For some the end of the school year, though a nursery school year is far different primary or secondary school year, brings difficult good-byes, a transition to Kindergarten, and summer programs. For parents the end of the school year surfaces questions about the year ahead and milestones their child has met. At any nursery school that upholds high standards of quality and accreditation, an evaluation of the school year is simply part of the ‘end of year’ process.
At Harmon Oaks, our evaluation process varies with age and program, though with each age group we incorporate Authentic Assessment, defined as the process of documenting and evaluating growth and development over time using real-life situations. It shows what children can do, what they know, and what they understand. Rather than attempting to explain a child’s performance based on one test, this type of assessment focuses on the progress and growth of a child over an extended period of time. In our toddler program we go through a milestone list and a ‘bio’ of the child at school, which can be compared to a condensed portfolio. In our transitional class, we continue to include a milestone list with social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical categories, but also include anecdotal notes and a few pieces of each child’s work in order to document their progress.
In our preschool program, Harmon Oaks uses a very unique assessment- which is conducted at the start and end of the year to measure development, to truly assess primary grade level readiness. This combines both formal and authentic assessment. Formal assessment is through the use of a variety of questions we’ve compiled through state standards and different state assessment. Our assessment also includes challenging children with questions that provoke inquiry and critical thinking. This too is included in the assessment and serves as a good guide for both teachers and parents in gauging where each child’s strengths and ‘weaknesses’ lay. In my preschool class this year, our children are exceeding all state standards, sharing their own inquiry, shaping their own play, journaling their daily adventure, and already reading site words- every day they seize to amaze me!
❤ Ms. Mariya
At Harmon Oaks, our evaluation process varies with age and program, though with each age group we incorporate Authentic Assessment, defined as the process of documenting and evaluating growth and development over time using real-life situations. It shows what children can do, what they know, and what they understand. Rather than attempting to explain a child’s performance based on one test, this type of assessment focuses on the progress and growth of a child over an extended period of time. In our toddler program we go through a milestone list and a ‘bio’ of the child at school, which can be compared to a condensed portfolio. In our transitional class, we continue to include a milestone list with social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical categories, but also include anecdotal notes and a few pieces of each child’s work in order to document their progress.
In our preschool program, Harmon Oaks uses a very unique assessment- which is conducted at the start and end of the year to measure development, to truly assess primary grade level readiness. This combines both formal and authentic assessment. Formal assessment is through the use of a variety of questions we’ve compiled through state standards and different state assessment. Our assessment also includes challenging children with questions that provoke inquiry and critical thinking. This too is included in the assessment and serves as a good guide for both teachers and parents in gauging where each child’s strengths and ‘weaknesses’ lay. In my preschool class this year, our children are exceeding all state standards, sharing their own inquiry, shaping their own play, journaling their daily adventure, and already reading site words- every day they seize to amaze me!
❤ Ms. Mariya
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