Professionalism In Early Childhood Education Essay

Professionalism is the expertise held by a professional and the ways that individual utilizes his or her knowledge and skills to serve the society (Kultgen, 1988; Nash 1996; Wineberg, 2008). This essay will demonstrate the significance of team membership and collaboration, working through ethical dilemmas, and conflict resolution in early childhood settings in relation with the support from the management, leading to the promotion of professionalism in early childhood education.
The definition of professionalism in regards to early childhood education has evolved with time. Traditionally, professionalism in early childhood education valued knowledge and rationality more than skills and emotions (Manning-Morton, 2006). This might be due to the views of philosophers of earlier times like Locke, who believed that children’s mind were ‘blank slates’ but with new philosophies emerging with time, philosophers like John Dewey and Frobel acknowledged that ‘children learn by doing’ and ‘child and society’ ( Krogh & Slentz, 2001). Today,
It is considered to be a moral responsibility of early childhood educators to change their role according to the situation for the best interest of children, for instance, facilitators, protectors, guardians, negotiators, advocates, and many more (Rodd, 2006; MacNaughton & Williams, 1999). Given that educators spend quality time with children and play an important role in children’s lives, they are often required to make professional decisions about children. Therefore, educators need to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the codes of ethics, principles of ethical practice, theories and philosophies related to early childhood education and child development, so that they can take ethical and right decisions for the children whose responsibility have been entrusted upon them (Godfellow,