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Assessment of Children during preschool closure

  • 1.  Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-30-2020 10:00 AM
    Hi everyone,

    please how are you conducting observations and assessments during this unprecedented time?

     Thanks!

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    Patricia Mezu
    Professional Minds MEA
    www.prminds.org
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  • 2.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-31-2020 01:36 AM
    We had parent conferences scheduled for this week (before the quarantine was enacted) and last week we decided to go ahead with assessments and keep the conferences.  It's okay if there were areas of development that we weren't sure about (because we haven't been able to observe the children for the last couple of weeks).  We discussed with the parents all the areas of development that we observed.  And for anything we hadn't been able to observe: we asked the parents what they've observed.  The parents have also been emailing us their anecdotal observations (pictures too) related to what we've discussed on the phone as well as the results of their children doing the activities we're teaching in our classroom videos.  To conduct the conferences we emailed the parents our assessments and called them on the phone.  It's actually been really great as we had more time to prepare the assessments than usual and more time to talk with parents on the phone.  We've been able to give more time to our parents and connect more.

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    Lorelei van Peborgh
    Preschool Director
    BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE
    Kings Beach CA
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  • 3.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-31-2020 02:36 AM
    Thanks for the quick and detailed response. I like the idea of using the photos as anecdotal evidence. What assessments do you use? Also with parent feedback is there a potential issue with them being providing information that's not objective? Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

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    Patricia Mezu
    Professional Minds FZ LLC
    www.prminds.org
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  • 4.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-31-2020 01:21 PM
    I created our assessment workbook (using the CA Preschool Foundations and all the assessments I've seen over the last 20 yrs- what worked, what made sense as well as reasonable for teachers) that we record all our observations in and keep track of development.  I've attached the "Developmental Snapshot" that we fill out for parents that is a summary of the assessment.  

    There hasn't been issues using parent feedback because:
    1.  We're explaining how we observe and then as the parents tell us things we can ask further questions.  For instance, we don't just ask "Can he count to 10?", we'd explain what we'd observe (how they do it on their own through play) and give examples.  What ever answers the parents give we ask further questions to determine the frequency of the skill and how they're doing it.
    2.  You know how children behave one way in one place and another way in another place?  It's very common for children to display a skill set at home, but not at school (and visa versa).  I feel like we're getting a more complete picture of the whole child this way.

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    Lorelei van Peborgh
    Preschool Director
    BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE
    Kings Beach CA
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  • 5.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-31-2020 06:17 PM
      |   view attached
    I guess the attachment didn't attach.  I'll try again to attach the Developmental Snapshot.

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    Lorelei van Peborgh
    Preschool Director
    BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE
    Kings Beach CA
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  • 6.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-01-2020 12:21 AM
    Thanks Lorelei and Cyndy 😊😊👍👍👍

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    Patricia Mezu
    Professional Minds MEA
    www.prminds.org
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  • 7.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-01-2020 08:52 AM
    Thank you. Great reminder about skills used at home verse school. Love this!  Stay healthy
    Peggy Pierce
    Successful Starts
    Lisle Illinois

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    Peggy Pierce
    Owner
    Successful Starts Learning Center
    Lisle IL
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  • 8.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 03-31-2020 04:23 PM
    This is the question my coteacher and I are wondering.  Maybe be we can do a little observation while doing Zoom gatherings.  We also thought we would need to get a lot of input from the parents, ask them specific things to check for us.

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    Cyndy Rineer
    Lancaster PA
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  • 9.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-01-2020 05:43 PM
    Regarding assessments and observations continuing during school closure . . . Our state-funded Pre-K classes have been using Google Hangouts Meet and/or Zoom to hold small group chats (each of my associate teachers (and myself) chat with their own small group), then the teachers have a chat about an hour after the small group chats are held, and later in the day we have a Snack & Storytime via a video chat.  Our entire preschool center-tuition-based and state-funded-created three weeks of At Home Learning Activities using the Smore platform when our closure was announced-we have 3 hours on a Friday to get ready (YIKES!) Teachers have also been emailing and sending REMIND messages to and from families.  Some classes have been sharing via private Facebook pages, too. This week we are on Spring Break.  During this time, our assessment platform-COR Advantage 1.5 by HighScope-announced a COR at Home component for families to use.  Basically, families photo document activities done at home, send them via COR at Home, and the pictures end up in our assessment system.  Teachers can then view the pics and determine what the pics show and where to record them as anecdotes for the children.  Right now, we don't know what will happen in MI regarding our schools re-opening this school year.  We don't know if these days will count but we are keeping our relationships with our children going-after all, we are a Reggio Inspired School.  An announcement regarding schools is planned by the Governor-Whitmer-tomorrow.  I also sent out a quick Google form survey to see how my families were doing before we started Spring Break.  I wanted to make sure they were hanging in there, too.  Depending on what your center determines will happen with distance/online learning will determine what you need to do in the long term.  We are all forging ahead into the unknown.  We need to learn from each other.  Not one answer will meet every center's needs during/after this pandemic.  Hope this gives you a glimpse as to what one center is doing.

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    Denise Swanson
    Fenton World of Wonder
    Fenton MI
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  • 10.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-02-2020 03:38 AM
    Thanks so much for all this feedback!

    Patricia Mezu 
    --
    Patricia Mezu
    Managing Director
    Professional Minds FZ- LLC
    'Improving Pre-Schools'
    facebook.com/prmindsdxb | Twitter: @patriciamezu           



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  • 11.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-02-2020 07:20 AM
    Regarding observations and assessment, remember the purpose is to "drive the curriculum" in order to individualize for each child's developmental needs.  It seems that during this time that would be difficult for teachers to effectively do.  My thought would be to utilize the most current assessment data you have and provide the parents with a simple learning plan tailored to their child's individual developmental needs focusing on areas that they could effectively support without using a "formal" curriculum but instead through positive adult child interactions in the home environment.  For young children, their environment is or can be the curriculum especially with the support of a caring adult.  I believe during this time the social and emotional well-being of the child to be of upmost importance. As professionals we need to help alleviate stress for the parent and prepare the teachers to be ready to focus on the social and emotional well-being of the children as the foundation needed for effective learning of the "curriculum".

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    Cheryl Angell
    Early Childhood Education Specialist
    Booz Allen Hamilton/OHS
    Houston TX
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  • 12.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-07-2020 03:42 AM
    Thanks Cheryl! Interested to see your job title. In the US companies like Booz Allen employ early childhood specialists? Do they own nurseries?

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    Patricia Mezu
    Professional Minds FZ LLC
    www.prminds.org
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  • 13.  RE: Assessment of Children during preschool closure

    Posted 04-08-2020 01:50 AM

    Thank you for this information Cheryl! We've been discussing this same topic in the program I support...ironically here in Houston. (United Way Bright Beginnings) 
    In the world of outcomes, so many programs are now facing this dilemma...many thanks again for sharing your  thoughtful information.




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    Yolanda C Franklin
    Infant Toddler Professional Facilitator
    Collaborative for Children
    United Way Bright Beginnings
    Houston, TX
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