Reflective Analysis of Portfolio Artifact

Rationale/Reflection
NAEYC Standard:
STANDARD 3. OBSERVING, DOCUMENTING, AND ASSESSING TO SUPPORT YOUNG
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that
child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early
childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment.
They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment
strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively
influence the development of every child. (NAEYC 2010)
Brief Description of Evidence:
As part of my ECED 103 Curriculum in Early Childhood course during the fall semester of 2013,
the assignment was to do a math observation in an effective learning center that was a licensed four star
center. The goal of an observation is to get insight into how young children develop and respond to
opportunities and obstacles in their environment knowing that everyone has a different back ground in
life. It is by utilizing documentation that you are able to glance back and review the children and their
understanding of goals, benefits, and strategies in a responsible way to better perform an effective
assessment.
Analysis of What I Learned:
I observed activities and investigated how they could become developmentally appropriate
activities for specific learning needs. These activities gave me a better understanding of DAP and how
each child has different and unique styles of learning. The forms of assessment was performed one on
one and I learned to keep the rest of the class engaged in a task working quietly in order to spend this
quality time individually with each child. I was able to see the value of staying up on the latest research
in order to provide children with the greatest opportunities to learn. I utilized many of these styles in my
lesson planning. These assessment skills will become a habitual part of my professional life by
embedding activities in the curriculum and in daily routines that promote growth. Using goals, benefits,
and uses of assessment in a positive way will improve the outcome for children and their family. It is my
goal to help each child reach their full potential. The benefit of each DAP is to challenge each child in
their own age appropriate developmental sequence. The assessment allows me to understand where each
child is and gives me a position to begin to grow a child in a positive direction. It also allows me to pass
this information along to other professionals that can benefit the child. I assess each child to determine
where developmentally the child is and how the child will best learn, and as continuous monitor to be sure
the child continues to grow. It often takes a team of caring adults and professionals to keep a child from
lagging behind.
How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:
My competence in this standard is proven by my ability to design, implement, and evaluate a
math observation within guidelines set forth by the Indiana Foundations for Young Child. These
guidelines provide objectives for me to work towards. One goal for the children was to count while
handling and building with the different blocks. The benefit of counting while playing was just as Lev
Vygotsky would predict. His playing to learn theory encourages me to make learning fun and recognizes
that there is much to be learned in play. It was these observations that allowed me to help each child grow
by encompassing partnerships with their families and other professionals. These children were focused on
building a castle while unconsciously learning to count. These children did develop stronger math skills
and all were counting to ten by the end of the lesson. This assessment was easy to monitor and determine
success as each child was audibly counting to ten by the end of the lesson. This skill of counting can be
enhanced and further engaged when practiced at home with their families. The observation allowed me to
have a strong understanding of learning outcomes for children. It demonstrates that I understand the
importance of developmental domains and academic disciplines in the early childhood curriculum for
each young child.