SF: Assignment 1
Please see attachments
2-page paper
1.3 Written Assignment: Code of Ethical Conduct & Leadership
After reading the article Facing Goliath: A Heart-to-Heart Talk About Leadership and Change in the context of the Code of Ethical Conduct and the background information from your lesson, address the following.
Given what Washington discusses is needed, how does that connect to the expectations within the Code of Ethical Conduct? Where do the Code and the article intersect? For you, where you are right now in your leadership roles (or roles you ASPIRE to), how do leadership and ethics connect?
hellothe grAde
Code of Ethical Conduct
and Statement of Commitment
A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Preamble
NAEYC recognizes that those who work with young
children face many daily decisions that have moral and
ethical implications. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth a
common basis for resolving the principal ethical dilemmas
encountered in early childhood care and education. The
Statement of Commitment is not part of the Code but is a
personal acknowledgement of an individual’s willingness to
embrace the distinctive values and moral obligations of the
field of early childhood care and education.
The primary focus of the Code is on daily practice with
children and their families in programs for children from birth
through 8 years of age, such as infant/toddler programs,
preschool and prekindergarten programs, child care centers,
hospital and child life settings, family child care homes,
kindergartens, and primary classrooms. When the issues
involve young children, then these provisions also apply to
specialists who do not work directly with children, including
program administrators, parent educators, early childhood
adult educators, and officials with responsibility for program
monitoring and licensing. (Note: See also the “Code of Ethi-
cal Conduct: Supplement for Early Childhood Adult Educa-
tors,” online at www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pdf/ethics04.
pdf. and the “Code of Ethical Conduct: Supplement for Early
Childhood Program Administrators,” online at http://www.
naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05_supp )
Core values
Standards of ethical behavior in early childhood care
and education are based on commitment to the follow-
ing core values that are deeply rooted in the history of
the field of early childhood care and education. We have
made a commitment to
• Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of
the human life cycle
• Base our work on knowledge of how children develop
and learn
• Appreciate and support the bond between the child
and family
• Recognize that children are best understood and sup-
ported in the context of family, culture,* community, and
society
• Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each
individual (child, family member, and colleague)
• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
• Recognize that children and adults achieve their full
potential in the context of relationships that are based
on trust and respect
* The term culture includes ethnicity, racial identity, economic
level, family structure, language, and religious and political beliefs,
which profoundly influence each child’s development and relation-
ship to the world.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
POSITION STATEMENT
Revised April 2005,
Reaffirmed and Updated May 2011
Endorsed by the Association for Childhood Education International and
Southern Early Childhood Association
Adopted by the National Association for Family Child Care
2NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
Conceptual framework
The Code sets forth a framework of professional respon-
sibilities in four sections. Each section addresses an area
of professional relationships: (1) with children, (2) with
families, (3) among colleagues, and (4) with the commu-
nity and society. Each section includes an introduction
to the primary responsibilities of the early childhood
practitioner in that context. The introduction is followed
by a set of ideals (I) that reflect exemplary professional
practice and by a set of principles (P) describing prac-
tices that are required, prohibited, or permitted.
The ideals reflect the aspirations of practitioners.
The principles guide conduct and assist practitioners in
resolving ethical dilemmas.* Both ideals and principles
are intended to direct practitioners to those questions
which, when responsibly answered, can provide the
basis for conscientious decision making. While the Code
provides specific direction for addressing some ethical
dilemmas, many others will require the practitioner to
combine the guidance of the Code with professional
judgment.
The ideals and principles in this Code present a
shared framework of professional responsibility that
affirms our commitment to the core values of our field.
The Code publicly acknowledges the responsibilities
that we in the field have assumed, and in so doing sup-
ports ethical behavior in our work. Practitioners who
face situations with ethical dimensions are urged to seek
guidance in the applicable parts of this Code and in the
spirit that informs the whole.
Often “the right answer”—the best ethical course of
action to take—is not obvious. There may be no readily
apparent, positive way to handle a situation. When one
important value contradicts another, we face an ethical
dilemma. When we face a dilemma, it is our professional
responsibility to consult the Code and all relevant par-
ties to find the most ethical resolution.
