Assessment

Assessment

Our Approach

Authentic assessment is one of the most important issues we are currently facing in education. And, assessing very young children comes with its own unique sets of circumstances and challenges.

Playful Learning, as a supplemental curriculum, gives us a unique opportunity to focus on specific goals that we feel are important and determine where we can best contribute to child development.

While our programs give children opportunities to explore, experience, and develop content skills and knowledge, our primary goals are focused on fostering strong learning fundamentals, which our assessments are designed to measure.

Our Goals

1. Increase Student Engagement:

Research indicates that increased student engagement significantly enhances performance in early childhood and preschool settings. Studies have shown that when young children are actively engaged in learning activities, they develop better cognitive, social, and emotional skills. For instance, a study by Skinner and Pitzer found that engagement in early learning environments leads to higher achievement and improved motivation (Skinner & Pitzer, 2012). Additionally, research by the National Research Council suggests that engaged learners are more likely to experience academic success and develop a lifelong love of learning (National Research Council, 2000).

Too often we have this notion that children are empty vessels that need to be filled with content. When in fact, our goal as teachers should be to preserve the natural curiosity and spirit that every child is born with. If we can capture their attention at a young age and keep them engaged in all the mysteries life has to offer, they will be well on their way to living a fulfilled, productive life.

Tools:

2. Strengthen Home-School Connection:

In early childhood education, a strong home-school connection is crucial for enhancing student performance. Research shows that when parents are engaged in their young children’s learning, it leads to significant benefits in academic and social development. For instance, a study by Fantuzzo et al. (2004) found that parental involvement in preschool activities is linked to better language and literacy skills. Similarly, research by Powell et al. (2010) indicates that family involvement in early education positively influences children’s cognitive development and school readiness.

Schools have the opportunity to provide the nucleus for a supportive school community where families, teachers, and students are all seen, heard, and thrive. Proactively building this connection is at the core of all Playful Learning does.

Tools:

3. Improve Teacher Satisfaction and Engagement: 

Being a teacher is the most important job in the world. It is our goal to provide them with the resources they need to do their job and enjoy the process. They deserve it, the children deserve it, and the future depends on it.

Teacher job satisfaction plays a significant role in influencing school and student performance. Research shows that satisfied teachers are more effective in the classroom, leading to improved student outcomes. A study by Caprara et al. (2006) found that teachers with high job satisfaction are more motivated and demonstrate better teaching practices, which positively affect student achievement. Furthermore, research by Collie et al. (2012) indicates that schools with high levels of teacher satisfaction experience lower turnover rates, creating a stable learning environment that benefits students’ academic and social development.

Playful Learning’s lessons truly are created by teachers for teachers. Our goal is to elevate the status of teachers while making their jobs a little bit easier and simultaneously more fulfilling.

Tools:
  • Teacher Survey
  • Parent Survey
  • Admin Panel: Tracks teacher engagement as they check off lessons completed with class – Coming January 2025 

Above are the tools that we have developed to create an ongoing feedback cycle from the humans we are hoping to impact most: children, teachers, and parents. We hope you find them as valuable as we do. On that note, we’d like to invite you to share your results with us so that we can increase the number of insights we receive. We are constantly working to refine our offerings and there is no better way to do that than from the important data you collect directly from the communities in which you work.

With that said, we are at the beginning of our journey as a curriculum provider. We are open to collaborations and partnerships to integrate Playful Learning into your programs. Please reach out if you’d like to collaborate with us to design a way to integrate Playful Learning into your assessment system to evaluate content skills more authentically in early childhood.

References

  • Skinner, E. A., & Pitzer, J. R. (2012). Developmental dynamics of student engagement, coping, and everyday resilience. In Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 21-44). Springer, Boston, MA.

  • National Research Council. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/9853.

  • Fantuzzo, J., McWayne, C., Perry, M. A., & Childs, S. (2004). Multiple dimensions of family involvement and their relations to behavioral and learning competencies for urban, low-income children. School Psychology Review, 33(4), 467-480.

  • Powell, D. R., Son, S. H., File, N., & San Juan, R. R. (2010). Parent–school relationships and children’s academic and social outcomes in public school pre-kindergarten. Journal of School Psychology, 48 (4), 269-292.

  • Caprara, G. V., Barbaranelli, C., Steca, P., & Malone, P. S. (2006). Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs as determinants of job satisfaction and students’ academic achievement: A study at the school level. Journal of School Psychology, 44(6), 473-490.

  • Collie, R. J., Shapka, J. D., & Perry, N. E. (2012). School climate and social-emotional learning: Predicting teacher stress, job satisfaction, and teaching efficacy. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), 1189-1204.