Performance Assessment Strategies

Appropriate assessment strategies have the potential to support children’s individual learning needs, and they can help teachers see evidence of the effect of their teaching, while also providing a measure of program accountability. Additionally, it is also important to realize that assessment practices have the potential to do harm. Just as there are concerns about inappropriate curriculum content and teaching strategies, there are concerns about assessment. NAEYC has created guidelines that specifically address the early childhood professional’s ethical responsibilities to children around assessment. Here are the principles and ideals that focus on assessment in NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment (Links to an external site.).

To begin this assignment,

• Read the weekly assigned reading and carefully review methods of data collection including anecdotal records, running records, event sampling, time sampling, checklists, and rating scales. Next, select your three most preferred methods of authentic assessment.
• Review the following document which highlights the ideals and principles specifically referring to the responsible assessment of young children found within the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.

Next, in your initial post,

• Discuss why you, as a program administrator, would promote these approaches to assessment in an early childhood program you were administering.
• Provide at least one example of the negative consequences for children when programs use inappropriate child assessment tools or strategies (such as using an assessment tool incorrectly or interpreting assessment data).
• Use the course text and/or one outside source to support your response.