Ethics for Early Education: Core Concepts for Approaching Ethical Issues

Early Education is a strategic area for individual and social development. Kindergartens are spaces for ethical practice, where teachers make decisions for the children they are responsible for. The major aim of this theoretical study is to propose approaches to ethical decision-making in working with young children, with the role of improving self-reflection for teachers and future teachers. The secondary aims of the study are: 1. To identify the values and ethical guidelines for ethical-decision in Early Education; 2. To establish core concepts for approaching ethical issues, including the use of ethical codes; 3. To propose case studies in order to stimulate teachers' ethical reflection. A set of basic ideas of professional ethics in Early Education is presented below: (a) The Early Education profession is primarily an emotional, relational and ethical practice. Teachers bring to school their personal values, from the places where they live. (b) In order to make ethical decisions teachers need to understand the difference between the professional ethics area and the personal area. (c) Teachers should not confuse personal dilemmas with professional ethics dilemmas. Our study can provide guidelines for developing a professional learning protocol to support teachers' ethical reasoning. Reflection on issues of ethical practice exposes teachers and future teachers to various perspectives, expanding their knowledge of children and teaching.