Assessment and Communication with Families

For this benchmark, you will create an assessment pamphlet that informs families of the shared responsibility and value for assessing young children, areas of assessment, and practical homebound assessment tools and approaches across the five domains.

Assessment Pamphlet

Your three-fold assessment pamphlet should include:

1. Outline of the five areas of assessment for young children, including an explanation of the five areas of assessment (Observations, Performance-based, Portfolios, Rating Scales, and Rubrics);
2. Rationale statement that describes why you would engage families in assessing their children’s learning using formal and informal assessments;
3. Information on how you will work together with families and colleagues as an assessment partnership;
4. An explanation of how technology can be used to assess and monitor the progress of young children; and
5. Include a self-checklist for families to monitor their own observations of their children across the five domains.

 Reflection Essay

Write a 750-1,000-word reflection essay describing in what manner you incorporated the following in your assessment pamphlet, or in preparation of creating your pamphlet:

1. Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment, including its use in development of appropriate goals, curriculum, and teaching strategies for young children;
2. Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches, including the use of technology in documentation, assessment, and data collection;
3. Understanding and practicing responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child, including the use of assistive technology for children with disabilities; and
4. Knowing about assessment partnerships with families and with professional colleagues to build effective learning environments.

Include 5-7 scholarly sources to support your assertions.