Section I
Ethical Responsibilities to Children
Childhood is a unique and valuable stage in the human
life cycle. Our paramount responsibility is to provide
care and education in settings that are safe, healthy,
nurturing, and responsive for each child. We are commit-
ted to supporting children’s development and learning;
respecting individual differences; and helping children
learn to live, play, and work cooperatively. We are also
committed to promoting children’s self-awareness, com-
petence, self-worth, resiliency, and physical well-being.
Ideals
I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early
childhood care and education and to stay informed
through continuing education and training.
I-1.2—To base program practices upon current knowl-
edge and research in the field of early childhood educa-
tion, child development, and related disciplines, as well
as on particular knowledge of each child.
I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities,
abilities, and potential of each child.
I-1.4—To appreciate the vulnerability of children and
their dependence on adults.
I-1.5—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings
that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and
physical development and that respect their dignity
and their contributions.
I-1.6—To use assessment instruments and strategies
that are appropriate for the children to be assessed,
that are used only for the purposes for which they
were designed, and that have the potential to benefit
children.
I-1.7—To use assessment information to understand
and support children’s development and learning, to
support instruction, and to identify children who may
need additional services.
I-1.8—To support the right of each child to play and
learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs
of children with and without disabilities.
I-1.9—To advocate for and ensure that all children,
including those with special needs, have access to the
support services needed to be successful.
I-1.10—To ensure that each child’s culture, language,
ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and val-
ued in the program.
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.
I-1.12—To work with families to provide a safe and
smooth transition as children and families move from
one program to the next.
* There is not necessarily a corresponding principle for each ideal.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
3NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
Principles
P-1.1—Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall
not participate in practices that are emotionally dam-
aging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading,
dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children.
This principle has precedence over all others in
this Code.
P-1.2—We shall care for and educate children in positive
emotional and social environments that are cognitively
stimulating and that support each child’s culture, lan-
guage, ethnicity, and family structure.
P-1.3—We shall not participate in practices that discrimi-
nate against children by denying benefits, giving special
advantages, or excluding them from programs or
activities on the basis of their sex, race, national origin,
immigration status, preferred home language, religious
beliefs, medical condition, disability, or the marital
status/family structure, sexual orientation, or religious
beliefs or other affiliations of their families. (Aspects of
this principle do not apply in programs that have a law-
ful mandate to provide services to a particular popula-
tion of children.)
P-1.4—We shall use two-way communications to involve
all those with relevant knowledge (including families
and staff) in decisions concerning a child, as appropri-
ate, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information.
(See also P-2.4.)
P-1.5—We shall use appropriate assessment systems,
which include multiple sources of information, to
provide information on children’s learning and devel-
opment.
P-1.6—We shall strive to ensure that decisions such as
those related to enrollment, retention, or assignment
to special education services, will be based on mul-
tiple sources of information and will never be based
on a single assessment, such as a test score or a single
observation.
P-1.7—We shall strive to build individual relationships
with each child; make individualized adaptations in
teaching strategies, learning environments, and cur-
ricula; and consult with the family so that each child
benefits from the program. If after such efforts have
been exhausted, the current placement does not meet
a child’s needs, or the child is seriously jeopardizing
the ability of other children to benefit from the pro-
gram, we shall collaborate with the child’s family and
appropriate specialists to determine the additional
services needed and/or the placement option(s) most
likely to ensure the child’s success. (Aspects of this
principle may not apply in programs that have a lawful
mandate to provide services to a particular population
of children.)
P-1.8—We shall be familiar with the risk factors for and
symptoms of child abuse and neglect, including physi-
cal, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse and physical,
emotional, educational, and medical neglect. We shall
know and follow state laws and community procedures
that protect children against abuse and neglect.
P-1.9—When we have reasonable cause to suspect child
abuse or neglect, we shall report it to the appropri-
ate community agency and follow up to ensure that
appropriate action has been taken. When appropriate,
parents or guardians will be informed that the referral
will be or has been made.
P-1.10—When another person tells us of his or her
suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected, we
shall assist that person in taking appropriate action in
order to protect the child.
P-1.11—When we become aware of a practice or situa-
tion that endangers the health, safety, or well-being of
children, we have an ethical responsibility to protect
children or inform parents and/or others who can.
