This article created Preschool Stories as a tool to examine the creativity of children through art. The teacher would use the child's art as a form of assessment. However, this tool contained a interview and parent participation. According to Rinaldi in Project Zero & Reggio Children 2001, viewing children as "component and strong" accompanies the actions of documentation as learning is made visible and "enables reading, revisiting, and assessement in time and in space, and these actions become an intergal part of knowledge-building process."
I do agree that there needs to be alternative assessments for keiki. For our program we administer the Dial 3, PPVT, and Worksampling System. In addition, we are implementing the Positive Behavior Support Program within our division. I do agree with some of the assessments we use. I don't think that there can be one true program that works. I think as a professional, you need to find what works for you.
I liked the idea of utilizing preschool stories, however like the concerns with limitations, I had questions about the process of preschool stories. What were the ages of the children? Does the teacher do this of all of the children? Personally, I would love to try this with our keiki, but I don't think that I would be able to complete this will all of the children. In this article, I like the way Sarah was able to complete and explain her collage and drawings. However, would I be able to have 2-3 year olds do this? I am not sure.
After reading the entire article, I realized that this was done not only a year, but for a few years to show the child's growth.
Overall, I agree that there should be alternative types of assessment, professionals need to use what works best for them.
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Hi U'ilani...I do agree that there needs to be alternate assessments for children. I think WSS is in one word...great but also a time consuming. I wish we could have part of WSS and some other type of assessment with it. For the documentation of the art.....we do something like that...throughout a two week period, children are able to start and finish projects and we have documentation along with their stories and believe it, I do have 2 and 3 year olds. Yes, it is very time consuming and a lengthy process, especially since we do need to get notes and portfolio info. Don't know where the days are going and it's always crunch time for me! Try setting up a small center with recycled items and crafts. Let the children they can continue their projects until they are done. I do encourage them a lot to do their projects and it comes out great, all these three dimensional art is fantastic! Give it a try, since your children should be well adjusted to your routines and schedule now.
ReplyDeleteHi U'ilani,
ReplyDeleteI agree that doing a "preschool story" for each child would be a challenging one. Maybe doing a brief overview "story" at the end of the year along with your traditional reporting would be something more acheivable. I like the idea of preschool stories because it gave the child something to reflect upon as they got older. It's sad that most people I talk to don't even remember their preschool experience.
True the preschool stories are very time consuming. It seems that if you had 2 or 3 teachers in the classroom it would be easier. I think that we can customize any program to fit our school or classroom. We do end of the year portfolios and they basically gather together information the children have done through out the year and compile it. I really think the information in the preschool stories helps the next teacher to really understand the student.
ReplyDeleteAloha Jan,
ReplyDeleteI love your idea. I will work on having a recycling center and have the keiki begin and continue a project. Super!
As for WSS, we have WSS checklist, portfolio, and summary reports. In addition we have PBS. This is all very time consuming. I wish WSS would somehow tie into PBS. This year we are trying something new. Instead of just having the individual items, we have added the social and emotional component. We capture the child showing either, malama, aloha, or kuleana. So far so good.
Mahalo again for the recycling idea. I will definately try it.
As for 2 and 3 year olds. I think they could do preschool stories, however the children in the article seemed older.
Grant,
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I remember about preschool is playing on the playground and catching uku's. Yes, it's sounds funny. But it was traumatizing for me. I didn't understand why I couldn't go to school and I love it so much.
I would love to know how I could do preschool stories for all keiki and have enough time to do other assessments. Seems too overwhelming.
That would be so great to have 2 to 3 teachers in the classroom. We have two, but there is still not enough time in the day to complete everything. So you do the best that you can for the day, then if you need to continue the next day, then so be it. I am a teacher who refuses to take work home. This may seem selfish to some, but my family time is precious to me. I do my work at work, then share quality time to my daughter. Along with my husband we either go for a walk in the park or go to the beach (only 10 steps from our front doo). This is priceless.
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