My Responsibilities as an Educator

I believe that as an educator I have an ethical obligation to embed sustainability conscious teachings into my practice. This will involve intentional teaching, play-based learning and sustainable resources and routines. I value critical conversations with children about the importance of reusing and recycling wherever possible and making use of such materials in play. Part of my role as an educator will be to impress upon children the interconnectedness of all living things (Department of Education, Environment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR], 2009). My values and practice regarding sustainability are underpinned by the EYLF, which calls for sustainability to be ‘embedded in all daily routines and practices’ (DEEWR, 2009, p. 29).

I have an ethical responsibility to work towards reconciliation. All non-Indigenous people need to partner with Indigenous people to create change in early childhood spaces, working towards closing the gap (Weston, 2020). Quality early childhood education is key to positive outcomes for Indigenous children (Weston, 2020). I am driven to continue to build upon and develop my knowledge of Indigenous histories and culture and how this can be celebrated and reflected in the early childhood space. It will be critical that the way I engage with Indigenous cultures, beliefs and values is respectful and reciprocal, rather than tokenistic. I can ensure this is the case by engaging with community Elders and Indigenous-lead organisations.

All educators have a duty of care to the children they work with. I intend to demonstrate I am meeting students’ safety needs by engaging in appropriate supervision practices, conducting safety checks and creating hazard plans as per my workplaces’ policies. I will keep my required training up-to-date and participate in additional workshops and training when possible to extend my knowledge and skills in keeping children safe socially, emotionally and physically. I will also attend Reporting Abuse and Neglect Training, as required by my employer and SA legislation (TRB, 2018). I will use this training to be alert to the potential signs of abuse and neglect in the children in my care.

As 21^st Century educators there is a particular need to develop tech-savy children, who can navigate ICTs safely, ethically and responsibly. In early childhood settings, ICTs can offer children exciting and engaging opportunities for learning, however this is not without risks (Grey, 2011). When children begin to engage with cybertechnologies it is critical that they are also educated in cybersafety (Grey, 2011). Educating young children in cybersafety is uniquely complex as young children do not yet have the cognitive skills needed to grasp the social and technical intricacies of the internet (Grey, 2011). As an educator I will support children to use ICTs safety, ethically and responsibly by using tools such as firewalls and child-friendly filters, thoroughly accessing websites and apps beforehand, and establishing rules with children around engaging with ICTs (Grey, 2011).

Personal Statements

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