NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

As an early childhood professional I follow the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.  Following these core values,  ideals, and principles are a large part of my commitment to young children and their families.  For this post I have selected the 3 ideals that are the most meaningful to me.  I would love to learn about your favorites!

Ethical Responsiblities to Children

I-1.2---To base program practices upon current knowledge and research in the field of early childhood education, child development, and related disciplines, as well as on particular knowledge of each child.

This ideal is extremely important to me as the owner and director of an early childhood center.  I have 112 children at my center that are directly affected by the programs that I offer.  They deserve the best early childhood education available and it is my responsibility to learn about and design programs that offer them the most opportunities for success, both now and in the future. 


Ethical Responsibilities to Families

I-2.2---To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.

In my center we serve 112 children and 89 families.  Each family chooses to entrust us with their precious children.  When they say goodbye to their child each morning I want them to leave with a sense of trust and know that their child is getting the best education and care possible.  In order for us to forge a bond with the family they must trust that we have their child's best interests at heart and that we will always treat them with love, respect, and dignity.  In order to truly serve a child and their family mutual trust and a working partnership is of the utmost importance.



Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues

I.3A.3---To support co-workers in meeting their professional needs and in their professional development.

Research has shown that the quality of early childhood programs is directly tied to the education and experience of the classroom teachers.  It is my goal, as an early childhood professional and the director and owner of an early childhood center, to encourage all of the teachers at our center to further their education. My center requires that all lead teachers must hold or be working towards their B-K degree and all assistant teachers and support staff must hold or be working towards their associate's degree in early childhood.  In addition, we participate in the NC T.E.A.C.H program which helps teachers pay for their education.  Our commitment to the T.E.A.C.H program is that we pay 10% of the teachers' tuition and books and also offer a small bonus or raise at the completion of each year of classes.  I feel that in order to ensure that we are offering a quality program we must have highly educated teachers and that if we want highly educated teachers we must make supporting their education a top priority.

Early Childhood Resources

I am sharing an AWESOME list of resources for early childhood professionals.  These are wonderful for classroom staff as well as administrators.  I am so excited that all of these resources were shared with me as part of my Walden education.  The last 3 resources are ones that I use almost daily in my role as a child care center director.  Please feel free to share some of your favorite resources!

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.

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.

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/

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


My Favorite Picks

http://www.southernearlychildood.org/

www.earlychildhoodnews.net/

www.ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/home.asp/

Some Favorite Quotes!

"The most important intellectual dispositions are inborn and must be strengthened and supported rather than undermined by premature academic pressures."      Lilian Katz


"If the first three years of life are deprived in terms of stimualtion and interaction with warm, nurturing human beings, it's going to be real tough for the child to acquire the depth and breadth of verbal language needed to build reading abilities."        Sue Bredekamp


"I suggest the best way to ensure good quality environments, where all our children can develop and learn is by focusing our collective and individual energies on the quality of day-to-day interactions we have with children so that those interactions are as rich, interesting, engaging, satisfying, and meaningful as we can make them.  For teachers, I suggest:  do not drain your energy on blaming conditions, politicians, or officials, or the parents, and anyone or anything else.  Save your energy for your relationships with the children."        Lilian Katz



"I wanted to be a teacher because I had a built-in passion that it was important to make a real contribution to the world and to fix all the injustices that existed in the world and I wanted to do that through teaching."      Louise Derman-Sparks


"It's not all about you, you have to take your ego out of it and figure out what's best for the child."
Renatta M. Cooper

Personal Childhood Web

I have been very blessed, in my lifetime, to have many people who have cared for me, loved me, and supported me.  The 5 people who were the most important to my childhood are my daddy, my mama, my nanny, my granny, and my grandpa.

My Daddy, Doug Eggleston, was a wonderful father.  He and my mom got married when I was 6 years old and by the time I was 8, he had adopted me and given me his last name.  I have always marveled at the fact that he loved me and my sister so much that he chose us to be his daughters when our biological father was so willing to give us away.  Daddy was a man of little words, but much love.  He taught me how to treat others and to always go out of my way to try and understand people.  He was very nonjudgmental and I never heard him say a bad word about anyone.  He was a hard worker and taught me the value and satisfaction of always doing your best no matter how menial the job seems.  I have so many memories of watching him play softball, going to the beach, working on the farm, family dinners, and just spending time with him.  He was always "in my corner" and always took the time to listen to my troubles.  Daddy passed away in 1996 of brain cancer and the void he left still aches today.