Section II
Ethical Responsibilities to Families
Families* are of primary importance in children’s de-
velopment. Because the family and the early childhood
practitioner have a common interest in the child’s well-
being, we acknowledge a primary responsibility to bring
about communication, cooperation, and collaboration
between the home and early childhood program in ways
that enhance the child’s development.
Ideals
I-2.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base related to
working effectively with families and to stay informed
through continuing education and training.
I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and cre-
ate partnerships with the families we serve.
I-2.3—To welcome all family members and encourage
them to participate in the program, including involve-
ment in shared decision making.
* The term family may include those adults, besides parents, with
the responsibility of being involved in educating, nurturing, and
advocating for the child.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
4NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
I-2.4—To listen to families, acknowledge and build upon
their strengths and competencies, and learn from
families as we support them in their task of nurturing
children.
I-2.5—To respect the dignity and preferences of each
family and to make an effort to learn about its struc-
ture, culture, language, customs, and beliefs to ensure
a culturally consistent environment for all children and
families.
I-2.6—To acknowledge families’ childrearing values and
their right to make decisions for their children.
I-2.7—To share information about each child’s educa-
tion and development with families and to help them
understand and appreciate the current knowledge base
of the early childhood profession.
I-2.8—To help family members enhance their under-
standing of their children, as staff are enhancing their
understanding of each child through communications
with families, and support family members in the con-
tinuing development of their skills as parents.
I-2.9—To foster families’ efforts to build support net-
works and, when needed, participate in building
networks for families by providing them with oppor-
tunities to interact with program staff, other families,
community resources, and professional services.
Principles
P-2.1—We shall not deny family members access to their
child’s classroom or program setting unless access is
denied by court order or other legal restriction.
P-2.2—We shall inform families of program philosophy,
policies, curriculum, assessment system, cultural prac-
tices, and personnel qualifications, and explain why we
teach as we do—which should be in accordance with
our ethical responsibilities to children (see Section I).
P-2.3—We shall inform families of and, when appropri-
ate, involve them in policy decisions. (See also I-2.3.)
P-2.4—We shall ensure that the family is involved in sig-
nificant decisions affecting their child. (See also P-1.4.)
P-2.5—We shall make every effort to communicate effec-
tively with all families in a language that they under-
stand. We shall use community resources for transla-
tion and interpretation when we do not have sufficient
resources in our own programs.
P-2.6—As families share information with us about their
children and families, we shall ensure that families’ input
is an important contribution to the planning and imple-
mentation of the program.
P-2-7—We shall inform families about the nature and
purpose of the program’s child assessments and how
data about their child will be used.
P-2.8—We shall treat child assessment information con-
fidentially and share this information only when there
is a legitimate need for it.
P-2.9—We shall inform the family of injuries and inci-
dents involving their child, of risks such as exposures
to communicable diseases that might result in infec-
tion, and of occurrences that might result in emotional
stress.
P-2.10—Families shall be fully informed of any proposed
research projects involving their children and shall
have the opportunity to give or withhold consent
without penalty. We shall not permit or participate in
research that could in any way hinder the education,
development, or well-being of children.
P-2.11—We shall not engage in or support exploitation
of families. We shall not use our relationship with a
family for private advantage or personal gain, or enter
into relationships with family members that might im-
pair our effectiveness working with their children.
P-2.12—We shall develop written policies for the protec-
tion of confidentiality and the disclosure of children’s
records. These policy documents shall be made avail-
able to all program personnel and families. Disclosure
of children’s records beyond family members, program
personnel, and consultants having an obligation of
confidentiality shall require familial consent (except in
cases of abuse or neglect).
P-2.13—We shall maintain confidentiality and shall re-
spect the family’s right to privacy, refraining from dis-
closure of confidential information and intrusion into
family life. However, when we have reason to believe
that a child’s welfare is at risk, it is permissible to share
confidential information with agencies, as well as with
individuals who have legal responsibility for interven-
ing in the child’s interest.
P-2.14—In cases where family members are in conflict
with one another, we shall work openly, sharing our
observations of the child, to help all parties involved
make informed decisions. We shall refrain from becom-
ing an advocate for one party.
P-2.15—We shall be familiar with and appropriately refer
families to community resources and professional sup-
port services. After a referral has been made, we shall
follow up to ensure that services have been appropri-
ately provided.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
5NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
P-3A.3—We shall exercise care in expressing views
regarding the personal attributes or professional
conduct of co-workers. Statements should be based on
firsthand knowledge, not hearsay, and relevant to the
interests of children and programs.
