Assignment Task: Respond to at least two of your peers' posts.
- You will review your peer's Step 1 fake social media post.
- Address their stated philosophy and reflect on how it upholds or does not NAEYC's Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement.
- Show evidence of how their philosophy upholds the NAEYC position or provide two suggestions for your peer. Your response must be a minimum of 250 words each.
Response 1 Chantelle
Step 1: Standardized testing is inaccurate, inequitable, and ineffective; unfortunately, it is a necessary evil in the U.S. educational system. Multiple times per year, students as young as four must sit quietly in front of a computer screen or with a paper and pencil and take a one-size-fits-all test. So much pressure is put on school districts, teachers, and students to perform well on standardized tests so they can receive government funding. Instead of using developmentally appropriate teaching practices, teachers are forced to spend hours teaching to the test to help students perform better on these tests. Students feel pressured to perform well, become anxious, and have less confidence. Standardized testing is biased and inequitable and negatively impacts everyone. It is not an indicator of future academic achievement. Some colleges and universities are making standardized test scores optional and instead looking at the whole student. School districts, teachers, and families must pressure the government to do away with standardized testing and push for developmentally appropriate, authentic, holistic, play-based assessment of children.
#teachingtothetestisnotbest #childrenarenotonesizefitsall #standardizedtestsdonotalignwithDAP
Step 2: The two articles I chose are Making Sense of Early Childhood Assessment-Four Things to Consider, and Standardized Testing Can Be Good-But Only If We Put Students First. Both articles stress the importance of developmentally appropriate assessment. Children develop and learn differently, and these differences must be considered. Assessment is an ongoing process, not a test given every few months. Children need time to master a skill. Knowledgeable educators understand child development and when a child is progressing toward a goal.
One thing that bothers me in Almagor's article is the negativity and hopelessness. Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of our government to administer standardized tests. We must do our best to communicate with our families that this is not the be all end all of their children's academic careers. It is a small piece of it. When my children were younger, I talked with them about standardized testing. It is a requirement that had to be fulfilled. I told them to do their best, but they would only be tested on some things. I stressed what it wasn't testing: how good of a friend they were, how kind they were, how good of a singer/artist/athlete/dancer/magician, how good they were at building puzzles or Legos, and how imaginative they were. I told my children that no matter what score they received on the tests, they could still be whatever they wanted to be. They were more than that number on the piece of paper. The author couldn't communicate that to her parents to help her students.
Standardized testing must be revamped for it to work. Instead of building up to this stressful, scary, week-long event a couple of times per year, scale it down into smaller tests focusing on one domain or set of skills occurring more frequently throughout the year. Have smaller groups take the test at once and allow the children to move around or leave when they finish. Communicating with the families about how the tests work, what they are assessing, the reason behind them, and how to help their child through the testing process will help everyone in the long run.
The most important take away from the articles is that knowledge of child development, variabilities in learning, and cultural/familial influences must shape how we assess children. Educators and families know their children best and know the appropriate ways to evaluate them, but they have the least say in policies and procedures that govern education. We have to advocate for change.
Step 3:
My views on standardized tests have not changed. It is still a necessary evil to obtain funding and keep my VPK contract with the state. We administer the tests three times per year but don't make a big deal of it. We still believe in and practice authentic, play-based assessment. Even though we have to share the testing scores with the parents, our play-based assessments are the basis of our parent-teacher conferences. We can show the parents their children's growth in learning over time.
Our assessment covers all learning domains, especially social/emotional and approaches to learning, which we feel are so crucial in the early years.
References:
Almagor, L. (2014, September 2). Standardized testing Can be good-But Only If We Put Students First. Boston Review.
Vargason, D. (2019, July 9). Making Sense of Early Childhood Assessment-Four Things To Consider. Teach. Learn. Grow.
Response 2 Ashley
Step 1: "Standardized testing sparks debate over fairness and justice. While it offers insights, it often overlooks creativity and critical thinking, reinforcing inequalities. Marginalized scholars face more obstacles. Alternative assessments, like portfolios, may better reflect scholars' potential."
