: Analyze information from observation to assess the development of individual children and recommend developmentally appropriate practice.

Sub-Competency #1: Analyze information from observation to assess the development of individual children and recommend developmentally appropriate practice. Exploration: Observation as an Assessment Tool Explorations are optional activities that provide you with the opportunity to communicate with other professionals in the early childhood field. Communicating and collaborating with other professionals is part of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation, Standard 6. You are encouraged to complete this field activity in order to build connections and partnerships with other professionals while working to complete this Competency. One of the best ways to learn more about effective assessment strategies is to collaborate with professionals in the field and learn from their experiences. For this Exploration, schedule time to talk with an early childhood program teacher. Inform the teacher that you would like to discuss strategies he/she has used for assessing children through observation. The following interview questions can be used to guide your discussion. As you actively listen to the teacher’s responses, consider how you might apply these insights to your understanding of using observation as assessment for the Competency Assessment. I have been learning more about assessments in early childhood programs. Today, I would like to discuss the use of observation as assessment in early childhood programs. Can you tell me about the major considerations you address when using observation to assess children? Can you specifically speak to processes and decisions you use in using observation to assess children? Please describe specific observation tools you have used to support learning, and share why you use those specific tools. What steps do you take to prepare for using observation to assess children? What materials do you gather? Who is involved? How do you present or share the results of your analysis and synthesis of observation assessment data? How are families involved? What has been the most difficult aspect of using observation to assess children? What advice about using observation to assess children would you give someone hoping to improve teaching and learning in early childhood settings? After the interview, post an insight from your interview in Discussion Board.