NAEYC and DEC Ideals

NAEYC Section 1 Ethical Responsibilities to Children 1-1.11 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 ideal is particularly meaningful to me because of my experience with the Early Reading First project.  Because of this experience, I have done research on this topic and have become passionate about the need to help children maintain their home language.  In order to be prepared for school, children also need to be exposed to English.  I feel strongly that this should not be left to chance or but rather that strategies for supporting the home language and exposing the child to English need to be intentional and research based.  It is impossible for a teacher to speak the language of the diverse population that many of us find in our classrooms, however, it is essential for professionals working with English Language Learners to be knowledgeable about second language acquisition.  This Ideal is significant to my professional life because the majority of the children and families that I work with are Spanish-speaking.  I have found that very few teachers are prepared or feel comfortable working with English Language Learners. Because of this, it is important for me to share what I have learned about strategies for working with English Language Learners and to help teachers understand the importance of supporting each child’s home language. 

NAEYC Section 1 Ethical Responsibilities to Families  1-2.9 To participate in building support networks for families by providing them with opportunities to interact with program staff, other families, community resources and professional services.

Young children must be viewed in the context of their family.  This Ideal is important to me because it is essential to provide a wide variety of resources for families in order to improve outcomes for children.  Providing opportunities to interact with program staff can support the relationship between families and their child’s teacher.  This connection can be instrumental in helping parents learn more about child development and parenting strategies.  Connecting families with other families in the program can be a great source of support.  Many families face multiple risks so being connected with community resources and professional services can be very beneficial.  This Ideal is significant in my professional life because the center where I work combines an early education experience for children with family support component.  This approach ensures a strong bridge between school and home and the individualized support and resources that each family needs.  This has been a very successful model, but we are always looking for additional ways to support families.    

The Code of Ethics of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Professional and Interpersonal Behavior 4.  We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that enhance the quality of their lives.

This Ideal is significant to me because while it is the responsibility of all professionals in the field of early care and education to support children and families, it is even more important to support those children with disabilities and their families.  Agencies must be aware of their role in developing policies that improve outcomes for children and families.   This Ideal is significant to my professional life because the classrooms that I supervise include a significant number of children with disabilities.  We have been in the process of creating policies and procedures to ensure that these children and families receive the support and high quality services that they need.  We are also working with outside agencies that provide services to children with disabilities enrolled in our program and their families to ensure that we are truly working in partnership and delivering services in an efficient and professional manner.