Lesson 5: Code of Ethical Conduct

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

  • Assess and evaluate their level of professional ethics.
  • Identify areas of strength and challenges within their ethical knowledge and skill
  • Discuss values and beliefs as it relates to the Ethical Responsibilities to Families.

Teaching

Most early childhood settings have adopted the Code of Ethical Conduct as part of their values and beliefs.  You may see it imbedded in the mission and vision statement or part of the employee handbook.  The framework was written not only to help educators understand their moral commitments but to offer guidance in addressing ethical issues. 

Another benefit to having the code of ethics is to use it as a reflection tool.  It is easy to get caught up in the difficulties early childhood educators face, especially when working with other adults who follow the same code, but have vastly different philosophical beliefs. 

Section II, of NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct, is Ethical Responsibilities to Families.  This section will be the continuous them throughout your practicum III course.  It is of upmost importance that you follow these throughout your career and recognize the significance of partnering with families.

It is not secret that society has varying opinions on parenting styles and skills but in truth, the very foundation of how people know how to parent is by the way they were parented.  You can take classes, observe others parenting or simply decide not to parent but a parents very first experiences with parenting is being the child of one.   At some point growing up you may have thought, “I am never going to do that when I am a parent!”   And if you do, or when you do have children, that experience will carry with you.  You will base your parenting on what you experienced and the intentional thinking you put behind it.

I’m going to give you an example: 

Growing up I was never able to ride my bike past a certain point in my driveway.  Being little this made me SO MAD because we didn’t have a big driveway and it wasn’t a lot fun riding my bike twenty five feet before having to turn around.  I was never given a consequence but I never needed one because I was too scared to go past the rock anyway. I carried feelings of fear (not knowing what would happen if I rode past the rock), anger (because my parents would never let me do anything) and a general hate of riding my bike (because it wasn’t any fun).   Now, growing up I have three children of my own and it terrifies me when they play in the driveway.  There are so many factors to consider because of the cars on the road, visibility, their understanding of bike safety, etc. 

SO, I filtered through my experience of being parented and decided on the following:

  • My kids were not going to ride past a certain part of the driveway
  • They were going to understand why so that they were not as angry as I was with my boundary setting
  • They were going to understand the consequence if they did it – so they did not have to be fearful
  • I would take them out to ride bikes on the road to teach them safety and a love of bike riding.

While not ideal to some, I based my parenting on what I knew mixed in with my own style and what my children need.  Society of course will tell me something different and other parents might judge.  But this is where I learned and I do not know different.

Let’s take it to a deeper level.

I’ve been working with low income families for quite a few years and have been involved with several families that have had their children taken away.  For some, their parenting rights were even removed.  I struggle with their choices but keep reminding myself that they learned to parent first, by how they were parented.  Yes, they make their own choices and their parenting is impacted by several other factors.  However, their base knowledge of parenting came from their very first experiences.

For example:

I worked with a mom who had a newborn and looked to me for guidance in a lot of different areas.  She didn’t know to talk with her baby, provide a calm environment or to make sure the baby had diapers before she spent her money on cigarettes.  I visited her weekly, partnered with her and provided her with resources and strategies to be there for her baby.  Later on in years she had another child and was better with the talking and taking her arguments outside so the baby was not exposed to high stress.  There was a clear bond and I could see the love between Mom and child.  There was no stronger bond.  She still struggled with money but there was improvement.  One day, child protective services was called and when a worker came to the house it was determined that they would take the children.  The family was devastated and called me the following day.  Without showing judgement, I supported them and listened.  Inside I was reeling.  Why, why why why why why why why.  I was so sad for them but even more sad for those children.  Why can’t the parents just get their crap together?!?!?!?!?! 

The following week I attended a team meeting.  I was deeply disappointed when I learned about why the children were taken.  We all went around one by one voicing what we believe are the strengths of the parents but also what our concerns were.  When the mother of one of the parents spoke, it hit me.  The mother I have been working with is parenting the best way she knows how.  She has based her parenting skills on all she knows.   How could I expect her to be any different if she does not know any different?

So what does this all mean for you?

Through this course you will be working on your connections with all of the families at your placement.  No family will be the same.  Every family will be different from another.  Some families will be highly involved and some families will not.  Some families may frustrate you and you may have those thoughts of, “what the heck?  Why can’t they get their stuff in?  Do they care about their child and what they are doing?”  OR some families may impress you and you may have those positive thoughts of, “Wow!  They must care about their child, they are really involved!” 

I’m here to tell you that all of those thoughts are normal.  The important part is that you:

    • Don’t say them out loud because they are judgements­
    • Reflect on why you are having those thoughts
    • Look in your code of ethical conduct.  How will you use the ideals to guide you?

Assessment

Lesson 5 Assignment

  • Read Section II in the Code of Ethical Conduct - Ethical Responsibilities to Families
  • Read pages 62-63 in Professionalism in Early Childhood Education.  Section: Moral and Ethical Behavior. Subsection: Personal Values and Morality
    • Rate yourself on the two questions on page 116-117 Personal Values and Morality.  While you rate, really think of the question and how they are worded.  You are rating your awareness

Write a 1-2 page summary on the following:

  • Where you feel you are at in your awareness
  • How this effects your work
  • What your plan is
  • How questions 1-3 impact your Ethical Responsibilities to Families
  • What you feel is the most important ideals and principles in Ethical Responsibilities to Families
  • Which ideals and principles are relevant to your work as a PRACTICUM student and how you will use them in your activities/projects in this course.

Lesson 5 Discussion A

Read chapter 25 in Swinging Pendulums.  How do you feel about the mantra “All parents want what is best for their children?” Can you still have that mantra if a parent is abusive or non-existent?  Where is the line and do you draw one?

Lesson 5 Discussion B

Share what you believe is the most important ideal in the Code of Ethical Conduct – Ethical Responsibilities to Families.  Why did you chose that one?