Assessing The Developmental Needs of The Children in Your Care
Assessing the Developmental needs of the children in your Child Care program is a great way to determine if your program is meeting the Developmental needs of the children in your care.
According to Zero-to-Three Organization, “A developmental assessment is a process designed to deepen understanding of a child’s competencies and resources, and of the care giving and learning environments most likely to help a child make fullest use of his or her developmental potential.”
At the beginning of every preschool year I require that parents send a 3-ring binder to preschool with their children. We call that 3-ring binder a Portfolio. A portfolio is an organized way of keeping track of a child’s developmental progress.
In each child’s portfolio, we store samples of: class work (art, handwriting,etc), classroom observations, photos and developmental assessment forms. We review the portfolio with the parents in the form of a parent-teacher conference in November of every preschool year.
If you are not already conducting developmental assessments, I want to inspire you to start now. Developmental assessments, adds a sense of purpose to learning and play in your program.
In fact, you will find that parents will appreciate you and your staff for taking the extra time to assess their child’s developmental progress.
Do you need a sample assessment form? Here is a link to a sample developmental assessment form, click here.
Also, it is important that you plan activities that are Developmentally Appropriate for each age group. Planning Developmentally appropriate activities, helps children to progress accordingly.
Do you Need Developmentally appropriate lesson plans? If so, join the Child Care Business Owner Curriculum Club!
Til Next time….
Shiketa
The Child Care Business Owner Institute 
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