Group Discussion
Kelli Barnes
RE: Group B Discussion - Module 3
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Group Discussion
Part 1
Evaluations are put into practice to insure a program or facility's reliablity, funcitionality, accuracy, and effeciency. This process is no stranger to the education world or Connor Street Childhood program. For a program to run effectively, suffeciently, and promote academic and overall developmental growth, these evaluations are imperative. Along with many evaluation tools, we begin to discuss specific ones, their purpose, and their potential challenges or successes. I have selected Evaluation 4: Program Adminsitration Scale (PAS). The role of this scale is to assess leadership managesment for early childhood programs along a 7-point scale. In the case of Connor Street Childhood Program, this evaluation will be used to gather information that measures the quality of administrative, management, and leadership practices at Connor Street Childhood Program.
Within the major findings of the initial results, there was a postive overall rating. The scales included 10 catergories when scoring early childhood programs. Those categories include: human resources development, personnel cost and allocation, center operations, child assessment, fiscal management, program planning and evaluation, family partnerships, marketing and public relations, technology, and staff qualifications. In an early childhood program like Connor Street, it is clear why these catergories would be included to insure effecient instruction, care, and family involvement. In addition, adminsitrative services would need to be just as competent. Where the findings indicated positive overall rating, there were two sub-scales that received below average rating. Those were staff qualifications and program planning. Thus indicating that Connor Street needs support in professional development of staff and program planning.
While there was an overall positive rating, staff perceptions related to the leadership and management was not reflected. Feedback is crucial and can most certainly facilitate postiive change, according to Foster-Nelson (2012). When teachers have a stakeholder position and their feedback is accepted and valued, positive change can be inevitable. Another aspect of the PAS that can be challenging would be the subjective manner that data is recorded. With different percspectives recording, data can often be skewed based on observations. Although these are details that were not inlcuded in the initial major findings, they are important to keep in mind when considering the Program Administration Scale (PAS).
Reference
Foster-Nelson, A.(2012). The role of distributive leadership in the implementation of Program Administration Scale assessment recommendations. Proquest, LLC. MI (.The role of distributive leadership in the implementation of Program Administration Scale assessment recommendations - ProQuest)
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8 days ago
Elizabeth Bell
RE: Group B Discussion - Module 3
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Connor Street Early Childhood Program is undergoing program evaluations from NAEYC. Connor Street is a private preschool where Hispanic families are increasing but currently, they make up 20% of the program. The director chose four major findings to focus on to prepare for the NAEYC accreditation. These evaluations included the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test,(PPVT-1V), the Teacher Rating of Oral Language and Literacy (TROLL), the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and the Program Administration Scale (PAS).
The PPVT-1V is used widely as it is a reliable assessment tool concerning receptive vocabulary which supports kindergarten readiness and is available in English or Spanish. The TROLL concentrates on oral Language and literacy including language, reading, and writing skills. The next evaluation called the CLASS is based on the teacher’s interactions with students concerning emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support. The final evaluation used was the PAS which assesses the director’s leadership and management and administrative practices.
The program at Connor Street scored in the 62nd percentile on the PPVT 4th edition. Only 20% of their students are second language learners, this may have contributed to the high score. A helpful attribute concerning this test is that it does not require reading or writing and children can point to the correct card. The teacher says a word and shows the child a card with four pictures on it. The child points to the correct item. The scores can be converted using age or grade level. It is a good test to use to evaluate receptive vocabulary as young children do not need to read or write, and it is stress-free (Goriot et, al., 2021). The words are nouns, verbs, and adjectives from twenty categories such as animals, actions, or emotions (Goriot et, al., 2021). When the child fails at two responses they are given an easier set. The is test over when the child makes more than seven errors in a set. A helpful website concerning the PPVT 4th edition evaluation is https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2018.1494131.
Connor Street did well on Standard: Families with a high score of 93%. from NAEYC. On the TROLL dual language learners (DLL) scores were lower than the English-only children, but their scores improved over the course of the year. On the CLASS evaluation, some teachers needed improvement concerning language modeling and quality feedback. The PAS did well except for on-staff qualifications, program planning, and evaluation and documentation and observations, as they need more participation in their planning.
References
Goriot, C., van Hout, R., Btoersma, M., Lobo, V., McQueen, J., Unsworth, S.(2021). Using the
Peabody picture vocabulary test in L2 children and adolescents: effects of L1.
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 224:4, 546-568.
Retrieved from http:// 10.1080/13670050.2018.1494131
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3 days ago
Kelli Barnes
RE: Group B Discussion - Module 3
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Part 2:
After analyzing the findings from using the PAS or Program Administration Scale, it was necessary to point out that the Connor Street Childhood Program did have an overall positive rating. Overall, Connor Street did prove effective and promoting of academic success. Although there were two deficit areas of lower rating on support staff and program planning, the data received from this evaluation tool could deem Connor Street appropriate, reliable, and effective for all stakeholders (Foster-Nelson,2012). However, the issue to address better support for staff and stronger intentional planning is imperative. Although this evaluation tool directly realtes to administration, students, staff, and families can be affected. Thus all stakeholders holding a vital role in Connor Street's efficacy.
Connor Street Childhood Program possesses several stregnths. As a teacher, classroom and behavior managaement is a vital component to a successful classroom and Connor Street does not lack in this department. This in turn allows teachers to more effectively reach and lead students in their academic paths to success. While creating an ideal learning environment that fosters development while catering to creativity and social awareness, students are supported in muti-layered levels of development. An area of improvement would be to allow more training for support staff. Having a more purposeful role with expectations would allow support staff to have a larger ownership feeling as a stakeholder in the program and as an employee. This would benefit the program in more ways than one. As a result of better planning, productivity could be more streamlined and prioritized as well. Overall, Connor Street proves to be an effective program with the data from mutliple evaluation tools. However, Connor Street should entertain the idea of reducing formal assessments while implementing a more "working" assessment schedule. In addition, allowing teachers a voice in the adminsitration of the program and how to effectively run it would be a key stakeholder opporuntity for teachers. When teachers feel as if they have a say in the way a program is run and how their students learn, instructional mountains are moved and student success can potentially soar!
Foster-Nelson, A.(2012). The role of distributive leadership in the implementation of Program Administration Scale assessment recommendations. Proquest, LLC. MI (.The role of distributive leadership in the implementation of Program Administration Scale assessment recommendations - ProQuest)
Elizabeth Bell
RE: Group B Discussion - Module 3 part 2
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Looking through the data regarding NAEYC accreditation evaluations 6 and 7 for Connor Street some of the strengths I found through the teacher survey are that the teachers were able to address children with challenges and develop individual education plans for students, on which they received 8 out of 8. Other strengths that were taken into account were the use of children’s home language, and that the curriculum was responsive to family’s values, as well as to their home language. The staff did very well assessing the children. However, they fell short on regularly assessing the children on Science, Social Studies, and especially technology where they only received a 3 out of 8. It does seem the program could improve in a couple of other areas, the first being under Assessments. The staff should meet more often to discuss the assessments, as well as teaching practices in order to best support the students. The staff should have more access to community services to share with families and be given information about the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards (Evaluation 6: NAEYC Self-Assessment Teaching Staff Survey).
The Connor Street center should be very proud of themselves to receive their NAEYC accreditation with such a high score. This center has great potential. And the majority of the teachers scored over 5 points, congratulations. The center met all of the ten standards, and can still improve in supplying community services to the families (NAEYC, 2016).
Reference
Major Findings: Word Document. Waldenu.edu.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.-a). The 10 NAEYC program
Standards. http://families.naeyc.org/accredited-article/10-naeyc-program-standards#1