P-3A.4—We shall not participate in practices that dis-
criminate against a co-worker because of sex, race, na-
tional origin, religious beliefs or other affiliations, age,
marital status/family structure, disability, or sexual
orientation.
B—Responsibilities to employers
Ideals
I-3B.1—To assist the program in providing the highest
quality of service.
I-3B.2—To do nothing that diminishes the reputation
of the program in which we work unless it is violating
laws and regulations designed to protect children or is
violating the provisions of this Code.
Principles
P-3B.1—We shall follow all program policies. When we
do not agree with program policies, we shall attempt
to effect change through constructive action within the
organization.
P-3B.2—We shall speak or act on behalf of an organiza-
tion only when authorized. We shall take care to ac-
knowledge when we are speaking for the organization
and when we are expressing a personal judgment.
P-3B.3—We shall not violate laws or regulations de-
signed to protect children and shall take appropriate
action consistent with this Code when aware of such
violations.
P-3B.4—If we have concerns about a colleague’s be-
havior, and children’s well-being is not at risk, we may
address the concern with that individual. If children
are at risk or the situation does not improve after it has
been brought to the colleague’s attention, we shall re-
port the colleague’s unethical or incompetent behavior
to an appropriate authority.
P-3B.5—When we have a concern about circumstances
or conditions that impact the quality of care and
education within the program, we shall inform the
program’s administration or, when necessary, other
appropriate authorities.
Section III
Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues
In a caring, cooperative workplace, human dignity is re-
spected, professional satisfaction is promoted, and posi-
tive relationships are developed and sustained. Based
upon our core values, our primary responsibility to
colleagues is to establish and maintain settings and rela-
tionships that support productive work and meet profes-
sional needs. The same ideals that apply to children also
apply as we interact with adults in the workplace. (Note:
Section III includes responsibilities to co-workers and to
employers. See the “Code of Ethical Conduct: Supple-
ment for Early Childhood Program Administrators” for
responsibilities to personnel (employees in the original
2005 Code revision), online at http://www.naeyc.org/
files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05_supp .)
A—Responsibilities to co-workers
Ideals
I-3A.1—To establish and maintain relationships of re-
spect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and coop-
eration with co-workers.
I-3A.2—To share resources with co-workers, collaborat-
ing to ensure that the best possible early childhood
care and education program is provided.
I-3A.3—To support co-workers in meeting their profes-
sional needs and in their professional development.
I-3A.4—To accord co-workers due recognition of profes-
sional achievement.
Principles
P-3A.1—We shall recognize the contributions of col-
leagues to our program and not participate in practices
that diminish their reputations or impair their effec-
tiveness in working with children and families.
P-3A.2—When we have concerns about the professional
behavior of a co-worker, we shall first let that person
know of our concern in a way that shows respect for
personal dignity and for the diversity to be found
among staff members, and then attempt to resolve the
matter collegially and in a confidential manner.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
6NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
Section IV
Ethical Responsibilities to Community
and Society
Early childhood programs operate within the context
of their immediate community made up of families and
other institutions concerned with children’s welfare.
Our responsibilities to the community are to provide
programs that meet the diverse needs of families, to
cooperate with agencies and professions that share the
responsibility for children, to assist families in gaining
access to those agencies and allied professionals, and to
assist in the development of community programs that
are needed but not currently available.
As individuals, we acknowledge our responsibility to
provide the best possible programs of care and educa-
tion for children and to conduct ourselves with honesty
and integrity. Because of our specialized expertise
in early childhood development and education and
because the larger society shares responsibility for the
welfare and protection of young children, we acknowl-
edge a collective obligation to advocate for the best
interests of children within early childhood programs
and in the larger community and to serve as a voice for
young children everywhere.
The ideals and principles in this section are presented
to distinguish between those that pertain to the work of
the individual early childhood educator and those that
more typically are engaged in collectively on behalf of
the best interests of children—with the understanding
that individual early childhood educators have a shared
responsibility for addressing the ideals and principles
that are identified as “collective.”