I believe that scholars develop at their own pace, across different domains. Unfortunately, younger scholars are often subjected to standardized assessments designed around general proficiency norms, which don't account for individual development. These scores can be unreliable because scholars grow and learn at such varied rates. It is essential to meet students where they are, working alongside their families to ensure fair and appropriate assessments. I have mixed feelings about assessments and standardized tests, particularly because young scholars' developmental differences make fixed-form assessments less effective. Assessments should be more adaptable to reflect scholar's diverse abilities and experiences. My daughter, who has a learning disability, faced challenges with standardized testing. These tests were not adjusted to her specific learning needs, she was only given extra time, which didn't address the root of her challenges. Extra time alone is not a meaningful accommodation for most students. My daughter experienced significant anxiety during these tests, further hindering her performance. Her father and I advocated for the appropriate resources rather than simply accepting the situation as it was. As a result, my daughter received the support she needed to graduate with a high school diploma, rather than just a certificate of completion based on her previous cognitive abilities. Dedicated educators, along with our involvement as parents, made this possible.
Step 2:
Article 1: Making Sense of Early Childhood Assessment- Four Things to Consider
Article 2: Standardized Testing Can be Good Connections between both articles
In reading both articles, they emphasize the significance of assessment in understanding and supporting student learning. The first article highlights the importance of utilizing various and suitable methods to assess the developmental progress of young scholars. It suggests that assessment should be diverse, tailored to each scholar, and sensitive to their contexts. Vargason emphasizes that given the greater individual variability that younger children exhibit, some professionals are concerned that some assessments may offer imprecise information for scholars at lower and higher levels of achievement. Similarly, the second article on standardized testing acknowledges that these tests can offer a clear snapshot of student achievement and progress, but it views this more from a broader systemic perspective.
Challenges between both articles
The challenges presented by each article highlight tensions in assessment philosophy. In early childhood education, the challenge lies in applying standardized methods to young learners, as development varies widely at early stages. The first article advocates for assessments that are more flexible and tailored, arguing that standardized tests may not capture the whole scholar or their learning in diverse contexts. On the other hand, the challenge identified in "Standard Testing Can Be Good" is the potential for misuse or overemphasis on test results, which could undermine a more holistic understanding of learning. It suggests that when used appropriately, standardized tests can guide improvements in education, but overreliance can be detrimental.
Almagor noted that President George W. Bush's proposal of the No Child Left Behind Act mandated standardized testing beginning in third grade. He highlighted the significance of offering equal resources to students and ensuring that school districts are not penalized with reduced funding due to test results. I agree that underperforming schools must receive fair resources to help their students succeed. The scholars' school district should not determine the level of support they receive.
Concepts between both articles
The concept of assessment can be approached from various perspectives. The first article describes assessment as a dynamic and formative process, emphasizing observation, engagement, and the use of diverse tools that correspond to developmental milestones in early childhood. On the other hand, the second article views assessment through the perspective of standardized testing, emphasizing that standardized tests provide an objective measure of progress that can assist schools in identifying gaps and areas requiring improvement. I agree with Vargason's perspective on the purpose of assessments; scholars should receive meaningful instruction and resources that will genuinely benefit them.
Changes between both articles
The first article suggests a shift towards more holistic and developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood assessment, moving away from one-size-fits-all methods. On the other hand, the second article proposes a balance in the use of standardized testing, advocating for its use alongside other forms of evaluation to ensure a well-rounded educational experience. Both articles call for reform in the way assessments are viewed and implemented, but they approach the topic from different educational stages and philosophies. Vargason expressed, that to allocate limited resources with care, one must know who needs what as well as which efforts succeed in meeting each child's needs. Although we may disagree on many assessments and standardized tests, we must continue advocating for our scholars.
Step 3:
My Opinion
My opinion on assessments and standardized testing remains unchanged. Scholars need to be assessed to determine the help they may need. The tests should be modified to accommodate the diverse needs of the scholars taking them. A one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable because not all scholars process information in the same way, especially when being tested on it during standardized tests. With assessments, you can determine the development of the scholars.
Assessments in my opinion are like report cards that can help to determine what can be done next to assist scholars and portfolios are tangible evidence of scholars' progress.
References:
Almagor, L. (2014, February 14). Standardized testing can be good-but only if we put students first. Boston Review.
Vargason, D. (2019, July 9). Making sense of early childhood assessment - four things to consider. Teach. Learn. Grow.