Transcript for Parents
Early Childhood
Assessment:
Information for Parents
1
Overview
What and why
Parent Involvement
Early Childhood Assessment vs. K-12
Assessment
Role of Massachusetts Dept. of Early
Education and Care
2
What is Early Childhood Assessment?
3
Process of observing, recording, and
documenting work of children
Allows teachers to making the best educational
decisions for the child
Takes place in family child care homes, centers,
Head Start and public school preschools
Methods can include standardized tests
observations, child portfolios, teacher and parent
checklists and child and parent interviews
Child screening vs. assessment
Never used for high-stakes decisions
Why is Early Childhood Assessment
Important?
Growing emphasis on early childhood
assessment
Better decisions regarding teaching and
learning
Identifying children
with special needs
Program Improvement
4
What about a child is assessed?
5
Emotional/Social: getting along with their
friends, resolving conflicts with friends
Language: listening, speaking
Physical: using pencils (fine motor skills),
climbing and running (gross motor skills)
Cognitive: numbers, shapes, colors, patterns
Approaches to Learning: curiosity and
excitement about learning and ways of learning
new information
How does Early Childhood Assessment
Differ from K-12 Assessment?
6
K – 12th grade assessment places emphasis
on academic knowledge
Early childhood assessment places emphasis
on all aspects of a child’s development
How does Early Childhood Assessment Differ
from K-12 Assessment continued…
K-12 assessment uses mainly tests, quizzes
and standardized tests.
Early childhood assessment uses child
observations, developmental checklists and
child portfolios
Both are used to guide decisions…
*
*
7
What is taught in the classroom
How teachers are trained
How can Parents be Involved in the Early
Childhood Assessment Process?
8
Parents can provide feedback on
child’s growth and development at home
Parents can support child’s learning and
development at home
Parents and teachers/caregivers can
work together to help children with
special needs.
What can I do if my child care program
does not use early childhood assessment?
9
You can ask questions about
* How the provider knows your child is
developing like they should, and
* How the provider is measuring your
child’s development.
What else can I ask providers about?
10
Ask questions about
*
A time for parents to discuss a child’s
growth and development
*
How you can learn more about what
your child is learning
*
Beliefs about child assessment
*
Involvement with Universal Pre-K
pilot
What is Massachusetts currently doing
around early childhood assessment?
11
Universal Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Project
*
Purpose
*
Goals
*
Assessment Planning Grants
Finally…
12
Suggested articles specific to early
childhood assessment
Contact at the Dept. of Early Education
and Care:
Jennifer Louis
Dept. of EEC
51 Sleeper St., 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 988-6640
[email protected]