Ideal (Individual)
1-4.1—To provide the community with high-quality early
childhood care and education programs and services.
Ideals (Collective)
I-4.2—To promote cooperation among professionals and
agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among
professions concerned with addressing issues in the
health, education, and well-being of young children,
their families, and their early childhood educators.
I-4.3—To work through education, research, and advo-
cacy toward an environmentally safe world in which
all children receive health care, food, and shelter; are
nurtured; and live free from violence in their home and
their communities.
I-4.4—To work through education, research, and ad-
vocacy toward a society in which all young children
have access to high-quality early care and education
programs.
I-4.5—To work to ensure that appropriate assessment
systems, which include multiple sources of informa-
tion, are used for purposes that benefit children.
I-4.6—To promote knowledge and understanding of
young children and their needs. To work toward
greater societal acknowledgment of children’s rights
and greater social acceptance of responsibility for the
well-being of all children.
I-4.7—To support policies and laws that promote the
well-being of children and families, and to work to
change those that impair their well-being. To partici-
pate in developing policies and laws that are needed,
and to cooperate with families and other individuals
and groups in these efforts.
I-4.8—To further the professional development of the
field of early childhood care and education and to
strengthen its commitment to realizing its core values
as reflected in this Code.
Principles (Individual)
P-4.1—We shall communicate openly and truthfully
about the nature and extent of services that we pro-
vide.
P-4.2—We shall apply for, accept, and work in positions
for which we are personally well-suited and profession-
ally qualified. We shall not offer services that we do not
have the competence, qualifications, or resources to
provide.
P-4.3—We shall carefully check references and shall not
hire or recommend for employment any person whose
competence, qualifications, or character makes him or
her unsuited for the position.
P-4.4—We shall be objective and accurate in report-
ing the knowledge upon which we base our program
practices.
P-4.5—We shall be knowledgeable about the appropri-
ate use of assessment strategies and instruments and
interpret results accurately to families.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
7NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
P-4.6—We shall be familiar with laws and regulations
that serve to protect the children in our programs and
be vigilant in ensuring that these laws and regulations
are followed.
P-4.7—When we become aware of a practice or situa-
tion that endangers the health, safety, or well-being of
children, we have an ethical responsibility to protect
children or inform parents and/or others who can.
P-4.8—We shall not participate in practices that are in
violation of laws and regulations that protect the chil-
dren in our programs.
P-4.9—When we have evidence that an early childhood
program is violating laws or regulations protecting
children, we shall report the violation to appropriate au-
thorities who can be expected to remedy the situation.
P-4.10—When a program violates or requires its em-
ployees to violate this Code, it is permissible, after fair
assessment of the evidence, to disclose the identity of
that program.
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Principles (Collective)
P-4.11—When policies are enacted for purposes that do
not benefit children, we have a collective responsibility
to work to change these policies.
P-4-12—When we have evidence that an agency that
provides services intended to ensure children’s well-
being is failing to meet its obligations, we acknowledge
a collective ethical responsibility to report the problem
to appropriate authorities or to the public. We shall be
vigilant in our follow-up until the situation is resolved.
P-4.13—When a child protection agency fails to provide
adequate protection for abused or neglected children,
we acknowledge a collective ethical responsibility to
work toward the improvement of these services.
8NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
Code of Ethics . Defines the core values of the field and
provides guidance for what professionals should
do when they encounter conflicting obligations or
responsibilities in their work.
Values . Qualities or principles that individuals believe
to be desirable or worthwhile and that they prize for
themselves, for others, and for the world in which
they live.
Core Values . Commitments held by a profession that
are consciously and knowingly embraced by its
practitioners because they make a contribution to
society. There is a difference between personal val-
ues and the core values of a profession.
Morality . Peoples’ views of what is good, right, and
proper; their beliefs about their obligations; and
their ideas about how they should behave.
Ethics . The study of right and wrong, or duty and
obligation, that involves critical reflection on moral-
ity and the ability to make choices between values
and the examination of the moral dimensions of
relationships.
Professional Ethics . The moral commitments of a
profession that involve moral reflection that extends
and enhances the personal morality practitioners
bring to their work, that concern actions of right and
wrong in the workplace, and that help individuals re-
solve moral dilemmas they encounter in their work.
