InstructionsHideThe core Concept that I would like for us to look at for this discussion is Community vitality.
For each of the 5 NAEYC practices to foster collaborative child assessment between professionals and families, you will need to write down and describe at least 1 concrete, practical idea to execute this practice. Your example must be original. Formulate this idea in a position that will assist teachers in following NAEYC practices and also applying the core concept of community vitality in the body of knowledge to their classrooms.
As many of you may know, the School of Child and Family Studies strives to follow the Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge Model. The core concepts of this model are basic human needs, individual well-being, family strengths and community vitality. The core Concept that I would like for us to look at for this discussion is Community vitality.
According to our Body of Knowledge, community “is a group of persons living in a specific place or geographic region or a group of people having common interests….’Communities foster a sense of belonging and… support the well-being’ of individuals and families. Vitality can be described as the capacity to live, grow, or develop” Community vitality increases the odds for individual wellbeing while individuals who enjoy wellbeing typically contribute to the vitality of their community.
We know that parents and family observe, guide, promote and participate in the everyday learning of their children at home, school and in their communities. They are a child’s first assessor. As children enter into preschool, it is important that the assessment process is shared between the teachers and the family, meaning that they will have to work collaboratively to assess the child’s development.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) suggests the five following practices to foster collaborative child assessment:
1. Create various opportunities for families and teachers to communicate
2. Ensure assessments include children’s development and behavior in multiple settings
3. Use assessment results to connect home and school teaching practices
4. Help families make connections between assessments and educational standards
5. Invite families to join a community of learners around child assessment.
