Assessing Children
When assessing children, the assessment first of all should be tailored to a specific purpose
and fair for that purpose. The assessment should also include a plan of action to continue working also focusing towards a child's progress. Observing children and having conversations with children during play is a way to assess the children's problem solving skills and cognitive skills. Children can share methods and ideas while they are at play. Also this form of assessment one can see the children "in action" instead of a standardized test where it is teacher structured not child oriented.
Three and four year old children in Japan attend preschool and learn the importance of respect, language skills. Preschoolers are not taught math and literacy because it is expected that their mothers teach these skills at home. T he kindergarten entrance exams tests children on their knowledge of
shapes, the color of fruit, number sequences and polite behavior. Many parent stay on lines to enroll their children to help prepare them for these tests. Some children begin studying for these exams when
they are 6 months old, learning activities like how to open and close
their hands.
Japan is a very group
oriented society, where interdependence is more important than individual
independence. Preschool classrooms are equipped with large very heavy wooden blocks to encourage children to work together and play together and cooperate as a group.
More information:
https://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/dcec/jtobin-komatsudanithennow.pdf
http://www.eltnews.com/news/archives/2010/06/a_comparative_s.html
That is so interesting about Japan and the fact that their mothers are suppose to teach them literacy and math. And the Kindergarten enterance test is so different than anything I have ever heard of, especially comapred to the test I am familiar with.
ReplyDeleteIvelisse-
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing assessment information in Japan. I love how they include teaching respect and manners in preschool, something that is very important and should be done more here in the U.S.
Hi Ivelisse,
ReplyDeleteHow do you get your pictures to upload. I attempted to paste pictures of children from east Africa on my blog, but was unsuccessful.While reading your post about the children in Japan, and how they learn some skills at home, I could not help but think, how far behind we are as a country. I have heard many parents say "It is the teacher's job, to teach my child"; not understanding, that they are their child's first teacher. I enjoyed your post.