Ethical Dilemma: Can I Keep This Child

Amanda has been caring for four-year-old Jamie for the past six months. While Jamie is a great kid, when things dont go his way he gets really angry. He throws things and can be destructive. Its getting to the point that Amanda feels she is ignoring the other children while trying to handle Jamie. Amanda has been trying to be consistent in her discipline of Jamie, but shes starting to wonder if she should ask his parents to find another place for him. What should Amanda do?

1. In your own words, identify what you think is the main concern, issue, or problem in this situation.
Amanda probably wants to give Jamie time to adapt or to start responding

positively to her guidance tools. She thinks that Jamie is a good child so she likes him. The main concern in this situation is that she is helping one child at the cost of the rest of the children. This is a tough situation because she is setting all of the other children aside to help one child. 2. To whom do you have responsibilities? Whom and what do you have to consider in making a decision?
Most importantly, she has responsibilities of all of the other children in her care.

But she also has responsibilities to Jamie and to his family.

When making a decision, she has to consider that maybe she is not using the right

tools in order to help Jamie.

Most importantly, before she makes any decision she has to be sure that shes had

effective communication with Jamies family about the issues shes been having.
Amanda also has to take into consideration the opinion of other colleagues

because they my not agree. 3. What guidance can you find in this section of the Code of Ethics? What specific items in the code are helpful in guiding your decision?
P-1.7We shall strive to build individual relationships with each child; make individualized
adaptations in teaching strategies, learning environments, and curricula; 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 childs needs, or the child is seriously jeopardizing the ability of other children to benefit from the program, we shall collaborate with the childs family and appropriate specialists to determine the additional services needed and/or the placement option(s) most likely to ensure the childs success. (Aspects of this principle may not apply in programs that have a lawful mandate to provide services to a particular population of children.)

Item P-1.7 is perfect for this scenario. She has tried to help him but it doesnt mention Amanda speaking to his parents.

"P-2.4We shall involve the family in significant decisions affecting their child o

This is an important decision that Amanda is going to make and she must discuss it with the parents if she hasnt already.

4. What do you think an early childhood educator should do to best resolve this situation? What action(s) should you take in resolving this situation?
In this situation, I wouldnt just ask the parents to look for another center. I

wouldve talked to the parents since I started to notice the problems. In my center I would try to build a strong relationship with the parents of the children so that if a problem like this occurs, we would both be more comfortable and the communication between us would be stronger. I would consistently work with the parents as well as the child in order to assess the issues he has been having. If working with the parent doesnt work, I would let the parents know ahead of time that if the issue doesnt ease up, we might have to look for an environment that would be better suited for him. But I would make sure that the communication between us was consistent so they know what is going on. I would also make sure that they understand that I cannot be putting the other children aside all of the time for him. Although I care about Jamie and want him to thrive, my other students are just as important.
If that doesnt work, I would try to find another well-suited center for Jamie.

That way when I break the news to the parent I could give them suggestions so that they dont feel abandoned. I would tell them, that I cannot put all of the children aside to help Jamie and maybe these other centers have different strategies and more staff to help Jamie.

Ethical Dilemma: They Want the Children to Succeed! A parent of a preschooler in your program is concerned that her child will not be ready for kindergarten next year and has talked with other parents who have the same concern. The group of parents has a copy of the kindergarten placement test and would like you to begin preparing the children and deliver the test before the end of the year. They want the children to succeed in school!

1. In your own words, identify what you think is the main concern, issue, or problem in this situation.

 The main concern in this situation is that the preschoolers may not be ready to sit

down, read, and answer the placement test. Of course we respect family and try to meet their needs and requirements. Yet, children at such young age are not developmentally ready to fill out a work sheet. They learn in a different way than older children. 2. To whom do you have responsibilities? Whom and what do you have to consider in making a decision?
In this scenario we have the responsibility of meeting the parents expectations but

the children are our responsibility as well. We have years of education that are against worksheets. We also have studies that show that children learn at their own pace that is why they are assessed individually. They dont just have one set standard. 3. What guidance can you find in this section of the Code of Ethics? What specific items in the code are helpful in guiding your decision?
I-1.10To ensure that each childs culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are recognized
and valued in the program I-2.2To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve. I-2.6To acknowledge families childrearing values and their right to make decisions for their children I-2.7To share information about each childs education and development with families and to help them understand and appreciate the current knowledge base of the early childhood profession

All of the items favor respecting the parents expectations. Item 1-2.7 states that it is our duty to help families understand how our centers work.

4. What do you think an early childhood educator should do to best resolve this situation? What action(s) should you take in resolving this situation?
What I would do in this situation is calmly talk to the parents. Set up meetings so

that I can speak to them one by one. I would tell them that now a days, education for children is set up completely different. After very many years of research experiments and studies have shown that children learn better when they do it naturally and in a home setting. I would show them proof of what their children have been doing. I would show them my DRDPs and my activity forms in which the DRDPs are clearly stated. I would also explain to them that placements tests do not pass or fail a child. They are meant to see which are their skills and which are not. I would let each parent know that it is important for me to continue assessing the children in the best way that I can and that I need their help doing so.
I dont want to make the parents think that they are wrong or that I am not taking

them into consideration. So I could ask for them to observe us during free play. That way they see for themselves that children are actually learning a lot of useful information while they do what they like best.