Postmodernism Deontological Ethical Theory

Early childhood educators face ethical issues, experience moral reasoning and judgement in their practice every day. As educators’ individual beliefs and values can influence their practices significantly, it is very important for them to learn some ethical theories, understand how their personal value systems are formed and how to apply these ethical theories to support them to act ethically (Newman & Pollnitz, 2005). In order to examine how educators’ practices are affected by their values and beliefs, Katey De Gioia (2009)’s article titled “Parent and staff expectations for continuity of home practices in the child care setting for families with diverse cultural backgrounds” was chosen to analyse from a deontological lens and postmodernism

Kant’s theory of morality is identified as deontological theory, which emphasises the rightness of actions and individual’s right motives (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). Kant held the views that individuals should not be criticised if they follow the rules and do what they consider to be moral, whereas the consequences are not satisfying (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). He believed that consequences could be out of control, whereas motives are under control (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of the right motive and he maintained that the action would consider to be immoral if the motive is not right (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). Kant also believed that individuals need to do the right action as well as have the right intention (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). ‘The categorical imperative’ is a moral principle to examine whether the practices can be done continuously and allow others to follow as a universal law (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2015). The practice would be identified as immoral if the disfavoured practices are done to other individuals (MacKinnon & Fiala,

Firstly, the educators communicated with parents through verbal or written communication to understand parents’ expectations for children in the settings was considered morally right as they followed the rules and obligations, and their actions were right. The educators followed The Code of Ethics (2016), they took the active role in communicating with parents, used the enrolment form as a start to gather information about every child and tried to use other methods to maintain the daily communication. They listened to parents’ opinions and respected parents’ decisions for their children. For example, the staff Fran talked to a mother about her daughter’s sleeping issue (De Gioia, 2009). After she knew the mother’s need, she tried to do what the mother told her to do to meet her request (De Gioia, 2009). Moreover, the educators followed the Early Years Learning Framework (2009), they interacted with families to learn individual child’s routine at home, tried to help children to transit from home to the settings smoothly. These educators are considered to have the right motive, as they showed their interests to know more about children’s home experience to better assist them to be familiar with the setting’s routines. They recognised children’s individual styles of being, belonging and becoming so that they respected them by communicating with the families (DEEWR,