Ethical Responsibilities . Behaviors that one must
or must not engage in. Ethical responsibilities are
clear-cut and are spelled out in the Code of Ethical
Conduct (for example, early childhood educators
should never share confidential information about a
child or family with a person who has no legitimate
need for knowing).
Ethical Dilemma . A moral conflict that involves
determining appropriate conduct when an indi-
vidual faces conflicting professional values and
responsibilities.
Sources for glossary terms and definitions
Feeney, S., & N. Freeman. 2005. Ethics and the early childhood
educator: Using the NAEYC code. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Kidder, R.M. 1995. How good people make tough choices: Resolv-
ing the dilemmas of ethical living. New York: Fireside.
Kipnis, K. 1987. How to discuss professional ethics. Young Chil-
dren 42 (4): 26–30.
Glossary of Terms Related to Ethics
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
The National Association for the Education of Young Chil-
dren (NAEYC) is a nonprofit corporation, tax exempt under
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, dedicated to
acting on behalf of the needs and interests of young children.
The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (Code) has been de-
veloped in furtherance of NAEYC’s nonprofit and tax exempt
purposes. The information contained in the Code is intended
to provide early childhood educators with guidelines for work-
ing with children from birth through age 8.
An individual’s or program’s use, reference to, or review
of the Code does not guarantee compliance with NAEYC
Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Per-
formance Criteria and program accreditation procedures. It is
recommended that the Code be used as guidance in connec-
tion with implementation of the NAEYC Program Standards,
but such use is not a substitute for diligent review and appli-
cation of the NAEYC Program Standards.
NAEYC has taken reasonable measures to develop the
Code in a fair, reasonable, open, unbiased, and objective
manner, based on currently available data. However, further
Mary Ambery , Ruth Ann Ball, James Clay, Julie Olsen
Edwards, Harriet Egertson, Anthony Fair, Stephanie
Feeney, Jana Fleming, Nancy Freeman, Marla Israel,
Allison McKinnon, Evelyn Wright Moore, Eva Moravcik,
Christina Lopez Morgan, Sarah Mulligan, Nila Rinehart,
Betty Holston Smith, and Peter Pizzolongo, NAEYC Staff
NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
2005 Revisions Workgroup
research or developments may change the current state
of knowledge. Neither NAEYC nor its officers, directors,
members, employees, or agents will be liable for any loss,
damage, or claim with respect to any liabilities, including
direct, special, indirect, or consequential damages incurred
in connection with the Code or reliance on the information
presented.
9NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011
* This Statement of Commitment is not part of the Code but is a personal acknowledgment of
the individual’s willingness to embrace the distinctive values and moral obligations of the field
of early childhood care and education. It is recognition of the moral obligations that lead to an
individual becoming part of the profession.
As an individual who works with young children, I commit myself to furthering the
values of early childhood education as they are reflected in the ideals and prin-
ciples of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. To the best of my ability I will
• Never harm children.
• Ensure that programs for young children are based on current knowledge and
research of child development and early childhood education.
• Respect and support families in their task of nurturing children.
• Respect colleagues in early childhood care and education and support them in
maintaining the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.
• Serve as an advocate for children, their families, and their teachers in community
and society.
• Stay informed of and maintain high standards of professional conduct.
• Engage in an ongoing process of self-reflection, realizing that personal characteris-
tics, biases, and beliefs have an impact on children and families.
• Be open to new ideas and be willing to learn from the suggestions of others.
• Continue to learn, grow, and contribute as a professional.
• Honor the ideals and principles of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.
Statement of Commitment*
Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Facing Goliath:: A Heart-to-Heart Talk About Leadership and Change
Author(s): Valora Washington
Source: YC Young Children , Vol. 70, No. 2 (May 2015), pp. 38-41
Published by: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/ycyoungchildren.70.2.38
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https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/ycyoungchildren.70.2.38
Cowardice asks the question, Is it safe?
Expediency asks the question, Is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, Is it popular?
But conscience asks the question, Is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take
a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor
popular; but one must take it because it is right.
—Martin Luther King Jr.
“A Proper Sense of Priorities”
L
eadership speaks about change
and change makers—early educators
asking an essential question of con-
science: Are we doing the right thing?
