The ethical core values of NAEYC are all extremely relevant. They can be found on the website: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf. Two of these core values really stand out to me as values that I always hope to encompass throughout my career; the first value being: Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual. This statement refers to children, families, and colleagues. What truly resonates with me regarding this statement is the fact that we all need to respect children as unique individuals. One of my favorite quotes from Maria Montessori states that: “Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future” (www.dailymontessori.com/maria-montessori-quotes/). I feel that we should all respect a child for who they are and for whom they are trying to become.
The second core value of NAEYC that I connect the most with professionally is: Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family. A family gives a child the foundation and support that they need throughout their whole lives. It is important for each teacher to remember that a family is most often a child’s first teacher. We can honor and respect families and children when we support the relationship between them.
At http://www.dec-sped.org/ you can find the code of ethics from The Division for Early Childhood. This organization helps to outline best practices and principals for work in early childhood. Their second code regarding Professional Development and Preparation reminds me of the importance of self-reflection and professional improvement. It is our responsibility as early childhood educators to make sure that we are always striving to offer our students the best possible experience while in our classes. To do this, we must look inward at our reasons for being in this profession and assess our own actions and teaching strategies. We work in a field that is continuously developing, requiring us to remain open to new ideas and practices.
Erin
ReplyDeleteMaria Montessori's quote is beautiful. What I love about the innocence of child is when they ask you questions you can see the sparkle in their eyes as they wait for your answer. When a child ask a question it is their desire to learn or just find out if you know the answer to the question. They do deserve respect; adults could learn a lot form them if we pay attention.
I make a point of reflecting daily after I have left work. It helps to come up with different ideas about how I can do things better or creating something totally new. There are times that I have had to go back and correct things that I have done. so refection is helps us to continue to evolve in our field.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right that evolution is key in this profession. I too use my car ride home to ponder on the daily classroom events. I think about the children that I did and did not get to spend much time with. I think about what worked and what didn't. I think that I have moved the furniture around in the classroom 3 times now, to try and make it more funtional. We change to fit the needs of the children that we care for and teach.
ReplyDeleteErin
ReplyDeleteJust about three years ago my former co-teacher and I would do the same thing inevitably we had to do this to follow the flow of our children's play. They would all congregate in area so we had find ways to accommodate their forms of play and their interest.