Objective Observations & Documentation ECE 300

15 | PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

STANDARD 3

Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment Early childhood educators (a) understand that the primary purpose of assessment is to inform instruction and planning in early learning settings. They (b) know how to use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment approaches and tools. Early childhood educators (c) use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, culturally, ability, and linguistically appropriate to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child. Early childhood educators (d) build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues.

Key Competencies and Supporting Explanations 3a: Understand that assessments (formal and informal, formative and summative) are conducted to make informed choices about instruction and for planning in early learning settings. Early childhood educators understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They are close observers of children. Educators understand that assessment is a positive tool that can build continuity in young children’s development and learning experiences. They understand that effective, evidence-based teaching is informed by thoughtful, ongoing systematic observation and documentation of each child’s learning progress, qualities, strengths, interests, and needs. They understand the importance of using assessments that are consistent with and connected to appropriate learning goals, curricula, and teaching strategies for individual young children. Early childhood educators understand the essentials of authentic and strengths-based assessment—such as age- appropriate approaches and culturally relevant assessment in a language the child understands and assessment that is conducted by a speaker of the child’s home language—for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children in early grades across developmental domains and curriculum areas.

3b: Know a wide range of types of assessments, their purposes, and their associated methods and tools. Early childhood educators are familiar with a variety of formative, summative, qualitative, and standardized assessments. They know a wide range of formal and informal observation methods, documentation strategies, screening tools, and other appropriate resources, including technologies that facilitate assessments and approaches to assessing young children that help teachers plan experiences that scaffold children’s learning. Early childhood educators understand the strengths and limitations of each assessment method and tool. They understand the components of the assessment cycle and concepts of assessment validity and reliability as well as the importance of systematic observations, interpreting those observations, and reflecting on observations’ significance for and impact on their teaching.

A POSITION STATEMENT HELD ON BEHALF OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROFESSION | 16

3c: Use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, ability, culturally, and linguistically appropriate in order to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child. Educators embed assessment-related activities in the curriculum and in daily routines to facilitate authentic assessment and to make assessment an integral part of professional practice. They create and take advantage of unplanned opportunities to observe young children in play and in spontaneous conversations and interactions as well as in adult-structured assessment contexts. Early childhood educators analyze data from a variety of assessment tools and use the data appropriately to inform teaching practices and to set learning and developmental goals for young children.

They understand assessment issues and resources, including technology, related to identifying and supporting young children with differing abilities, including children whose learning is advanced, those who are bilingual or multilingual learners, and children with developmental delays or disabilities. They seek assistance, when needed, on how to assess a particular child. This might mean reaching out to colleagues who can bring new understanding, experience, or perspective related to child and family ethnicity, culture, or language. For example, a bilingual colleague may be better prepared to successfully observe a child’s receptive and expressive language skills, social interaction skills, and emerging reading skills in both the child’s home language and second language.

Early childhood educators know about potentially harmful uses of inappropriate or inauthentic assessments and of inappropriate assessment policies in early education. If culturally or linguistically appropriate assessment tools are not available for particular young children, educators are aware of the limitations of the available assessments. When not given the autonomy to create or select developmentally appropriate, authentic assessments due to the setting’s policies, such as the use of standardized, normative assessments in pre-K through grade 3 settings, early childhood educators exercise professional judgment and work

to minimize the adverse impact of inappropriate assessments on young children and on instructional practices. They use developmental screenings to bring resources and supports to children and families and to avoid excluding children from educational programs and services. They advocate for and practice asset-based approaches to assessment and to the use of assessment information.

Early childhood educators use assessment practices that reflect knowledge of legal and ethical issues, including confidentiality and the use of current professional practices related to equity issues. In order to ensure fairness in their assessments of young children, early childhood educators consider the potential for implicit bias in their assessments, their findings, and the use of their findings in creating plans for supporting young children’s learning and development.

3d: Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues. Early childhood educators partner with families and with other professionals to implement authentic asset-based assessments and to develop individualized goals, curriculum plans, and instructional practices that meet the needs of each child. They recognize the assessment process as collaborative and open, and they benefit from shared analyses and use of assessment results while respecting confidentiality and following other professional guidelines. They encourage self-assessment in children as appropriate, helping children to think about their own interests, goals, and accomplishments.

Early childhood educators particularly ensure that assessment results and the planning based on those results are conveyed using jargon-free explanations that are easily understood by families, teaching teams, and colleagues from other disciplines. Teachers recognize that their responsibility is to identify, but not diagnose, children who have the potential for a developmental delay or disability or for advanced learning. They know when to refer families for further assessment by colleagues with specialized knowledge in a relevant area. Early childhood educators participate as professional partners in Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) teams for children birth to age 3 and in Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams for children ages 3 through 8.