Duty-Based Ethical Theory

The purpose of this professional development session is for you to better understand why we must follow the rules that are set for us, as we work in the child care field. To better understand how to base your decision-making process on what is called the duty-based ethical theory. First, you need to understand all three of the ethical theories that we might use each day to help us in our decision-making process. They are consequentialism, duty-based, and agent-based. Consequentialism is when we make decisions based on the outcomes or consequences. We tend to think about what might benefit the class as a whole and not the individual child. When we make our decisions duty-based we do not think about the consequences of the action. It does

If cleanliness was not part of our moral code, I am not sure that this would be the right career for us. I think we all would like the children to learn how to develop some basic hygiene rules, as well. One rule that we always follow is washing hands after we use the bathroom. I know I that I personally always stay true to this rule, it is part of my moral code to be clean, no matter how big of a hurry I am in. It is import to me because I understand that it helps the stopping of spread of germs and illness. However, if washing hands is not that important to you, this activity will help to understand how easily germs can spread and may be change your outlook. I have some Glo Germ. Glo Germ is a visual aid that; “When used in either the powder or liquid-based form, with the use of an ultra-violet light, it simulates the spread of germs, teaching how quickly and broadly germs can be spread in a short period of time” (Glo Germ, n.d.). I would like all of you to “wash” your hands with the Glo Germ and then let’s go to the bathroom. Once in there, wash and dry your hands like you would do at any other time. Then we will look at your hands with a black light to see how well you have washed. Any “germs” that are left on your hands will glow under the black light. How well did you wash? Now think about how well the children wash and all the potential germs that are on them. Let’s take this thought a bit further and think about how many objects the children touch with those “clean”