Choosing the Proper Assessment
Scenario one describes the disruptive
classroom behavior of a three-year-old male and the teacher's efforts to address
the problem and find a solution. The second scenarios involve a three-year-old
female who appears to have possible developmental delays. You are invited to
find an appropriate assessment instrument for each scenario.
Purposeful assessment of children must enhance
children’s learning should employ a variety of methods and need to reach toward
authentic assessment. NAEYC and
NAECS/SDE (2003) defines assessment as a systematic procedure for obtaining
information from observation, interviews, portfolios, projects, tests, and
other sources that can be used to make judgments about children’s
characteristics. When the assessment provides information about the child’s
skills, abilities, and knowledge and interests the teacher uses this
information to plan learning experiences to meet the child’s needs (Jiban
2013).
Scenario 1
Jay is a three-year-old male, (D.O.B. October
January 30, 2016). Jay has an older brother and they live with their grandparents. Jay attends a private childcare
program. Jay is able to self-feed, dress and is toilet trained. The
maternal Grandparents are the primary caregivers of both
children. Jay's brother is 18 months older. He is protective
of Jay but can become annoyed with him at times. It is essential for
families and teachers to work together to promote children’s development.
The teacher and family are working together to develop a plan that
includes observation and assessment to identify Jay’s strengths
and areas of needs enabling the teacher to
individualize learning experiences to match Jay’s developmental
level. Collaborative assessment between parents and
teachers create a basis for discussion on setting realistic
goals for children’s learning (Caspe, 2018).
Jay’s teacher has concerns regarding his
behavior with other children in the class. Jay shows little interest in playing
alone or with others. During morning group time he is getting in the face of
the other children, even hitting them. The teacher has discussed appropriate
touches and respecting others but he continues to be disruptive. During center
time, he goes about the room hitting and knocking over block structures, taking
away books, puzzles or just disrupting the other children. He laughs and runs
away when the other child cries out.
The environment is developmentally appropriate
and is arranged into centers to support the group with a variety of activities
and multiples of popular materials. The teacher role models appropriate
behaviors and rotates the materials to maintain the interest level of the
group. The teacher knows that three-year-olds are transitioning from
toddlerhood and are still developing self-regulation skills, yet it is
important to ensure the behaviors are developmentally appropriate and to whether
the group of behaviors demonstrate age invariance or are similarly associated
across the age span of interest (Carter, 2004) .
Scenario 2
Scenario 2
Gina is a three-year-old female attending an early
childhood learning program. Gina’s teacher has concerns regarding Gina’s lack
of interest in interacting with others in the school. Observation of children
throughout the educational environment and collaboration of the observations
with families and other professionals provides a consistent view of the child’s
behavior. (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) (2012)
While at school, she plays alone in the block
center, stacking and knocking the structures down repeatedly. Gina’s speech
development is limited, using only a few words. The teacher has shared her
observations with the parents and suggests that professional consultation is
warranted.
References
Banerjee,
R., & Luckner, J. L. (2013). Assessment practices and training needs of
early childhood professionals. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education,
34(3), 231–248.
Carter,
A. S.-G. (2004). Assessment of young children's social-emotional development
and psychopathology: recent advances and recommendations for practice.
Retrieved from Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry:
https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=58d182ea-c1b6-4cac-bc0a-637893a37397%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
Caspe,
M. S. (2018). Engaging Families in the Child Assessment Process. H.
Bohart, Spotlight on Young Children: Observation and Assessment (pp.
31-39). Washington: NAEYC
National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). (2012). Early childhood
generalist standards (3rd ed.). Retrieved from
http://boardcertifiedteachers.org/sites/default/files/EC-GEN.pdf
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