"The use of portfolio assessment is a valuable
tool for teachers to use with young children to better
understand how young children develop and learn" (Seitz, 1).
I believe that it is true that teachers use portfolios to learn about children. We use them to document children to better understand them in many ways. We are helping them developmentally and use them to plan activities and curriculum to help them better their skills or to learn new skills. Because children develop at different stages and times, having a base to what is the "norm" is important. Children grow everyday and it is best to capture that to reflect on how they progress and how fast they progressed. We also learn about what their strengths and weaknesses are. While the children are learning, we are learning about the children through collecting documentations. We also learn about how children grow. Although I know that we learn about the development of children from infant to adulthood, it is different when having hands on experience because each child is unique in their own way. Learning through hands on experience is helpful because it is easier for me to remember.
"The immediate
focus of the portfolio is to support a child (learner)
with their understandings of concepts, ideas, and emotional
self."
Using portfolios also help the programs earn accrediation and makes the program a better program that parents would be interested in enrolling their children in. Having the license makes the program proud and the workers proud that they work there. It shows parents that we are teaching the children rather than just playing with them until they get picked up everyday. Using portfolios also helps us catch developmental delays and signs. Because we know what benchmark or developmental point each age is supposed to be, children who are showing delays would be easier to catch.
Everyday, I observe how the children act and know their personalities well. When the child starts to act a certain way, it automatically alerts me and I would ask the parents if there is something different going on at home. Sometimes, I try to see if it is something that is adjustable in the classroom before asking questions about family life at home. Children often share things when they are comfortable so it is important to build relationships with each child in a positive and trusting way. I use their personalities and their everyday moods to help me better get through the day with them. Everyday is new with them and it is a joy to have because I am never bored at work!
Monica,
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that you mentioned the use of portfolios for the benefit of improving the programs, what if portfolios are just a bunch of the child's work put in a folder but no real content about their work involved? A teacher can use a child's work to show what they have been doing in the classroom, but how can teachers become prepared to explain what the work is that the children are doing. Personally i have found that combining the information together and making the notes/explanation is difficult to word correctly, how have you done portfolios in your experiences?
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting to see that portfolios can be used as a source for improving the program. It makes sense to do this. The reason is because that in order to improve a program, they would need evidence. Where's our evidence? Our evidence is the child's portfolio. By showing them evidence and being able to explain the activity that child is doing, will be able to help us improve our program.
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteYou make an interesting point about how the portfolios offer a glimpse into the life of the program as well. Do you think this is often considered when making portfolios? How much consideration of this do you think about when documenting children's work? Do you think it can also be useful to teachers as well? How could they use portfolios to check their own work to make sure they are meeting the standards they set for themselves?
I'm curious as to what you thought about the aspect of the children's role in the making and sharing of portfolios. We are going to be starting to read about the Reggio Emilia program for the next few weeks and they have a different perspective on the child's role in the classroom than we do here. How does the children's power come into play in this week's readings? How does Reggio Emilia address children's power? What role should children have over their own learning and their own assessment? I'm curious to hear your thoughts about these ideas over the next few weeks. Thanks!