Blog Entery # 6

Blog Entry # 2

            After reading the four articles on assessment of young children I have come realize that assessment in early childhood setting is a growing and profitable business. Early childhood programs have expanded to accommodate children from six weeks to five years of age throughout the United States. Early head start programs are funded by government dollars and in order for those programs to stay in business assessment data on all the children developmental and educational growth must be documented and submitted to their funding agency. In addition, early childhood programs provided services to culturally diverse and low income families.

            The information stated above presents two major questions for me in regards to assessment data. The first question would be are funding agencies being given accurate assessment data on the children in government funded head start programs? Or are head start programs providing the proper assessment data to keep the government funding coming in? Those are the type of questions that make me question the quality of some head start program assessment data. If this is the case in some heard start programs, then what are ways to combat inaccurate assessment data? One answer could be to take away the threat of being closed down for low assessment data, instead be given the chance to assess what’s wrong in the program.  Make the proper changes to be come in compliance with government agencies.       

            Another question that I have in regards to assessment data in early childhood classrooms: Is how can children from culturally diverse and low income families being assessed accurately, if the assessment information is based upon a white middle class informational format? These are some of the disadvantages of assessment data in early childhood classrooms across America. For example children from low income families would call a picture of a sofa a couch not a sofa. The word sofa would be the example word stated on an assessment form not couch.

            Personally I feel that even with the disadvantages stated in this paper evaluation of early childhood classrooms are important and needed. Changes need to be put in place to combat those disadvantages to provide a better overall review of early childhood measurements in classrooms throughout the United States.

    

           

                                                                       Cited Reference

Wortham, S.C. "Assessing Young Children." Pearson Allyn Bacon Pretice Hall Dec. (2001). google scholar. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://www.education.com/print/understanding-assessment-infancy -early/>.

 Grace, Dr. Cathy. "Assessing Young Children." Dec. (2001). google scholar. Web. 16 Mar2012. <http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/assessing html>.

Blog Entery # 5

Blog Entry #1

The article “Assessment in the Early Childhood Classroom” was very informational and insightful. Teachers provide students with several different subjects to learn throughout a school year. During the school year they need to be able to track and know what their students have learned from the subjects taught. There are different types of tools that teachers can use to track and assess their student’s educational progress in a given subject.

            An Assessment is used to recognize current knowledge and skills of students. It also can determine if students understand the subject material effectively, help reinforce student’s educational needs, and provide student’s evaluated progress in a timely manner. For example if a student is struggling with a content area, an assessment of that child will provide data on the struggling content area. The child’s teacher can make changes to the curriculum to address the student needs. They also provide information to teachers that can be shared with the student’s parents or care giver. That leads to regular meeting with parents to explain how their child is progressing educationally or written reports that state the student’s educational progress.

            Some of the ways teachers assess their students are by observing them in groups or alone, artwork done by the student, performance assessment tasks, and open-ended questions or problems. Teachers can also keep journals on their students throughout the school year, which shows a student educational growth. Teachers can take photos to share with the child’s family members, thus showing different educational achievements. Like socialization skills, riding a bike, throwing a ball or building a house from wooden blocks.  

            Assessments in classrooms are as important as the subjects that are being taught, they seem to me to go hand in hand with each other. Accurate assessment of children educational progress from one grade to another strengthens and builds a child’s chance on being successful in school.