Reflective questions & References
He pātai hei whakaaro iho & Ngā āpitihanga

Reflective Questions

• Who are we documenting for? Who should we be documenting for?
• How do our assessment practices make valued learning visible to teachers, to children, and to families and whānau?
• In what ways do assessment examples from our early childhood setting reflect socially and culturally valued roles in the community?
• Have the families contributed to the development of our learning community? In what ways? How do we make this possible for families where English is not their first language?
• Do our assessments include contributions from home? How do we encourage and nurture such contributions?

• How do we ensure that our assessments reflect the diversity of cultures in our learning community?

References

• Biddulph, Fred; Biddulph, Jeanne; and Biddulph, Chris (2003). The Complexity of Community and Family Influences on Children’s Achievement in New Zealand: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
• Carr, Margaret and Cowie, Bronwen (2003). “The Consequences of Sociocultural Assessment in Early Childhood Settings: Community, Competence and Continuity”. In Early Childhood Education: Society and Culture, ed. A. Anning, J. Cullen, and M. Fleer. London: Sage.
• Carr, Margaret; Cowie, Bronwen; Gerrity, Robyn; Jones, Carolyn; Lee, Wendy; and Pohio, Lesley (2001). “Democratic Learning and Teaching Communities in Early Childhood: Can Assessment Play a Role?” In Early Childhood Education for a Democratic Society. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
• Farquhar, Sarah (2003). Quality Teaching Early Foundations: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
• Frome, Pamela and Eccles, Jacquelynne (1998). “Parents’ influence on children’s achievement-related perceptions”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 74 no. 2, pp. 435–452.
• Fusitu‘a, L. and Coxon, E. (1998). “Ko e ‘Ulungaanga Faka-Tonga mo e Ako Lelei: Tongan Culture and Academic Achievement”. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 23 no. 1, pp 23–38.
• McKenzie, Anne (2003). “Strengthening Intergenerational Links between Our Kindergarten and the Community”. Early Education, vol. 32 Winter 2003, pp. 11–15.
• McKinley, Sheridan (2000). Māori Parents and Education: Ko ngā Mātua Māori me te Mātauranga. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
• Ministry of Education (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
• Paley, Vivian Gussin (2001). In Mrs Tully’s Room: A Childcare Portrait. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
• Rokx, Huhana (2000). “Response to Miriam K. Rosenthal: A Māori Perspective”. Childrenz Issues, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 16–17.
• Royal Tangaere, Arapera (2000). “He Taonga, Te Mokopuna”. Childrenz Issues, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 27–31.
• Siraj-Blatchford, Iram; Sylva, Kathy; Muttock, Stella; Gilden, Rose; and Bell, Danny (2002). Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
• Wenger, Etienne (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.