Welcome to Day 1 of the 7 Day Preschool Assessment Bootcamp!

Day 1 is all about the ins and outs of assessment in a play-based preschool classroom.

***If you haven't already, go to the 'Printable Goods' section of this course and print the Bootcamp Workbook***

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The words 'assessment + preschool' can bring up some mixed emotions. To me, the word assessment doesn't necessarily hold a happy connotation. This is probably because of my days in first grade when all I felt like I did was assess students for data and report cards.

But, the word 'assessment' by definition means: the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.

Yep, that is pretty much what we are doing when we assess students and I am a call-it-like-you-see-it type of girl, so assessment it is. But, what assessment is and isn't in a preschool play-based classroom is where I feel like the clarification of the equation of 'assessment + preschool' comes in.

So, what does assessment look like in a play-based preschool classroom?

Here is a little graphic that you can fill in inside your course workbook:

WHAT ASSESSMENT IS...

• Whole Child: looking at a child from a whole child lens is looking at all the developmental areas when assessing (cognitive, speech & language, motor, social-emotional)
• Shows progression of learning through a child-centered portfolio.
• Observed in a natural play environment when applicable.
• Allows for child self-evaluation on progression of skills and simple goal setting.

WHAT ASSESSMENT ISN'T...

• Cognitive Child: looking at a child from the cognitive angle only.
• Shows mastery of skills at a moment in time (report cards)
• Testing as whole class or 1-on-1 in a drill and answer session.
• Teacher-evaluation centered (teacher reports on mastery of skills and sets goals for child)

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Clear as mud? No worries, we will talk more about what assessments are and are not in the next module.

HOMEWORK:

Now... check out the 'Where am I now?' scale in the course workbook. This is where you can evaluate where you are in your assessment practices. The more you know where you are starting, the quicker you will be able to get where you want to go!