Parents:
Best practices in Early Childhood Education identify child assessment as an important
tool for Early Childhood Educators. Unlike traditional assessments our program
incorporates an observation format that is strength-based rather than a test-format that
identifies areas that may not meet traditional that may not meet a particular standard. All
assessments are completed and interpreted by the classroom teacher with help from
classroom assistants. Consequently the benefits are:
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Information is provided to educators and parents that help identify way in which
individual children learn best.
Information can be used for activity planning that meets the needs and interests of
each individual child vs. the classroom of children as a whole.
Needs are be identified early for support in life-long learning.
Interest surveys, activity samples and ongoing observations, parent/teacher conference
planning and formal assessment tools are all part of a comprehensive assessment process.
The formal assessment tool that our classroom uses is called the Portage Gide Birth to
Six and is available for your review. We believe that you are your child’s number one
teacher and no one knows your child better. Partnering together in this process will give
us the best understanding of your child. Therefore, I have attached an assessment
questionnaire that I hope you will take a moment to complete and return to me. This is an
open ended questionnaire and should only take a moment of your time. If you feel that a
particular method of assessment will best meet the needs of your child please write your
suggestions at the bottom of the form. (games, observations over time, after rest time,
alone, in a social group, with classroom teacher only)
Assessments of children are confidential. Center Administration and teaching staff will
use this information to provide the best educational programming for your child. All
assessments are kept in portfolios in the classroom and is passed along when your child
moves up to a new classroom each year. For those children partnering with Western
Dairyland Headstart, assessment results may be share with the family service specialist.
If at any time we feel that a referral for special services, such as speech, your permission
will be requested individually.
The Portage Project has been translated into 36 different languages and serves children
birth to six years of age. Careful consideration has gone into making this an assessment a
non-biased screening tool It is divided into: Language/Literacy Exploration and
Approaches to Learning
Social Development Motor Skills Sensory Organization
It also meets professional standards for standardization, reliability and validity.
Thank you for your support. Please ask any questions you may have.
Lisa Coen
Honey Bee Classroom Teacher
Parent Assessment Questionnaire:
All children develop differently! Please briefly comment/summarize your child’s development in the
following areas.
language
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cognitive
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gross-motor
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fine-motor
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social-emotional
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My child best learns through
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Other
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Examples:
Language:
Listening and Enjoyment of Stories
Speaking
Pre-reading - loves to rhyme, interested in words, etc.
cognitive
Understanding of concepts: colors, numbers, shapes
Memory
gross-motor
Skills like running, jumping, climbing stairs
fine-motor
Puzzles, coloring, writing with a pencil
social-emotional
Enjoys playing with others
Can solve simple social problems
Sharing