our responsibilities to colleagues while upholding the dignity and autonomy of colleagues and maintaining collegial interprofessional and intrapersonal relationships." This statement talks about the importance of taking good care of the professional partnerships that we have, and recognizing the shared responsibility that comes from working with professional partners. I have been given the opportunity to foster some great partnerships over the course of my professional life, and this ideal is especially meaningful to me because I believe those relationships are the greatest assets I have had in my career. 

 

The second statement comes from NAEYC. It talks about the importance of using "assessment instruments and strategies that are appropriate for the children to be assessed, that are used only for the purpose for which they were designed, and that have the potential to benefit children."  This statement is meaningful to me because it outlines the correct use of assessments, which is to be helpful to children. I feel strongly that testing children to place them in a category, especially in the early years, is harmful. But, checking to see where children are developmentally, so caregivers can give them opportunities to practice the skills they need to reach goals, through active play, is beneficial. Helping providers and leaders see the difference, and continually advocating for the developmentally appropriate way to do this, makes this ideal very important to me. 

 

The third statement also comes from NAEYC. It outlines the "right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities." Over the past two years I have been involved with a campaign that emphasizes the importance of all children having a learning environment within their early childhood programs that is inclusive of everyone. All children have needs, and all children deserve to have a place that supports their individual abilities and interests. I really like this ideal because it lets early childhood professionals know that all really does mean all!

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct. Retrieved from
 http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Code of Ethics. Retrieved from  http://www.dec-sped.org/