Preschool Assessment

Periodic assessment of children is an important function of a quality preschool.

The purposes of assessment include evaluation of the child's developmental progress, understanding of the child's temperament/learning style, and identification of the child's developmental needs.

Raleigh School preschool teachers observe what a child chooses to do in the classroom, how and with whom the child plays, and where the child's strengths and needs are. They use various methods, including informal notes, anecdotal records, and work portfolios, to keep track of the progress of each child. They employ developmental checklists to help themselves understand each individual child more comprehensively.

Parent-teacher conferences are held in November and March. These conferences provide formal opportunities for parents and teachers to discuss their impressions of the child and to address any concerns that either may have. In preparation for conferences, teachers complete a developmental checklist (with narrative comments) for each child. The checklist evaluates the child's progress in five areas of development:

• Initiative and Problem Solving
• Social Domain
• Physical and Creative Domain
• Language and Literacy
• Mathematics and Science

The checklist serves as the foundation for parent-teacher conferences. At the end of the year, the checklist is completed for a third time and sent to the parents as a year-end evaluation. In addition, informal discussion often takes place between parents and teachers. Parents are welcome at any time to discuss concerns with the teacher.