Forum: Children’s well-being depends on teachers’ well-being too
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The recent cases of child abuse signal the critical role of pre-school educators in child protection (Jail for pre-school teacher who failed to protect toddler abused by her colleague, April 23).
The younger teacher’s failure in protecting the toddler from abuse could be driven by an unhealthy fear of offending a colleague, with this coming at the expense of the child’s best interests.
In times of dilemma and the absence of a leader, teachers’ actions and decisions need to be guided by the early childhood professional code of ethics. Educators’ professional obligation is to put children’s well-being and welfare over relationships with colleagues.
The report also mentioned that the principal did not act on the previous report of the older teacher’s behaviour.
Teachers and leaders also have to handle heavy teaching, administrative and operational workloads, including, for example, submitting a report for every CCTV viewing.
Children’s well-being depends on teachers’ well-being. Teachers’ well-being depends on effective and responsible leaders always being present at the pre-school.
The well-being of teachers and leaders needs our protection as much as children do.
Rebecca Chan
