NAEYC Standard 3

STANDARD 3. OBSERVING, DOCUMENTING, AND ASSESSING TO SUPPORT YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence the development of every child (NAEYC, 2010).

Brief Description of Evidence:

During the summer semester of 2021 during my ECED 235-Preschool Practicum course, I completed 144 practicum hours at Mitchell Early Childhood and Family Center. I was stationed in a 3-year-old classroom and completed a case study on an individual child. In order successfully meet the needs and goals of the child and family, I had to collaborate with my mentor as well as the child's family. Over the course of the summer, I completed multiple assessments and observations on this child. I created and implemented a number of individualized lesson plans for the child as well.

Analysis of What I Learned:

Completing a case study on a child firstly taught me the importance of setting and working toward goals. Working through assessments and collaborating with the child's family helped me to understand and better assess the child.

Observing and assessing a child is not a one-man job. It was vital for me to stay in communication with my mentor teacher and the child's family in order to stay up-to-date on progress and offer activities for the family to work on at home.

Over the course of my time at Ivy Tech, I have learned a lot about different types of observations and worked on some observing. This project helped me to enhance my knowledge and my skills of observing and documenting through anecdotal notes, completing developmental assessments and communicating with parents and other support. By the end of the project, I felt confident in myself as an early childhood professional. Being able to work so diligently with the child and see him improve was so fulfilling. Hearing positive reports from home also helped to keep me going even when the semester got hard, and work was tedious. I was serving a purpose and when I leave the classroom, I am confident that with home and class collaboration, he will continue to grow and progress toward meeting his current and future goals.

If I am given the opportunity to complete another case study, I would like to study more on rewarding ways to convey accomplishments to the child. This may be through verbal praise, physical reward, opportunity or more.

How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:

This case study demonstrates my ability to work collaboratively with families and professionals as an early childhood professional. Throughout this project I reminded myself that as an educator, family and support systems are my biggest ally. Working alongside families, offering resources and tools for assessing and meeting goals not only helps the sense of community in my classroom but it may help bring families closer together at home as well. Maria Montessori had a similar view on assessment. She believed that assessment was solely the teacher's observation and record keeping. She believed that the accomplishment of goals, behavior, happiness, and growth came from the day to day experiences alongside children from both educators and families. This is the importance of partnership and collaboration. For children to be best supported, assessed and to have goals in place for continual improvement, I believe that all support in a child's life must be willing to assess, document, set and work toward goals.

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