When you are viewing the "whole child", I think they should only be measured or assessed developmentally appropriate. Observation should be done to evaluate the child's developmental progress, to make placement or promotion decisions, to diagnose learning and teaching problems, to help in instruction and curriculum decisions, to serve as a basis for reporting to parents, and to assist a child with assessing his or her own progress.
In our prekindergarten program, we observe and assess our children by taking daily observational notes on the child's developmentally significant behaviors during the children's normal activities. Teachers use these observational notes to complete the assessment forms.
School-age children in Fulford, Florida are assessed from the time they enter that school. In the foundation stage assessment takes place through formal and informal observations which are matched to six areas of learning covering mathematics, literacy, knowledge and understanding, creative and physical activities and personal and social development (Fulford Primary School, 2011).
For additional information on assessments:
Fulford Primary School:
http://www.fulford.staff.sch.uk/documents/Assessment_Booklet_parents.pdf
Ready at Five Partnership: promoting school readiness
http://www.readyatfive.org/facts/qu.aspx#how
Carol,
ReplyDeleteWhen we observe children, we learn a lot about them developmentally. We have learned that, first hand during our observation applications. I do agree that assessing them through observation is more developmentally appropriate and less intimidating then sitting them down to shade in bubbles. I do not like the stress it puts on the children and teachers. School needs to continue to be amazing and fun, not scary and a cause for anxiety. They have enough of that just learning how to negotiate friendships.