Examining Codes of Ethics

NAEYC

I-2.5—To respect the dignity and preferences of each family and to make an effort to learn about
its structure, culture, language, customs, and beliefs.

*This code is particularly important to my professional life because respect is the most important aspect of all. Respect for individualities and differences among students, their families, and even colleagues. I also like the fact that this code states that we should make an effot to learn about each individual's culture, language, customs and beliefs because if we do not understand what makes the child unique, we may not be able to fully meet their needs to the standards we should be able to.

P-2.8—We shall treat child assessment information confidentially and share this information only when there is a legitimate need for it.*I chose this code because there were incidents in my past when assessment information for myself and my special needs brother were shared in a manor that disclosed personal information to our classmates. I was more upset when my brother's assessment scores were publicized because it shared information such as his learning disabilities and just how severe they were. My brother was so ashamed that he refused to return to school the next day and resluted in a long drawn out series of meetings with counselors, principles and specialists trying to determine what would be the best thing for my brother after his embarassment. This situation could have been avoided if care and concern for his privacy had been their first priority. 　

I-1.11—To provide all children with experiences in a language that they know, as well as support children
in maintaining the use of their home language and in learning English.

*This code rings a bell with me because throughout elementary school and middle school I saw children who's native language was not english, being teased. My sister-in-law is of Colombian descent and she has told us how she was teased and ridiculed for her inability to speak english in grade school. She would have probably enjoyed a program that allowed her to continue to speak and excel in her native language of Spanish, while continuing to allow her to learn and progress at speaking English. Those of us who speak English easily may not understand how hard it is to come here as a student and learn the language as rapidly as is expected of us.

 

DEC

Professional and Interpersonal Behavior:
1. We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.
*This correlates with the above code I chose about respect but says it in a diferent way. This code emphasizes the importance of the potential and value each child posesses. No child is more valuable than another and none should be treated as such.

4. We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the
professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that
enhance the quality of their lives.

*I was struck by this code as soon as I read the word "advocates". I have mentioned before that one of my professional goals is to become a child advocate and to speak on their behalf in court settings. I will serve as an advocate for any child, not just one's with disabilities but I do agree with this statement because someone needs to stand up for those children with disabilities and special needs. I absolutely could not have phrased this code better. It places emphasis on all of the right things and aims to show just how important they feel this code is to bettering the lives of the students in need.

Responsive Family Centered Practices:
7. We shall be responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families we serve by protecting all forms of verbal, written, and electronic communication.

*Most of these codes spoke to me for personal reasons that I wanted to take with me into my professional life so better someone else' experience by learning from past mistakes. This code is no different. In sixth grade I remember a classmate of mine being bullied by some of the "popular" students in my class. I was not concerned with popularity but did fear how I would be affected if I were to stand up for this classmate so I decided to have my mom write a letter to my teacher concerning the incident and we marked it "confidential". The letter ended up being passed around the whole class the next morning and I was mortified. The "popular" kids hated me for the rest of my existence and the kid that was being picked on was publically embarassed. Why my teacher chose to handle things that way I will never know but I am pretty sure all it did was ensure that no one would be standing up for anyone for the rest of the year. I would have handled this situation much differently and was thrilled to see this code addressed in the DEC. Protecting confidentiality is a great concern of mine.