Kei Tua o te Pae

What’s happening here?

This series of photographs illustrates Matthew’s attempts to draw a car that he is happy with.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Matthew sets himself a goal. He makes several attempts to draw a car.

His perseverance makes it clear that he accepts that making a mistake is part of the learning process.

Matthew seems to be making sense of and honing his perception of the world, in particular, cars, by being an artist and drawing them.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

Matthew can revisit and read this series of photos. It reminds him that he is someone who persists when he gets it wrong.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

Opportunities for chalk drawings may encourage a positive response to making mistakes: they are easily refined or erased and redone.

What’s happening here?

Sahani’s interest in drawing is combined here with her developing interest in Māori art and Māori stories as a result of visits to the Māori section of a museum and the local marae.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

One way to make sense is to represent, and, in this exemplar, Sahani explores the history and stories represented at the marae, establishing her own working theories. The teacher comments that she “recalled the stories and their significance and connection to the carvings, kwhaiwhai panels, and tukutuku panels, and she shared them accurately with her family”.

Sahani is making her own representations as an artist and a scholar. “The clarity of detailing and perspective are incredibly accurate.”

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

This assessment is about representation (making a record) by Sahani at Hotunui and at the Tūtahi Tonu marae. The collection of Sahani’s work records her developing interest and competence in representing what she sees and learns. The work is not simply collected; it is dated, it is connected to the events that accompany it by photographs and commentary, and it is connected to Sahani’s recall and interest in the stories and their significance.

The teachers also constructed a wall display of these learning experiences. This documentation illustrates for the parents what the children were learning (their developing competence or understandings) when they went on these visits.

The children’s portfolios invite families to contribute, and Sahani’s family have added to this rich record by commenting on her drawing at home, on her collaboration with her brother in drawing enterprises, and on her continuing enthusiasm about the marae visit.

All this documentation will encourage Sahani to continue representing her experiences and learning.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The visits to the museum and the local marae show that the teachers value New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. In a sense, they can be seen to value the competencies associated with being a New Zealander.

These visits are projects: they include discussions before the visit, experts at the site, opportunities for the children to be closely focused (by drawing), many follow-up activities and discussions back at the centre, wall displays, and comments from home and by informed teachers.

What’s happening here?

Neeve and Damien have a passion for dinosaurs. Neeve’s assessment portfolio indicates that, for about a year, she has represented dinosaurs using a range of media: painting, drawing, and sculpting with clay, play dough, modelling clay, and sand. Her teacher wrote one of the learning stories in this exemplar when Neeve and Damien collaborated to put on two movie shows.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

This project includes sustained focus, persistence when difficulty arises, and collaboration, illustrating the children’s developing participation strategies and dispositions. When they make the scrolls for the movie show, Neeve contributes her painting ability and Damien contributes pictures that (with assistance from a teacher) he has downloaded from the Internet.

In pursuing this interest, Neeve and Damien acquire a wealth of knowledge about dinosaurs and their habits and habitats. A number of writers (for example, Csikszentmihalyi) have suggested that being deeply involved in a topic or interest over time is a source of creativity. Neeve and Damien’s experience provides an example of this.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

Neeve and Damien’s interest in dinosaurs and the strategies and dispositions that they develop over time have been documented. These assessments provide examples for the children and their families of the learning that is valued, of the way in which competence is being defined, and of how the programme is enhancing that competence.

The process the children go through to represent and develop their ideas has been carefully documented. (See the process photographs of Neeve making a stegosaurus out of green play dough.) The teachers can refer back to this when discussing possible learning pathways with Neeve and Damien.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teachers at this childcare centre have had to keep up with Neeve and Damien. They consult the library and the Internet and encourage the children to find information from a wide range of sources.

A range of media is readily available for the children to represent their ideas about dinosaurs.

What’s happening here?

Hannah succeeds in crossing a raised walkway with gaps between the planks.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

To fully participate in the walks around this home-based setting, Hannah has to negotiate several raised walkways where she can see down through the gaps between the planks. The teacher explains that she found the gaps frightening and that it needed “bravery” for her to manage the walkway independently.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

The teacher asks Hannah to repeat her achievement so that she can take a photograph. This photograph, together with the commentary, is testimony for Hannah and her family of Hannah’s courage.

