8085 MD3 Discussion

8085- Module 3 Discussion:

Leadership Responses to Ethical Dilemmas

The field of early childhood education is built from and contingent upon relationships. Relationships have the capacity to create highly charged atmospheres in ways that are wonderfully positive and professionally challenging. Leaders in the early childhood field are responsible for promoting positive interactions and engendering solid relationships, and they also may often find themselves in situations where they face ethical dilemmas. These can present conflicting responsibilities and present situations where advantages and disadvantages are difficult to weigh.

Field-based ethics provide a guide to ensure that leadership behaviors support the common good, advancing and fostering the development of children and their families, as well as colleagues and the broader field.

In this Discussion, you will use your knowledge of leadership approaches and of behaviors and principles of ethical leadership to shape your response to an ethical dilemma presented within a case study scenario. With your colleagues, you will have an opportunity to explore how role shapes perception and how knowledge of the complexities of perception can inform leadership.

To prepare:

· Listen to this module’s audio segment, “Ethical Leadership.”

· Review this module’s Learning Resources on ethical leadership.

· Reflect on the scenario provided in “Case Study 1: Sarah’s Confusing Behavior,” found in the Learning Resources.

· Consider yourself as a leader within the scenario presented. As you imagine yourself within this role, process how your own values and beliefs influence your interpretation of the situation. Carefully consider the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethics, which you read about in the Learning Resources, and how these can serve as a guide in resolving the presented dilemma.

Assignment Task Part 1

Write a 1 ½ page response that includes your problem-solving strategies for the scenario involving Sarah as the program administrator, including your overall goal focused on providing and modeling ethical leadership. In your response, outline how each of the following contribute to your chosen course of action:

· Your own values and beliefs

· The NAEYC Code of Ethics and ethical principles

· Leadership principles and behaviors

In addition to the factors outlined above, outline human, information, and practical resources you feel would be beneficial in helping you determine your course of action. Carefully consider how this situation could become a violation of the law, the “Code,” or other school/district policies, and how it could potentially have a negative impact on stakeholders, (e.g., children, educators, and the community). Within your role as a leader, what responses/actions can you engage in that will result in a more positive outcome?

Note:  Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources

Assignment Task Part 2

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond to 3 of your colleagues’ postings of a 125 word response each in the following ways:

1 Colleague respond as:

· Offer your reaction to your colleague’s solution/outcome(s) for the scenario. What aspects did you agree or disagree with, and why? How would/could your reaction be different if you were a teacher or a leader?

The other 2 Colleague respond as:

Return to the discussion at least 3–4 times in the second week of the module to read the responses to your initial posting and other recent postings. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of reading the comments your colleagues made, as well as the connections you have made with the Learning Resources.

Then, respond to two or more colleagues with questions or insightful comments.

Note: Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources .

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Aubrey, C., Godfrey, R., & Harris, A. (2013). How do they manage? An investigation of early childhood leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 41(1), 5–29. doi:10.1177/1741143212462702

Beeri, I., Dayan, R., Vigoda-Gadot, E., & Werner, S. (2013). Advancing ethics in public organizations: The impact of an ethics program on employees' perceptions and behaviors in a regional council. Journal of Business Ethics, 112(1), 59-78. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1232-7

Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2014). Do role models matter? An investigation of role modeling as an antecedent of perceived ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(4), 587–598. doi:10.1007/s10551-013-1769-0

Burnes, B., & By, R. (2012). Leadership and change: The case for greater ethical clarity. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(2), 239-252. doi:10.1007/s10551-011-1088-2

College of Early Childhood Educators. (2014). Case study 1: Sarah’s confusing behavior. Retrieved from https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Documents/Case%20Study%201.pdf

Coombe, K. (1999). Ethics and the learning community. Coombe, K. (1999). Ethics and the learning community. In J. Retallick, B. Cocklin, & K. Coombe (Eds.) Learning communities in education: Issues, strategies and contexts (pp. 86–104). London, UK: Routledge.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Cranston, J. A., & Kusanovich, K. A. (2013). The drama in school leadership: An arts-based approach to understanding the ethical dimensions of decision making for educational leaders. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 8(1), 28-55. doi:10.1177/1942775112464958

Flite, C. A., & Harman, L. B. (2013). Code of ethics: Principles for ethical leadership. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 10(1), 1–11. Retrieved from http://perspectives.ahima.org/code-of-ethics-principles-for-ethical-leadership/

Kacmar, K. K., Andrews, M., Harris, K., & Tepper, B. (2013). Ethical leadership and subordinate outcomes: The mediating role of organizational politics and the moderating role of political skill. Journal of Business Ethics, 115(1), 33–44. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1373-8

Marsh, C. (2013). Business executives' perceptions of ethical leadership and its development. Journal of Business Ethics, 114(3), 565–582. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1366-7

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2005). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Nipissing University Centre for the Study of Leadership & Ethics. (2016). Journal of authentic leadership in education. Retrieved from http://csle.nipissingu.ca/current.html

Parboteeah, K., Chen, H., Lin, Y., Chen, I., Lee, A., & Chung, A. (2010). Establishing organizational ethical climates: How do managerial practices work? Journal of Business Ethics, 97(4), 599-611. doi:10.1007/s10551-010-0527-9

Rosenthal, J. H. (2009). Leadership as practical ethics. Retrieved from http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/education/001/ethics/0003.html

Thiel, C., Bagdasarov, Z., Harkrider, L., Johnson, J., & Mumford, M. (2012). Leader ethical decision-making in organizations: Strategies for sense-making. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(1), 49-64. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1299-1

Thomas, L. (2012). New possibilities in thinking, speaking and doing: Early childhood teachers' professional identity constructions and ethics. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(3), 87–95. 

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Office of Head Start. (2016). Head start. Retrieved from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/pd/index.html

Vogel, L. R. (2012, March). Leading with hearts and minds: Ethical orientations of educational leadership doctoral students. Values and Ethics in Educational Administration. 10(1), 1–12.

Document: Ethics Interview Guide (Word document)

Document: Advocacy Plan Guide (Word document)

Required Media

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2013a). Ethical leadership [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.