Week 12: Summary of unit

Throughout this semester I greatly enjoyed learning about ethics within early childhood and I certainly opened up to my own beleifs and values of children. My main beleif as a future educator comes from John Walls beleif that all children are interdependant and most importantly are equal to adults. I beleive that children should not be seen or treated through adult assumptions, rather children should be seen as equal human beings that are capable of expressing themselves just like adults only in their own way. These ways include the one hundred languages of children. Children can express their beleifs and feelings through many different forms such as: art, science, voice, play, maths and many more. Children should have the right to choice and freedom to express themselves however they want. Children learn through their play which should not be undermined by adults who cannot see the significance of this play. Through play children investigate, discover, collaborate, research, experiment, invent and dream with themselves or with others.

I beleive all children have the right to engage in play and make choices no matter what their sex, culture, race, religion, ability or disability may be. All children should be included within early childhood environments and should never experience discrimination or exclusion.

This semester has overall made me understand the many ethical issues that may potentially arise within my practice as an educator and the importance of understanding my own ethical beleifs and values before beginning my future work with young children and their families.

Week 11: Recap of class with quest speaker

A few weeks ago Alex Kuklik a Barrister came to talk to us about our legal responsibilities as future early childhood teachers. I throroughly enjoyed this session and learnt alot from Alex that I wasnt aware of prior to class. Firstly I realised how large my responsibilty as a teacher is towards the duty of care of young children. There are many penalties towards teacher's who fail to supervise children, use inappropriate discipline, fail to keep children aware from harm and hazards and allowing unauthorised persons on the premises. The offence that suprised me the most was the offence relating to required programs for example the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), teachers must keep adequate physical documentation to prove the education for each individual child. I did not realise centres could be fined for this, however I think its wonderful that this is put into place as it gives the EYLF some importance within preschools.

Following this Alex taught us about the different types of discrimmination that could be found within the early childhood environment including racial, disability, sex and homosexuality. These are all great acts and will ensure that no one is excluded whether it be parents, staff or children within the early childhood environment. A little while back in class, we had a case study based on homosexuality and the issue of a parent who didnt want their child to play with another child who had gay parents, I also wrote about this in my (Week 7) post. The discrimination act under the grounds of homosexuality supports my beleive within my week 7 post and strongly supports the directors arguement towards the mother who didnt not want her child playing with another child with gay parents. The act states that it is; "unlawful for an educational authority to discriminate against a student on the ground of homosexuality". This act can be used to explain to the mother that the centre cannot exclude the child who has homosexual parents in any way.

These acts and laws make me as a future educator feel much more supported and comfortable when conflict based on children's rights and ethics arise.