The process of achieving this goal is described (she crawled first, very slowly) so that Hannah can appreciate the progression from “scary” to “not scary” and from inability to competence.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teacher allows Hannah to take her time over tackling a challenge (she was carried over the raised walkways on a previous occasion) and then expresses “delight” at Hannah’s achievement. Rena (aged seven) modelled “flying” across the bridge.

What’s happening here?

This is part of a wall display about growing potatoes at an early childhood centre.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Being part of the collective of potato growers is a valued role at this centre. As the introduction makes clear, growing crops is a “significant economic event that involves everyone” in the wider community.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

The wall display, viewed by families and whānau, children, and visitors, reminds the readers that early childhood education here includes learning roles and values (and the skills and understandings that are allied to them) that are relevant to the wider community.

Wall displays then become books, which are able to be revisited some time later by the children and teachers, emphasising the continuity of valued projects and competencies.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

In this centre, there is an emphasis on tasks that have meaning in the wider community. The teachers recognise and respond to opportunities for learning that are both collective and real.

Today I spoke with Daniel’s Mum about his sudden interest in and involvement with the dolls. Lynne commented that they didn’t have any dolls at home, but she would see if Grandma had any. Then, as if to show his Mum what I was talking about, Daniel spotted the dolls in the cradle on the way out. “Babies” he yelled, smiling and bouncing up and down in Lynne’s arms. Lynne let Daniel get closer to them and asked Daniel if he would like to say goodbye to them. With a huge smile, Daniel waved and said “Goodbye.”

What’s happening here?

Two toddlers are sharing an interest in books and in playing with dolls. This week, Daniel has become interested in the dolls (talking to them and putting them to bed), and George has watched Daniel and then become involved himself. Daniel and George have shared interests while developing a close bond.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Daniel and George play out two socially and culturally valued roles, being a reader and being a carer, as they interact with books and dolls.

The children employ a variety of learning strategies, imitating each other (as they copy how to hold and look at books and pretend to put babies to bed), communicating in non-verbal ways, jointly posing and solving problems, and imagining.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

Two teachers jointly wrote this documentation, recalling and discussing what they had seen as they analysed it.

This lively record is one of “work in progress”, and the readers (family and teachers) are thereby invited in. Consequently, they will wait with interest and support the next episode in Daniel and George’s learning.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

There is strong detail here on the context of this play: the responsive and reciprocal relationship developing between the two children. Participation in education is frequently enhanced in joint attention episodes and trusting relationships. The teachers comment that “It seems ... whenever one of them becomes involved or interested in an activity or toy, it isn’t long before the other is by his side, showing his interest, too.”

The teachers responded to an interest by suggesting resources and adding words to actions.

What’s happening here?

Music is playing, and Immy is swirling two ribbons to and fro.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Music and dancing are personal interests for Immy. She is “ready to dance” whenever there is music playing and is “the first to arrive and the last to leave”.

Immy communicates ideas through literacies in the arts – her dance and her spontaneous role play when she collapses on the floor and says “Immy sleep.”

The teacher comments on the “trust and confidence” Immy shows in including another person and on how she sustains her interest “for long periods”.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

For Immy’s family and teachers, this assessment records her interest in music and dancing. It is made more complex by Immy’s invitation to an adult to join in with her and her dramatic finale as she pretends to sleep.

For Immy, revisiting the record encourages a view of herself as a competent and joyful learner with an interest that is valued and whose social interactions and dramatic play are valued, too.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teacher notices and comments on Immy’s movement, perhaps to encourage the addition of a rhythm: “up in the air” and “down on the ground”. She appreciates Immy’s interest and delight in music and the subtle complexities and strengths of this episode. She recognises, too, the ways in which it reflects Immy’s ability to sustain an activity, to interact with others, and to experiment with literacies in the arts.

What’s happening here?

Abigail is considering the possibility that her family’s new baby will be a boy. Her initial reaction is to “take him back to the baby warehouse and swap him”. The teachers and the other children help her to explore alternative ideas about boys.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Abigail is constructing a working theory about gender: “Some boys are nice, and some girls are nice.” This is a theory of some importance to her since her mother is having a baby and the baby may be a boy.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

It is often helpful for families to read about their children’s developing ideas on topics that are of importance in the family. The centre staff document Abigail’s progress as her ideas about gender become more complex. They also document the planning they do to encourage Abigail to be more flexible in her attitude towards the gender of her new sibling (for example, by reading books, such as Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole, that challenge gender stereotypes). These records will help Abigail’s family and the teachers to understand and support her developing working theories.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teachers explore the children’s ideas, including any stereotypes they may have accepted, often by telling or reading stories that challenge simple theories.

