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6: Using Documentation and Assessment to Communicate with Families
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6.1: Introduction
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This chapter explores effective communication strategies for teachers to convey a child's learning journey to their families. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing a child's academic progress as just one part of their overall development. Intentional teachers use tools like documentation and assessment to communicate with families in a respectful and reassuring way, highlighting the value of comprehensive observation and quality learning experiences for both children and families.
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6.2: Documentation Boards - Not Just for Displaying Art
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Classroom walls often display posters, artwork, and documentation boards, which serve multiple purposes, such as making the environment welcoming and conveying educational messages. One key message is that "Children Learn Through Play," often misunderstood by parents who equate learning with visible outputs like worksheets. Documentation boards and portfolios are tools that illustrate learning processes and milestones through play.
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6.3: Assessing Children’s Development
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Assessment in early childhood education is a systematic process to understand and document a child's abilities, strengths, interests, and developmental needs. Observations and documentation help guide curriculum planning and inform instruction to cater to individual needs. Different types of assessments include screening tools for identifying developmental delays, diagnostic assessments for specific diagnoses, and formative assessments for ongoing learning adjustments.
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6.4: Family Conferences
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The page provides guidelines for conducting effective parent-teacher conferences aimed at building strong partnerships with families. Key strategies include offering flexible scheduling, preparing well, using translators if needed, and fostering open communication without jargon. It emphasizes the importance of sharing positive traits and creating clear goals for student improvement. Teachers are encouraged to remain professional, avoid assumptions, and document discussions.