"As teachers, if we are serious in our desire to empower children, the evaluation practices that we choose must provide feedback for the learner to grow on, rather than marks and grades that quantify children's performance." (p. 228)
How to evaluate children utilizing the play-debrief-replay method
In education, an important purpose of evaluation is to provide learners with feedback that can be utilized to further their understandings and skill development. As teachers of young children, we want to ensure that the feedback we share with our students empowers them and facilitates further growth. Our goal in responding to a child is not to falsely praise, nor to penalize children for errors, but rather to encourage habits of thinking, and to empower children to further their own learning. Evaluation need not judge or measure. Indeed, Wassermann agrees with Eisner (1994) that the art of evaluation informs learning, while the act of measurement impedes it (p. 228).
The first step to evaluation is to be clear about the criteria you have for children’s growth and learning. Provincial or district learning goals are a good place to start. Once you have determined what the learning goals are, you can embark on “performance assessment – the process of gathering data by systematic observation for making decisions about an individual” (p. 231). These professional observations not only provide information on how children are doing in relation to the learning goals, but also assist teachers in determining where to go next with each child. In order to keep evaluation manageable, it is best to focus observations on specific learning goals, perhaps choosing just two or three children at a time. This will provide the information needed to determine the next steps to take, as well as possible interventions necessary to boost a child’s understandings.
Children’s Self-Evaluation
An important key to empowering children is teaching them the ability to self-evaluate. Wassermann states that “To know, within oneself, that ‘my work is good’ and that ‘my work needs to be improved in these ways’ is the hallmark of adults who hold personal power” (p. 239). She suggests that the primary years are a good time to begin shifting the locus of evaluation to students, and recommends three ways to help children build their self-evaluation skills.
Conferences with the Teacher
In individual conferences with a teacher, the teacher respectfully asks the child to make an assessment of his or her own work. As the child shares his or her assessment, the teacher paraphrases or interprets, then responds respectfully and non-judgmentally.
Some questions and invitations to guide the process include:
· Tell me about how you worked in your group today.
· Tell me some of the things you like about your work.
· Tell me about some of the things that did not work well for you.
· What are some things you could do for yourself?
· What were some things you needed help with?
· When you had some trouble, tell me about how you solved the problem.
· Tell me about some of the new ideas you had.
· What did you think you did the best of all? How did you feel about that?
· Were there things you didn’t try? Tell me about them.
· Which work made you feel very proud? Tell me about it. (p. 240)
Self-Evaluation Reports
Once children are able to express themselves through writing, self-evaluation report forms may be used, encouraging children to examine their work in relation to an articulated learning objective. Wassermann suggests that these forms not be required too frequently, perhaps once a month. Self-evaluation reports may be general, or may address specific learning areas. For samples, please see the resource page.
Critique
We found the ideas in this section helpful, particularly the suggestions around self-evaluation and involving children in the evaluation process.
We also appreciated the distinction between providing feedback, and measuring children. While providing feedback empowers children, measuring them impedes their learning.
The first step to evaluation is to be clear about the criteria you have for children’s growth and learning. Provincial or district learning goals are a good place to start. Once you have determined what the learning goals are, you can embark on “performance assessment – the process of gathering data by systematic observation for making decisions about an individual” (p. 231). These professional observations not only provide information on how children are doing in relation to the learning goals, but also assist teachers in determining where to go next with each child. In order to keep evaluation manageable, it is best to focus observations on specific learning goals, perhaps choosing just two or three children at a time. This will provide the information needed to determine the next steps to take, as well as possible interventions necessary to boost a child’s understandings.
Children’s Self-Evaluation
An important key to empowering children is teaching them the ability to self-evaluate. Wassermann states that “To know, within oneself, that ‘my work is good’ and that ‘my work needs to be improved in these ways’ is the hallmark of adults who hold personal power” (p. 239). She suggests that the primary years are a good time to begin shifting the locus of evaluation to students, and recommends three ways to help children build their self-evaluation skills.
Conferences with the Teacher
In individual conferences with a teacher, the teacher respectfully asks the child to make an assessment of his or her own work. As the child shares his or her assessment, the teacher paraphrases or interprets, then responds respectfully and non-judgmentally.
Some questions and invitations to guide the process include:
· Tell me about how you worked in your group today.
· Tell me some of the things you like about your work.
· Tell me about some of the things that did not work well for you.
· What are some things you could do for yourself?
· What were some things you needed help with?
· When you had some trouble, tell me about how you solved the problem.
· Tell me about some of the new ideas you had.
· What did you think you did the best of all? How did you feel about that?
· Were there things you didn’t try? Tell me about them.
· Which work made you feel very proud? Tell me about it. (p. 240)
Self-Evaluation Reports
Once children are able to express themselves through writing, self-evaluation report forms may be used, encouraging children to examine their work in relation to an articulated learning objective. Wassermann suggests that these forms not be required too frequently, perhaps once a month. Self-evaluation reports may be general, or may address specific learning areas. For samples, please see the resource page.
Critique
We found the ideas in this section helpful, particularly the suggestions around self-evaluation and involving children in the evaluation process.
We also appreciated the distinction between providing feedback, and measuring children. While providing feedback empowers children, measuring them impedes their learning.