What’s happening here?

A childcare centre has closed down, and some of the staff and children have shifted to Jesse’s centre. Jesse asks one of the staff about what the other centre was like and how it compares with her centre.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Jesse is developing her working theory or understanding about childcare centres. She asks questions about what happens in different childcare centres. She is interested in the routines and the regular events in which the children and teachers participate: sleep time, mahi taonga time, and fire drills. She can imagine alternative customs.

The teacher also comments that Jesse’s exploration of this topic reveals evidence of her increasingly complex language skills.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

Jesse’s language and inquiry skills are being tracked by detailed documentation that includes accurate reporting of her comments.

Documenting this conversation makes it possible for Jesse and the teacher to revisit the topic, discussing it further to help Jesse to increase her understanding of childcare centres.

The What next? heading signals that Jesse and the children who have shifted to the new childcare centre are probably interested in exploring this topic and making comparisons. This is a conversation in progress that may be taken up by other teachers.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

This was probably a very short conversation, one of many between the children and adults on topics of interest to the children, the adults, or both. Wendy took the time to write it down, which suggests that such jointly focused conversations are highly valued. The centre presumably makes time for them, and adults take them seriously.

What’s happening here?

Grace creates a bus at the carpentry table while dressed in a bridal veil. When she has nearly completed the construction, she pours “gloop” out onto the bus and spreads it with her fingers.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

From the photos, Grace appears to be taking on what might be a valued social role for her (being a bride) while being involved in carpentry and painting. She uses a variety of materials and skills to achieve her final construction and comfortably combines the roles of bride and carpenter.

The teacher states that Grace “definitely moved out of her comfort zone to try out this activity” [messy play]. Grace’s willingness to try something new is a valued competence at this centre. The teacher also comments on the time and concentration it took for Grace to persist with a complex task “to get to the final product”.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

The documentation can remind Grace of the occasion when she made a bus at the construction table, capably using the hammer, drawing windows on with a crayon, and adding “mooshy gooey” gloop (an unusual venture into messy play).

These records often promote more complex work with constructions, and this one might encourage further experiments with “gloop” and with carpentry.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teacher writing this assessment knows Grace well enough to say that she is not normally involved in messy play, so she notices this occasion and recognises it as a special moment. 

What’s happening here?

Skye climbs inside a large cardboard box and plays “peekaboo” with Michael (a game initiated by the teacher).

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

This is an example of a teacher working with very young children and making an informed guess about their personal goals and interests. We don’t know whether Skye’s main interest is being in the box or using the box as a way to communicate and have a common interest with Michael. The teacher introduces an interactive game (hiding and saying “boo”) that encourages the interaction with Michael. There is laughing and smiling, a good indicator of enjoyment and personal interest.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

This interactive game is now on record as one that Skye (and perhaps Michael) enjoys. (We don’t know whether this interaction with Michael is well established or whether it is developing and is worthwhile deliberately nurturing.)

The teachers are working with a schema development framework. Further documented events may confirm that Skye is interested in “enclosure”.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teachers appear to be alert to examples of “schema” (for example, enclosure, trajectory, and connecting) as personal interests or comfort zones and encourage these apparent interests by providing more opportunities for them to develop.

This teacher’s intuitive response to Skye as she peered out through the transparent scarf appeared to be just right. It is probable that the teachers know the children well and trust their own intuition.

What’s happening here?

During a trip to the beach, Alex writes in her notebook. A teacher takes a photo.

What aspects of competence does this assessment exemplify?

Alex understands the “script” for being a writer (or a journalist). She has a notebook and a pencil and writes during significant events, in this case, a trip to the beach.

How might this documented assessment contribute to developing competence?

The record includes the comment that “she was a real journalist”. Comments like this in the written record, read back to Alex, encourage her to view herself as competent.

The photograph encourages Alex to recall what she was interested in at the time and to draw a picture of her interest: the long steps.

What might this tell us about informal noticing, recognising, and responding in this place?

The teachers at this childcare centre take the children on frequent visits to nearby places. They record the trips in photographs and written stories, often writing down what the children say in order to explore it later. (Alex may be copying this way of responding to learning experiences.)