~Assessment~

When considering a commitment to view young children (the whole child) I believe these areas should be assessed or measured. Each child is unique in their own way assessments should be conducted to measure individual needs too. Basic areas of development should be assessed like social and emotional development for self-concept, cooperation, and social relationships. Approaches to learning will measure by their initiative and curiosity, engagement and persistence, reasoning and problem solving abilities. Language development will be measured by listening and understanding, speaking and communicating. Literacy will measure phonological and print awareness concepts, early writing and alphabet knowledge. Mathematics development will assess numbers, operation, spatial sense, patterns and measurement abilities. Science will test scientific knowledge skills and methods. Creative arts will measure music , art, movement and play development abilities. Physical and health development measures fine motor, gross motor and health practices by assessing these skills and abilities you will help all children succeed.

The country I chose to look at how they asses their school-age children is Spain. Spain use early learning and development benchmarks. The early learning and development benchmarks provide them a set of general developmental expectations for what children should know and be able to do upon the entrance into kindergarten.

physical/health/motor

social and emotional

approaches toward learning

cognition and general knowledge and

language, literacy, and communication.

By having a concrete framework of standards for early learning and development, it promotes continuity for children, early opportunities, and promotes consistency in selecting and measuring the children outcomes to be achieved.

www.k12.wa.us/EarlyLearning/pubdocs/assessment and www.teachingstrategiesgold.comnsequential, others will be “high stakes,” influencing the life course of children.

Children and Disasters

Like any other great tragedy, the impact of Hurricane Katrina is long-lasting, dramatic and full of twist and turns. The post traumatic symptoms are great for those affected, especially children. Even thought it happened in August of 2005, the memories are unforgettable. Most of Katrina’s psychological tragedy in the form of post traumatic stress syndrome, chronic depression, etc. still exist I the lives of children that suffered even though they’re older.

However, issues of race and poverty, which were discussed in the March 2006 Special Section, continued to be ignored and not embraced by some policy makers. The entire area hasn’t fully recovered, in areas where there are numerous Early Learning Centers and Elementary Schools, there continues to be an outpouring of philanthropic and voluntary assistance to those affected communities. They assist by doing group therapy sessions, one-on-one art therapy which seems to work best for children. This helps them with their verbal expressions.

 

 

~Images of Children (and a firefighter) with memories of Hurricane Katrina…August 2005~