Assessing Childrens Learning

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Assessing Childrens Learning
Whos Learning What, How? Paul Epstein,
Ph.D. Chiaravalle Montessori School pepstein_at_chiar
avalle.org Ann Epstein, Ph.D. Roosevelt
University aepstein_at_roosevelt.edu
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Assessing Childrens Learning

• The Montessori Method
• Distinction Observation Record Keeping
• Topics for Assessment
• Record Keeping Strategies
• Personal Renewal
• Next Steps

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The Montessori Method

• The teacher must prepare herself, not by means
  of the content, but by means of the method the
  fundamental quality is the capacity for
  observation a quality so important that the
  positive sciences were also called sciences of
  observation Now it is obvious that the
  possession of senses and of knowledge is not
  sufficient to enable a person to observe it is a
  habit which must be developed by practice.
• Maria Montessori. Spontaneous Activity in
  Education. Pg. 130.

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The Montessori Method

• Here lies the essential point from her
  scientific preparation, the teacher must bring
  not only the capacity, but the desire, to observe
  natural phenomena. In our system, she must become
  a passive, much more than an active influence,
  and her passivity shall be composed of anxious
  scientific curiosity, and of absolute respect for
  the phenomena she wishes to observe. The teacher
  must feel her position of observer the activity
  must lie in the phenomenon.
• Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method. Pg. 87.

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A Matter of Distinction
Observation
Record Keeping
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Observation
reflective/ acceptance
rational/ interpretive
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Rational/Interpretive

• Winnie-the-Pooh sat down at the foot of the tree,
  put his head between his paws and began to think.
• First of all he said to himself That
  buzzing-noise means something. You dont get a
  buzzing-noise like that, just buzzing and
  buzzing, without it meaning something. If theres
  a buzzing-noise, somebodys making that
  buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a
  buzzing-noise that I know of is because youre a
  bee.
• Then he thought another long time, and said And
  the only reason for being a bee that I know of is
  making honey.
• And he got up, and said And the only reason for
  making honey is so I can eat it. So he began to
  climb the tree.
• Milne. Winnie-the-Pooh.

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Can you see
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Can you see
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Straight, Or
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How many legs?
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Topics The Child

• Developmental milestones
• Cognition, language, social/emotional growth,
  motor,)
• Independence, concentration, self-discipline,
  coordination
• Wonderment, socialization, morality
• Trust, self-expression, commitment
• Learning
• What are they working on? How long?
• What choices do children make?
• Use of work plans (elementary)
• Research skills (elementary)
• Collaborative, cooperative learning

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Record Keeping Topics

• Teacher
• Preparing lessons
• objectives, questions, assessment, activities
• Giving lessons (clarity, guiding questions,
• Types of lessons
• small group, whole class
• Classroom management
• ground rules, routines, transitions
• The Prepared Environment
• Types of spaces wet, dry, loud, soft
• Curriculum areas
• Traffic flow

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Record Keeping Methods

• Anecdotal Records
• Running Records
• Checklists
• Rating Scales
• Rubrics
• Journals

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Anecdotal Records

• Purpose record events which document progress
  toward objectives, right after occurrence
• Stacy blew her nose in a tissue and threw it away
  without a reminder.
• Gerald wrote his first name without any letters
  reversals.
• Aidan lost his first tooth many tears, cried
  hard for 5 minutes, seemed afraid.

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Running Records

• Purpose record events which document progress
  toward objectives
• Latoya and Karol (both age 4) worked together
  with play dough. Karol tried to take some of
  Latoyas Latoya said, no!. An adult asked
  Karol if she had another idea for how to work
  together with the play dough. Karol turned to
  Latoya and said, Lets add ours together and
  then well both have a hugest piece. Latoya
  agreed and they put their pieces together.

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Running Records A Format
Name _______________ Date __________ Time
__________
Tommy puts the 1000 cube under the 100 card and
the 10 bars under the 5 card. He begins to count
when Dave says, Uh oh, and puts the beads in
the right categories.
I wonder if he is distracted? Ive never seen him
do that before.
Who else is distracted enough to make errors like
this?
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Recording Observations

• Be a camera, record exactly what you see, in the
  order you see it (running records)
• Focus on one child at a time (anecdotal or
  running records)
• Make system work for you
• Use post-its, notebooks, clip boards, address
  labels, computer files
• Schedule your observations (running records)
• Be discreet
• Be aware of your reactions, jot them down in
  separate section
• At end of observation period, jot down questions,
  ideas, conclusions
• Maintain confidentiality

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Checklists

• Example Vocabulary
• exhibits behavior regularly, making progress,
  has not yet exhibited the behavior
• Demonstrates positional language
• Demonstrates understanding of comparative
  language
• Focuses attention on, listens to, and responds to
  others
• Applies new vocabulary to everyday situations
• Makes predictions when discussing stories

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Work Checklist
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Skills Checklist
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Time Sample Record
Work Period, Room 203 Fifteen-minute record.
Observer samples once each minute. Observer
watches one child at a time.
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Rubric Written Expression

• 4. Clearly and effectively communicates the main
  idea or theme and provides support that contains
  rich, vivid, and powerful detail.
• 3. Clearly communicates idea or theme and
  provides suitable support and detail.
• 2. Communicates important information but not a
  clear theme or overall structure.
• 1. Communicates information as isolated pieces in
  a random fashion.

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Rating Scales

• The lesson was
• clear _ _ _ _ unclear
• disorderly _ _ _ _ orderly
• organized _ _ _ _ unorganized
• unfocused _ _ _ _ focused

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Journals

• For reflection
• Re-focusing
• Clarifying interpretations
• Collect ideas of new work
• Hunches

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Journal End Of Day Review

• As you think about the day, what worked well?

List three or four ideas or concerns you will
ponder
What additional information do I need to solve
any concerns or teaching issues?
Mindes, G. (1996). Assessing young children. 2nd
Ed. NJ Merrill Prentice Hall
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Journal Orley

• 2/23/05. Today, Orley did nothing. She just wants
  to socialize, draw, cut, sharpen pencils
  whatever she can do to not work. I have noticed
  that if she gets direct attention, one-on-one,
  she will work. As soon as I go to someone else,
  she stops. I know she is capable, but she wont
  try on her own. She will ask for help for every
  question, even though she really knows the
  answer. It is like she wants you to be right
  there to praise her for doing the right steps.
  She needs immediate approval. I know she is the
  oldest of four children and that she lives with
  her mom. I'm not sure if there is a father
  figure. If so, she never talks about him. I know
  that there is a young baby in the house too. The
  girl comes to school late 3 out of 5 days a week.
  I mean like 1/2 an hour late. Mom says she will
  get her here on time, but this still isnt
  happening. I am really frustrated!

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Personal Renewal

• Take care of yourself
• Find a mentor
• Engage in meaningful learning
• Add creative artistry to your teaching
• Exercise
• Become active in professional organizations
• Practice renewal
• Zehm, S.J., Kottler, J.A. (1993). On being a
  teacher. The human dimension. Newbury Park, CA
  Corwin Press.

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Next Steps

• This is the true joy in life, the being used for
  a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one
  the being a force of nature instead of a
  feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and
  grievances complaining that the world will not
  devote itself to making you happy.
• I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the
  whole community and as long as I live it is my
  privilege to do for it whatever I can.
• I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for
  the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in
  life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle
  to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I
  have got hold of for the moment, and I want to
  make it burn as brightly as possible before
  handing it on to future generations
• George Bernard Shaw. Man and Superman, Dedicatory
  Letter.