THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

This is just a note of thanks to all of my colleagues during this eight weeks.  It has been a pleasure to read the different blogs and discussion throughout the past weeks.  I enjoyed the journey the detailed information from the assignments and the great responses given to keep us all engaged during the entire course. 

I pray that as we all continue this journey our knowledge and understanding of Early Childhood will grow and expand and enhance whatever we do for young children and their families.

Compelling Quote/Statement

The most compelling statement from our reading for me was from the Smidt text.  It stated "Prout (2005) suggested that we need to broaden our concept of childhoodto include childhoods of the poor as well as those of the rich.  In other words childhood itself cannot be seen as a single simple concept but one that has to take on the diversity of the reality of childhoods across the world" (Smidt, 2006).  This statement really moved me because I often believe that when we are teaching our children skills or testing them we are basing their needs and information not on the middle class or poor child but the upper class.  I agree with this statement we must consider the complexity of childhood and look at "childhoods across the world" (Smidt, 2006).


Resource

Smidt, S. (2006). The developing child in the 21st century: A global perspective on child development. New York, NY: Routledge.

ASSESSMENT

Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically (i.e., a commitment to “the whole child”), what, if anything, do you believe should be measured or assessed? Explain your reasoning. Since we are all created differently and unique and also we develop as human beings differently; I think that we should be measured and/or assessed the same way.  Just as we cannot measure the success of a family without considering culture neither can we assess an individual based on another individual.

In what ways are school-age children assessed in other parts of the world? (Choose a country or region of the world for which you have a personal affinity.) JAPAN - “An assessment for education was to be levied upon each household based on its financial status, and households without children of school age were equally liable. The assessment for each village was determined by the distance to the school. Attendance was expected from the age of about six to about thirteen and instruction was divided into three levels. The curriculum, which reflected the Civilization and Enlightenment movement, included an introduction to foreign languages as well as Western arithmetic” (Japan)

What additional ideas, comments, suggestions, examples, and/or concerns related to assessing young children would you like to share with your colleagues? My concerns with assessment are that they be fair.  In assessing children we must consider all factors that come into play to include culture and whether or not the children received equal amounts of education and/or preparation to be successful in the assessment given.

Resources 

Japans modern education system. Chapter I -  Education during the late edo and early meiji periods - 2 The Educational Policy of the New Meiji Government (9)  The Establishment of Elementary Schools and New Country Schools Retrieved December 11, 2010 from http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/hpbz198103/hpbz198103_2_019.html