Examining the Heart of the Education Component
E. Dollie Wolverton, Chief Education Services Branch, Head Start Bureau
The following two articles deal with two major issues at the heart of the Head Start education services component: 1) ongoing observation, recording, and evaluation of each child's growth and development for the purpose of planning activities to suit individual needs; and 2) the parental role in curriculum development and serving as a resource person. (It is important to note that these two elements from the Head Start Program Performance Standards are frequently identified as out of compliance across the country, according to the FY 1 991-92 OSPRI Report.)

On page 4 of the January/February 1993 issue of the Head Start Bulletin, Screening and Assessment, Michele Plutro and I shared with you the responsibilities and recommended practices for staff regarding developmental screening in the education component. In this issue I am focusing on ongoing child assessment and the contribution of this approach in individualizing the curriculum content for children. Following this article, Michele presents an excellent discussion on the role of parents in curriculum development.

Ongoing Assessment and Individualizing the Program
The requirements for ongoing observation, assessment, and developmental screening of Head Start children enrolled in center or home-based programs are based on principles derived from the goals of Head Start and knowledge of child development. For young children, procedures based on observation are appropriate ways to assess and plan for individual children and for the program as a whole. Such informal procedures are unobtrusive; that is they do not constrain children's typical behavior or change their daily activities. Head Start educational staff who observe and record children's growth and development are in the best position, along with parents, to know how individual children are progressing, to plan the next steps in the educational program, and to involve parents in developing a deeper understanding of their children's development and learning.

There are many ways to gather information about a child's development in social-emotional, gross and fine motor, perceptual, and cognitive language domains. They include observing and recording routine daily activities in the Head Start classroom and at home, collecting observations from parents and staff, and observing and recording behaviors important to program objectives or significant for an individual child. It is most helpful to accumulate this information, together with dated samples of children's work, such as art, oral language samples, and dictated stories in a folder or portfolio.

The materials in the portfolio offer educational staff a chance to reflect on a child's progress, show parents evidence of progress or problems, and plan how to adapt the program for individual children. Staff should review each child's folder quarterly, but more frequently for children having difficulty, to plan activities and strategies that will support a child's growth and development. Weekly staff meetings are recommended for program planning, curriculum review, and discussion of overall progress of the children.

When informal assessment and other information leaves the team unsure of how to proceed with individualizing, targeted observations of children engaged in specified tasks or use of checklists may be useful. Assistance in locating and using more structured assessment approaches and checklists may be obtained through professional organizations, Regional Offices, community colleges and universities, or public libraries. In addition to The Portfolio and Its Use by Cathy Grace and Elizabeth Shores of the Southern Early Childhood Association, at least three other new tools are available which may make ongoing observation and assessment more systematic and reveal more information than staff typically record on their own. They are: Appropriate training and supportive supervision are essential for classroom staff and home visitors to complete ongoing assessment and to use the information to successfully individualize across the curriculum. Without opportunities to learn and practice efficient means of documenting children's behavior, teachers and other team members can feel overwhelmed and unconvinced that it is worth the time and effort. Training in these areas needs to be part of each ongoing in service and staff development program.



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