Introduction. The article presents the results of empirical research of teacher’s interaction with children at preschool age within the resolution of ethically controversial situations. To identify typical problems in the resolving of such conflicts we made the investigation with specially elaborated questionnaire and observation in six educational organisations of Moscow (in the survey 30 respondents participated: educators and managers).
Methods of the survey. To conduct the survey we developed the questionnaire based on the Code of Ethics of Singapore and the Handbook for Early Childhood Professionals, translated and adapted by the authors. In the process of questioning participants were requested to analyze 14 problem situations, and were asked to give examples of ethical dilemmas from their own working practice in kindergartens. In total we obtained the description of 25 situations.
Methods of observation. The observation was conducted in 8 preschool groups of different educational organisations using Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R) taking into account the parameters for the interaction.
Key results and conclusion. General characteristics of problem ethical situations were identified and described. Namely: analyzing the proposed ethical dilemmas respondents rather defend the correctness of one of the conflicting parties than offer a solution that takes into account boath conflicting interests; offering solutions to problem situations, respondents do not appeal to professional values; the surveyed teachers are dominated by the desire to settle the conflict here and now in authoritarian way, but not to arrange dialogue of different points of view; negative attitude to conflicts dominates. The conflict is not perceived as a natural component of the educational process, but as an evidence of the error of a teacher, a parent or a child. Consequently, the predominant setting “to avoid conflict anyway” or to suppress existing ones rather increases conflict interaction than the productivity of communication.