Title: Speaking the Truth
1Speaking the Truth
2 3NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
- P-4.6. We shall report the unethical or
incompetent behavior of a colleague to a
supervisor when informal resolution is not
effective. - First, go directly to that person and discuss the
matter with them then seek assistance from a
supervisor
4Code of Conduct
- P-4.7. We shall be familiar with laws and
regulations that serve to protect the children in
our programs. - Stay current on legislation
- Copies of state licensing standards must be
readily available to those charged with
implementing those regulations
5Code of Conduct
- P-4.8. We shall not participate in practices
which are in violation of laws and regulations
that protect the children in our programs. - We are required by both ethics and legislation to
comply with laws and regulations
6Code of Conduct
- P-4.9. When we have evidence that an early
childhood program is violating laws or
regulations protecting children, we shall report
it to persons responsible for the program. If
compliance is not accomplished within a
reasonable time, we will report the violation to
appropriate authorities who can be expected to
remedy the situation. - First, attempt to work within and change the
existing system - If no resolution is found, contact authorities
7Code of Conduct
- P-4.10. When we have evidence that an agency or a
professional charged with providing services to
children, families, or teachers is failing to
meet its obligations, we acknowledge a collective
ethical responsibility to report the problem to
appropriate authorities or to the public. - You are protected for violations reported in good
faith by a whistle blowers law
8Code of Conduct
- P-4.11. When a program violates or requires its
employees to violate this Code, it is
permissible, after fair assessment of the
evidence, to disclose the identity of that
program - You are not bound by confidentiality to an
institution but to individuals, including
children and families - unless maintaining confidentiality jeopardizes
the welfare of the child - unless you are an employer, in which case you are
bound to a certain degree by the confidentiality
accorded to your employees, within the
constraints of the law
9Code of Conduct
- All that it takes for evil to exist in the world
is for good men to do nothing.
10Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- A child reports that his parent has burned the
cold out of him, and you discover rows of what
appear to be burn marks on his back
11Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- A child reports that her mother has burned the
cold out of her by lighting a newspaper in her
ear
12Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- A family, who are are Jehovahs Witnesses, want
to enroll their children in your child care
program, where you have traditionally celebrated
virtually all holidays and birthdays
13Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- A family interested in your program says that
they do not want their children immunized on
religious grounds
14Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- A newly enrolled child in your program presents
with a high lead screening score. You advise the
parents about the need for chelation treatment,
but the parents say that they have no money to
for it, ignore your recommendation that they go
to the Board of Health for help, and do nothing
15Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- The family of a preschool aged child, who are new
immigrants to this country, requests that you
serve only warm milk to their child because he
has a cold
16Diversity Issues What Do You Do?
- The family of a child with special needs in your
program, informs you that they have put a DNR (Do
Not Resuscitate) order on their child, who is
medically fragile
17Our Past, Present Future How Much Do We Tell
Children?
- Depends on
- Age/stage/maturity of children
- Goals and objectives of lessons
- Preparation
- Consider long-range implications of distorted
views on history - Remember that, History is told by the victors.
- With young children, do not dwell too much on
injustices - Temper according to developmental needs, so that
children are not overwhelmed with distorted,
negative, or positive viewpoints
18Why Temper?
- During the preoperational period, between ages 2
to 7, young children become involved in
increasingly more complex symbolic play. They are
intuitive and engage in animism, attributing
lifelike characteristics to non-living beings.
Imaginative thinking and transductive reasoning,
where cause and effect are erroneously attributed
to unrelated variables, can sometimes get the
best of them, triggering fears of the dark,
monsters, and other unknowns over which they feel
powerless.
19The Best Country in the World
- Are we truly, the best or relatively the
best? - Is there no need for improvement?
- Is it a competition?
- Who do we anger and/or alienate when we make such
a claim? - Can we claim to be great without claiming to be
better than others?
20Final Thoughts First Steps for New Beginnings
- One of the most compelling arguments against
multicultural education is the tendency to stress
the differences between people - Provide balance by emphasizing equally the
similarities amongst people
21Between and Within Group Tensions
- There can be as much diversity within groups as
between groups - The same dynamics that cause tensions between
groups can also be the source of tension within
groups
22Reducing Between Within Group Tensions
- Ethnocentrism We internalize our own culture
(race/religion/gender, etc.,) and that becomes
the standard by which all other groups are judged - Assumption In order for our group to be the
best, other groups must be wrong or worse, e.g.,
Win/Lose - SOLUTION Emphasize that it is NOT a
competition, that each group can be great and
right, that no one group is better than any
others, e.g., Win/Win
23Reducing Between Within Group Tensions
- Frustration-Aggression Scapegoating Blaming
another group for ones own failures. - - Assumption If some can overcome adversity,
so, too, can all others - SOLUTION Model taking responsibility for ones
own part in successes and failures - Encourage children to take ownership of their
parts in social disputes - Teach the language necessary for resolving social
discord - Teach self-advocacy skills
- Support efforts to advocate for the rights of
others
24Reducing Between Within Group Tensions
- 3. Authoritarian Personality Inflexible, rigid
personality type characterized by adherence and
obedience to rules and authority, accompanied by
fear of, and low tolerance for difference. - Assumption This is a personality trait that is
inborn and inflexible to remediation - SOLUTION Fears are learned
- Emphasize early exposure to and celebrations of
human similarities and differences - Introduce to alternate notions of fairness based
on need and flexible rule-making, including the
notion of handicapping in golf, etc., in order
to level the playing field for those at a
disadvantage
25Reducing Between Within Group Tensions
- 4. Power Theory Competition and exploitation.
Negative views of subordinate groups justify
their unequal treatment and exploitation. - Assumption Accuracy of negative views and
existence of natural pecking order - SOLUTION Emphasize cooperation rather than
competition - Do not feed into discriminatory or prejudicial
views - Remember that absolute power corrupts
absolutely and empower those who demonstrate
altruism do not condone those who take unfair
advantage of others.
26Avoid the Tourist Approach
- To avert people feeling like foreigners when
studying different cultures, incorporate
diversity into daily routines with - Photographs of people from diverse groups
decorating the environment - Dolls and other materials from diverse groups in
dramatic play area and other learning centers - Multicultural games, songs, stories, etc.
- Encourage family involvement