My Mama, Dianne Eggleston, was a very devoted mother.  Mama's mother died when she was 12 and her father died when she was 18, newly married, and pregnant with me.  These events in my mama's life made it very difficult for her as she struggled to be a young mother.  Mama always did the best that she could for me and my siblings.  She loved to cook and made us wonderful southern meals.  Her collards and chili are still my favorite today.  She worked and raised 4 kids and was always present at any of our school events and other social gatherings.  She taught me how to be self-sufficient by teaching me how to cook, clean, take care of children, etc.  I think my love for children began when she let me babysit my younger siblings as we were growing up.  I have come to realize that my mom and I have so much in common and that the link between us grows deeper as we age.  I am very grateful for all the love and support my mom gave me growing up and I am glad that our relationship is still strong today.  I love her very much.

My paternal grandmother, who I called Nanny, was one of my very favorite people growing up.  I used to spend a lot of time with her.  We went for walks, sat on the front porch and drank coffee, she always let me have a sip, and basically just enjoyed each other's company.  She was a very strong woman and always believed in me, even when I was at my worst.  She used to tell me, "Who's gonna care in 10 years!" and I still think of that now when I am worried over things.  She taught me how to cook and also how to play a mean game of poker.  She was a fun, loud, and very energetic woman and I treasure all of my memories of her.  She passed away a few years ago but the determination and self-love that she taught me is still growing strong in my life.

My Daddy's parents, who I called Granny and Grandpa, were very influential in my life.  When Daddy married Mama, he got a ready made family with 2 little girls and my "adopted" grandparents were thrilled.  They always included me in everything and treated me as if I was born in to the family.  They had a dairy farm and I grew up working on the farm.  My grandpa taught me how to ride a horse, prime tobacco, bottle feed a cow, and grow a garden.  My granny taught me how to cook, clean, sew, and care for others.  Both of them were very pragmatic, no-nonsense people who valued hard work and taking care of your family.  From them I learned a lot about how to care for others, not only in my family but my community as well.  They were always around to lend an ear, take care of me when I was sick, or just talk over a class of coke and some duplex cookies.    My Grandpa passed away 23 years ago and my Granny passed away 7 years ago.  When I was little I used to tell them that someday I was going to grow up and run the farm. Recently my husband and I had the opportunity to buy the family farm and we are in the process of bringing it back to it's former glory.  Each day as I live in the house I am surrounded by wonderful memories of my grandparents and the love that they always gave unconditionally.

Way back when....

 

This is a picture of me when I was 4 and my senior portrait.  My mom put them in a scrapbook for me a few years ago along with many more photos from my childhood.  It was one of the best gifts that I have ever received.

My Favorite Children's Book

It is very hard to pick a favorite book!  There are so many wonderful books out there.  One of my favorites would have to be The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf.  This is a delightful book that tells the story of crayons and their differences and similarities.  It is a simple read that is easy and enjoyable for all ages and yet it manages to deal with the serious topic of acceptance and love for others.  I have had the privilege of reading it to my grandchildren, my Sunday school class, and the children at my center.  I also used it as an icebreaker at our first in-service training this year.  I love the message of love and hope that it conveys.  I also love the colorful illustrations.  I hope you will check it out!

A favorite quote

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book, For the Love of Children, by Jean Steiner and Mary Steiner Whelan.  I had the good fortune to meet Mary and she autographed my book for me!  If you haven't read this book, please look it up.  It is a collection of affirmations for those who work with children.

"Childhood is terribly perishable.  It is always under siege."  Jim Greenman

I think this quote speaks to me because it reminds me that the early years are so fleeting.  I tend to get on my soapbox when some educators want to push down the curriculum and make pre-k mimic kindergarten.  At my center we believe that play is a child's work and many times I have had to defend this position.  I believe that children should be allowed to play and learn and just be children.  I wish everyone understood this.