The CAYL (Community Advocates
for Young Learners) Institute was established
in 2004 to provide a forum for early educators
to ask questions, and to seek answers, about our
work. A basic CAYL (pronounced kale) premise
is that, during this dynamic era of interest in
early learning, early educators must be better
organized, equipped, and empowered to lead
change for both children and themselves.
In the decade since CAYL’s inception, we
have engaged in intimate, trusting discussions
with hundreds of early educators as they define
Valora
Washington
Facing Goliath: A Heart-to-Heart Talk
About Leadership and Change
®
10
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. S
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Young Children May 201538
Leadership:
Supporting a New
Generation of
Early Childhood
Professionals
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their dreams, hopes, and fears about change. Representing
their voices, we address the questions posed by Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.:
■n Is our work popular? Largely due to the successful advo-
cacy of early educators, the public has more interest in,
and more willingness to invest, in our work than at any
time in history.
■n Is our work politic? With public interest comes public
scrutiny and new perspectives. Once-novel voices—
governors, economists, and school boards, for example—
now weigh in and take action about young learners.
■n Is our work safe? Sensing a new era for the profession,
many worry that the changes challenge our field’s ac-
cumulated wisdom, question our practices, and rush
too quickly toward academic outcomes. Many of us feel
unsafe—intimidated, negated, and isolated—in the face
of a tsunami of proposed changes.
■n Are we doing the right thing? We cannot deny the gap
that exists between what we know and what we do in
practice.
■n Do we have the will to take a position that may be neither
safe nor politic nor popular, because we know it is right? In
order to move forward, we as a profession would need to
be a more strongly organized, effective field of practice.
■n Are we doing the right thing? Many children still do not
receive high-quality early care and education. Even as
millions of dollars are invested in early childhood systems,
our colleagues who work on the front lines have low
wages in spite of rising expectations about their qualifi-
cations and the results they will produce. Knowing this,
what are our responsibilities to take action? And how
exactly do we do so?
Facing Goliath
In our book Ready or Not, Stacie Goffin and I articulated
two predominant ironies in our field:
■n First, there is a performance gap. The field’s knowledge
base has exploded in recent years, but this new knowl-
edge has not been implemented consistently or system-
atically.
■n Second, we face a credibility gap when we fail to ad-
dress poor-quality practice or to insist on the necessary
resources to do the job well (Goffin & Washington 2007).
To address these ironies, the field as a whole must act
with greater urgency to better define our purpose and
responsibilities. But while many of us hear and concur
with these calls to action, some of us feel paralyzed. To the
individual practitioner, the job ahead might seem too big—
too Goliathan—to take the first steps. Using the analogy of
the well-known story of David and Goliath, we ask, Who
among us has not felt the quiet despair of feeling weak in
the face of the strong?
What can we do?
The size, force, and direction of change is huge—Goliathan.
And, yes, there are obstacles to change—wavering courage,
gigantic challenges, and uncertain responses when we feel
intimidated, neglected, or isolated.
In a book on leadership to be published later this year,
my coauthors—Brenda Gadson and Kate Amel—and I share
lessons we have learned over the past 10 years about leader-
ship, about mobilizing early educators to influence the
direction of change, and about the educators themselves
becoming Architects of Change. We discuss ways to
■n Build community among all of us (i.e., schools, family
child care, and centers)
■n Share, and learn from, the experiences, wisdom, and
approaches used by “ordinary” people—early educators
like you
■n Create safe places where we can own our adaptive lead-
ership work, which is to
■● Question our assumptions
■● Engage in collegial dialog, nudging each other out of
our comfort zones
■● Facilitate constructive, active learning that stimulates
innovation
■● Identify options
■● Take action
Toward becoming an Architect of Change
We describe the lessons we have learned about leader-
ship and change in a framework called Analyze, Advance,
Act, and Accelerate. Change begins as we Analyze—think
and reflect about—the challenges before us. Then, Archi-
tects of Change Advance our cause through planning and
preparation, understanding the asymmetrical nature of our
efforts, deciding how to face Goliath, and strengthening our
collective vision and identity. Now the Architect of Change
About the Author
Valora Washington, PhD, is the CEo of the Council for Pro-
fessional Recognition and the founder of the CAYl Institute.
