This article speaks about issues of assessment in the early years of schooling, pre-kindergarten through third grade, when engaged hands-on learning is utmost fitting. A study of a kindergarten project on a turtle is presented to show how a science content standard is achieved and how proof is gathered that validates accomplishment of skills. The article then presents a structure for assisting educators and others to contemplate about standards and documentation in methods that are well-matched with how young children learn. The documentation procedures are particularly well-suited with methods to learning that inspire student’s interest, such as the Project Approach.
Thoughts on Standard and Engaged Learning in the Early Years.
The standards require that children learn specific skills and facts such as, naming numbers, letters and letters. This has steered to more teacher-directed “lessons,” and less play-based curriculum and activity and more repetition teaching and learning as children attempt to absorb what is essential to pass the testing. However years of research suggest that young children learn best through active learning experiences that are in an educational setting. Children mature at different rates, they all learn in unique ways, and come from an extensive variation of cultural and language
…show more content…
The fact is some children regardless of their intelligence they just don’t perform well on test. Many of these children are smart and understand the content, but it doesn’t show on the test. Many students also develop test anxiety which obstructs their performance. Finally, there are so many outside influences that play into test performance, for example if a child has an argument with a peer the morning of the test, probabilities are their attention isn’t going to be anywhere it ought to