Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Assessment Tools

    Posted 05-06-2019 04:52 PM
    Our school has been using PreschoolFirst as our assessment tool that links to our curriculum. I love that this is an active assessment tool where there is observation through play vs. a book/checklist format. PreschoolFirst won't be available after August 2020. I am looking for recommendations from other NAEYC accredited schools. Thank you!

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    Michelle Dingess
    Director
    Parker-Chase Center
    Plano TX
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  • 2.  RE: Assessment Tools

    Posted 05-10-2019 04:31 PM
    This is a great question.

    The Young Children article, "Meaningful Assessment and Documentation: How Directors Can Support Teaching and Learning" by Debbie Leekeenan and Iris Chin Ponte provides a great guide for various assessments.

    I will be interviewing Leekeenan and Chin later this month to discuss the HELLO Hot Topic: the challenges of being an administrator in the Early Childhood Education setting and I am sure we will talk about the topic of assessment during that interview.

    Here is an excerpt from the article:

    "Authentic assessment appears on the more informal end of the assessment continuum. It is the ongoing process of gathering evidence about children's learning, development, performance, and understanding that is used to guide planning and instruction (Bagnato, Neisworth, & Pretti-Frontczak 2010). It involves observing and documenting children's learning in the context of their daily activities and routines."

    Also, keep an eye out for the July 2019 edition of Young Children, which will include a cluster on assessment.

    Looking forward to reading other educators' responses on this important topic we all are concerned about.


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    Lark Sontag
    Community Engagement Manager
    National Association for the Education of Young Children
    Washington DC
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    Original Message