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Erica Garcia

04/28/14

Reflection Paper3c




What are ways early childhood educators can practice responsible assessment with
young children?

Early Childhood educators can practice assessments responsibly by using Developmentally
Appropriate Practices (DAP) for young children by choosing the correct assessment for the
appropriate age and development stage that the child is in this way the educator can assess
correctly. While working on any assessment there should always be confidentiality between the
assessor, child, and parents. The importance of respecting the childs data and personal
information is crucial in maintaining a professional relationship between the educator and the
parents. Also being unbiased is very important when assessing a child due to having your own
beliefs and values as an educator. One should be open minded and stick to the objective of what
you are assessing the child for, this way you are only looking for data that will help the child.
This is also important when it comes to the culture of the child, everyone comes from different
backgrounds and traditions so as educators we cannot take offense to certain customs of the child
might have. We have to stop and think about what we know about the child and his or her family
and respect their culture and try other techniques to use in assessing a child in particular
scenarios. In having full responsibility with assessing children one should choose the correct
form of tool they will using because every child is different and has different needs.

What are ways assessment tools can be used inappropriately or be considered
harmful to children?

Assessment tools are used for purposeful reasons in recording data on a childs growth or
behavior and should be used appropriately however if not used correctly it can be harming to the
child in the present and in the future. As an educator there should never be any type of
assumption of a child needing an IEP or some type of special needs label until they are tested.
Before giving your own opinion there should be some notification or document by a doctor or
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professional. This can also come into place with the child not being developmentally appropriate
at the time of testing. One of the most harmful things to do in assessing is stereotyping a child
based on how he or she may look and behave, also judging the parents may also lead to
stereotyping or labeling a child. This should never take place because one doesnt know until
they ask questions and are fully informed.





What are some legal and ethical issues related to assessment?

When it comes to assessment there are beneficial outcomes in finding ways to help a child, but
along with observing and testing can sometimes be expensive and time consuming, that is why
the correct type of measurement tool should considered and used for assessments. With funding
issues occurring in early childhood settings and public schools, money can be a big issue in
assessments. Not only funding but having the correct curriculum plays a crucial role in
assessments and the later education of a child. When entering an early child hood place or
daycare your expectations should always come at a high level but one cannot expect everything
to go smoothly and efficiently all the time due to money and time. All teachers, administrators
and parents should have the upmost respect for the educators and the work that they are doing in
trying to find the right solution in helping the child.

What are some current educational concerns and controversies related to assessment
of young children?

Some current educational concerns are within the politics of today, many people are arguing on
the debate of early childhood education being beneficial to young infants and children. Some
people believe that it is not that important to have programs and educators in the early childhood
field. Others think that it is very important to start at an early age in teaching and assessing little
ones. There are so many important mile stones and developmental abilities that can be taught
with the right educators and not only with skills but with love and kindness of taking care of the
children during their most crucial development stages. Another type of controversy is the
background and nationality of the children and their socio economic status. Some might think
that children with different backgrounds will affected differently and based on studies children in
poverty will have just as much of a positive affect than the children who are not. It is said that
children in poverty that attend a head start or any other early childhood education program will
have more education and better success in their future.


How might an early educator effectively practice assessment with diverse children
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(i.e., cultural, linguistic and developmental differences)?
Early childhood educators are usually involved with the parents of the children they teach, one
way to keep assessments effective is by getting to know the parents by speaking with them and
learning I their background even as far as their childhood, there could be some connection to
how a child is behaving or learning. Linguistically it should be the same as the child might be
learning a new language. The child may speak a different language at home and may not be as
familiar with the language that is used in the classroom. Children are all diverse in their own way
and some are delayed in certain areas of development, knowing the family and the child will help
the educator in observing the child and selecting the proper tools in assessing a child.


















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References
Bentzen, W. R. (2009). Seeing Young Children A Guide to Observing and Recording Behavior.
Clifton Park : Thomas Delmar Learning .
Bentzen, W. R. (2009). Seeing Young Children A Guide to Observing and recording Behavior .
Clifton Park : Thomas Delmar Learning .
Bowers, S. (2007). Assessing Young Children: What's Old, What's New, and Where are we
Headed? Earlychildhood News , 1-5.
Margaret Gillis, P. (2014, April 13). Get Ready to Read . Retrieved from Assessments in Early
Childhood : www.getreadytoread.org/screening-tools/supportive-materials-for-
elors/assessment-in-early-childhood