This week’s podcast was on Rethinking Research in Early Childhood Education with Mr. William Parnell who is the pedagogical liaison to the Helen Gordon Child Development Center at Portland State University. Many individuals say “quality over quantity” and this is how Mr. Parnell would look into these assessments for young children. Instead of seeing how much children know, it is more important to see what the children have mastered and how that will help them in the real world. Much research comes from professionals who do not necessarily work alongside with children, they look at the science ends of things and figure out what children should know and learn at certain ages. But for someone who doesn’t work with children and just look at raw data, how can they come up with the best ways to assess and research our young students.
There was one quote that allowed me to think this way. Mr. Parnell stated, “So I think that for early-childhood educators, I think it's really important that they see themselves as an inquirer. What do they want to know about what's happening with children? Because I think sometimes we get swallowed up on our daily lives and then we work in programs that might say to us, “You have a canned curriculum that you have to use, or a canned assessment that you have to use.” And it's like, “Well, does the assessment ever allow for my own generative thinking? Does that allow me to actually think holistically about the child in any way, shape or form?” So those are the kinds of questions I think teachers are asking. And I think for them to bring those stories out, bring those narratives out, bring that data forward, is really important. And share it” (Spreeuwenberg, 2017).
When educators are able to use the knowledge they have learned about early childhood development alongside with their experience and use the skills and practices they have seen succeed in the classroom is the best way for an educator to come up with their own assessment for their student.
As we have learned, high-quality early learning experiences make a significant difference in a child’s success in academics for their future and should be available to all families. Alberta Family Wellness website stated “it has been known for some time that the quality of the infant-caregiver relationship has an impact on emotional regulation and sensitivity to stress in children. Positive, nurturing relationships help children learn how to control their emotions and cope with positive and tolerable stress” (Alberta Family Wellness Initiative, 2017). Many parents can only hope they have found the best daycare or early childhood facility for their family, but some do not have the finances to have their children in such a nurturing environment.
Reference
Alberta Family Wellness Initiative. (2017). Serve and Return. Retrieved from
Center on the Developing Child Harvard University. (n.d.). Working Globally - Center on
the Developing Child. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/
Spreeuwenberg, R. (2017, April 4). Rethinking research in early childhood education.
Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the quote from Mr. Parnell that educator should look at he child holistically when assessing them, and that people who make up assessments that are not working with children are not "in the loop" so to speak. I also feel that some stress that is positive can help children learn to use their problem solving skills and that is what parent/caregivers need to teach along with academics.
I enjoyed your blog Nicole, and I agree, a "canned curriculum" just does not work. We have to factor in so many variables with young children that goes beyond the science of things. Great job.
ReplyDeleteNicole,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog this week. I agree when you say that scientist, who do not work with children and just look at raw data, should not decide the best way to assess young children.