Marilyn Stalheim, Director, Westwood Early Childhood Center, St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Testing and Assessments and Age Appropriate Practices seem, at first glance, to be diametrically opposed concepts. However, as we at Westwood Early Childhood Center review our use of High Scope observations and daily recording, we recognize that Assessments are highly valued by our teaching teams and our parents. Anecdotal reporting facilitates a teacher’s ability to create a “picture” of each child enrolled in our early childhood center.

Briefly, High/Scope Child Observation Records (COR) have been developed for infants through six year olds. The COR is a child observation assessment tool. It is not a test. Observational assessment takes place over a long period of time in the school or center. This type of assessment describes signs and stages of a child’s development for the observing staff and parents to look for. Such assessment methods can provide a body of information which can be used to develop, monitor and constantly reevaluate our program.

When our national director, Gayle Denny, asked if I’d share my thoughts or opinions on the topic of Assessment/Testing, I chuckled. Last month we began our Westwood in service meeting with a questionnaire. The first question, “Why Assessment?”, was most thoughtfully considered. The first comment was that recorded observations were not intended to be viewed as a means of grading or testing children. However, as a basis for parent/teacher conferences, for planning the environment and opportunities for teachers to learn about the children’s interests, the daily observations (when used within the context of a carefully researched child observation tool such as COR), the assessments are critical.

These assessments indicate levels of development, i.e. benchmarks, of the whole child.

In addition, preschool screenings are invaluable for assistance in obtaining timely support for children with identified needs. Kindergarten Readiness reviews also provide opportunities for timely intervention via specialists who can provide very particular support. Incidentally in our experience, feedback given to parents is often highly complimentary to our teaching staff. Hearing from parents that our center is viewed with respect by other educators and early childhood professionals serves as strong incentive for their continued excellence in supporting young children with the best in early childhood experiences.

Key to the issue is the purpose of the assessment. For us it has always been to help us to plan, to identify any special needs, and to evaluate ourselves and our program. As we make fledgling steps into adopting Reggio Emilia precepts into our philosophy, we are finding that documentation through panels depicts visually and verbally the child’s work and play.

“It is incumbent upon us to select appropriate assessment strategies which are valid, encompass the whole child, involve repeated observations, are continuous over time and use a variety of methods”, says Stephen W. Sanders in his text, Active for Life. Finally, staff training in the selected system of assessment encourages collaborative consistency throughout our Center. Thus we present a professionally developed, age appropriate process for communicating with parents and one another which allows a respectful celebration of each child’s unique development.

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