She has served on numerous federal, state, and local boards
and commissions and coauthored over 50 publications. She
is a Certified Association Executive with the American Soci-
ety of Association Executives. Her book on leadership, with
Brenda Gadson and Kate Amel, will be published by Teachers
College Press later this year. valoraw@cdacouncil.org
You and I—ordinary people—can and
must participate directly in creating
positive social change for our children
and for ourselves as a profession.
May 2015 Young Children 39
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is ready to Act with courage and boldness; we align what
we know with what we do, beginning with our everyday
challenges. Finally, we Accelerate change by working within
a confidential community, focusing on what we want (rather
than what we don’t want), and communicating impact. Each
step in this four-path framework represents a progression
that builds upon and is interdependent with the others.
Gather five smooth stones
David brought five smooth stones to the challenge with
Goliath. For us the stones represent the ideas, knowledge,
skills, dispositions, strategies, and people necessary to
achieve important goals. If one stone doesn’t work, we do
not give up! Becoming an Architect of Change will require
a lifetime of investigation, reflection on our experiences,
and active testing of what we are learning.
Our hopes
We have four major hopes for you as you face your own
Goliaths:
■n Become an Architect of Change, not simply a reactor to the
change occurring around us. You can learn how to change
the rules of the game rather than be overwhelmed by
Goliath-size obstacles.
■n Learn and gain insights from the experiences of a confi-
dential community of early educators—leaders like your-
self. Community is a vital tool when facing our everyday
Goliaths.
■n Be inspired to participate in a new vision and shared
identity among early educators. We must reduce our
individual and collective sense of isolation.
■n Cement your resolve to make our national commitment to
both young children and the people who care for and edu-
cate them even stronger. A towering goal, to be sure. We
must champion early care and education practice as a
foundational part of America’s public education system,
even when our programs are not located in a “school.”
Let’s talk about leadership and change
Each of us is called to leadership. . . . And there comes a
time when one must take a position that is neither safe,
nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it
is right.
—Martin Luther King Jr.
“A Proper Sense of Priorities”
We must take a field-wide leadership position—because
it is right. We cannot be intimidated, negated, or isolated
anymore. You and I—ordinary people—can and must
participate directly in creating positive social change for
our children and for ourselves as a profession. We intend to
overcome all of our Goliaths, in the words of Martin Luther
King Jr. (1964), “to fulfill the American dream.”
I have personally been encouraged by the infinite
potential of people who commit their lives to caring for and
educating young children. Generations are nurtured in our
family child care homes, preschool centers, Head Start pro-
grams, and schools. Every child comes to us with enormous
potential and unknown power. And every child who comes
through our door with a trusting smile and an open hand is
pure and perfect—a gift. Some come to us bruised or hurt,
perhaps, and too often underfed or underloved. We take
them under our wing and open doors wide to the wonders
of this life. We open those doors, keeping them safe while
nudging them into their unknown futures.
There is no more breathtaking profession, no more mag-
nificent calling, than being an early educator. Be reminded
of who you are. Who we are. The respect we deserve, and
the resources we must have. And now is the time that has
come for us, as we gather our communities, polish our
stones, and face our giants!
Our field-wide efforts to become Architects of Change
matter deeply—for us and for those we serve. We face
Goliath because we recognize the possibilities of change
(not fate) and of equality (not social hierarchy) and of op-
portunity (not predestination). We face Goliath because we
have hope.
We anticipate a journey, a marathon—not an event or a
sprint. We know that neither leadership nor change happen
by chance—but by our willingness and strength to face
Goliath.
Now is the time that has come for us as early educators.
I come here tonight and plead with you: Believe in your-
self and believe that you’re somebody! . . . Nobody else
can do this for us.
—Martin Luther King Jr.
“I’m Black and Beautiful”
References
Goffin, S.G., & V. Washington. 2007. Ready or Not: Leadership Choices in
Early Care and Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
King, M.L., Jr. 1964. “The American Dream.” Speech presented at Drew
University, February 5. http://depts.drew.edu/lib/archives/online_
exhibits/King/speech/TheAmericanDream .
There is no more breathtaking pro-
fession, no more magnificent calling,
than being an early educator.
Copyright © 2015 by the national Association for the Education of Young Children.
See Permissions and Reprints online at www.naeyc.org/yc/permissions.
Young Children May 201540
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May 2015 Young Children 41
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