Developing Portfolios for Authentic Assessment, PreK-3: Guiding Potential in Young Learners

"Appropriate assessment of young children involves parents, teachers, and the children themselves. Kingore takes the portfolio method even further and makes a case for the involvement of early childhood educators and school administrators as well." -Sue Javid, Early Childhood Consultant Macomb Intermediate School District, Clinton Township, MI "This book will contribute a great deal to the knowledge and skills teachers must have to successfully implement authentic assessment in pre-primary and primary grades. Provides the knowledge, insight, and compelling arguments on why portfolio assessment is needed in early childhood education." -Susan Belgrad, Associate Professor, California State University, Northridge Author, The Portfolio Connection, Third Edition A streamlined process for assessing children in the early grades! Written for early childhood educators, this invaluable handbook demonstrates how to use portfolios for assessment and offers techniques for combining portfolios with traditional measurements to design effective instruction and curricula for young children. Reflecting current research on how children learn, this practical resource features an insightful discussion on authentic assessment goals and ways to make the portfolio process fun for learners while using developmentally appropriate teaching practices. Educators will find: Concise, easy-to-understand instructions for developing portfolios Guidelines for involving children in portfolio development Methods for gathering data and documenting students' learning Rubrics, sample portfolios, and abundant reproducibles Additional materials and procedures to help integrate assessment and instruction Developing Portfolios for Authentic Assessment, PreK-3 offers preschool and primary grade teachers efficient, user-friendly tools for assessing the children in their classrooms.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Assessing Young Children Authentic Assessment Goals What Is the Value of a Portfolio? Research Related to Portfolios and Assessment Assessment Terms and Explanations 2. Putting Portfolios Into Action What Is a Portfolio? Portfolio Objectives Planning a Sequence for Implementing Portfolios 3. Child-Involved Portfolio Management Introducing the Process to Young Children Materials Organizing the Process Reflection as a Teacher-Directed Learning Task Size of a Portfolio Who Selects the Products? Increasing Children′s Role in Selection and Reflection A Portfolio Center Words of Experience 4. Products That Impact Assessment Product Criteria Open-Ended and Single-Correct-Answer Products Portfolio Products 5. Techniques to Document Achievement Learning Logs Repeated Tasks That Emphasize Skill Development Skill Captions Analytical Observation Rubrics for Young Children To Grade or Not to Grade 6. Communication With Parents Parents Communicating With Teachers Parent-Teacher Conferences Children Communicating With Parents Teachers Communicating With Parents 7. End of the Year Reflection of the Assessment Process Products to Guide the Next Teacher Publishing the Yearly Portfolio Books Celebrating the Published Portfolio Books Appendix: Stationary Templates References Index

About the Author :
Dr. Kingore is an international consultant and the author of twenty-two books, numerous articles, and instructional aids. She has received many honors including the Legacy Award as the Author of the 2005 Educator Book of the Year and the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the University of North Texas where she earned her Ph.D. She was also the first recipient of the Texas Gifted Educator of the Year Award. Bertie works with teachers and models instruction in classrooms all over the globe. She is recognized for her child-centered approach and her ability to seamlessly weave research into practice. She advocates learning experiences that respond to the marvelous diversity of children, encourage high-level responses and high achievement, and minimize the intensity of teacher preparation time. She fell in love with children and the values of portfolios her first year of teaching over 30 years ago. She delights in helping other teachers make authentic assessment realistic.

Review :
"Powerful, practical ideas to make learning visible to key stakeholders—the children and their families." "This book will contribute a great deal to the knowledge and skills teachers must have to successfully implement authentic assessment in pre-primary and primary grades. It is well positioned to provide the knowledge, insight, and compelling argument on why portfolio assessment is needed in early childhood education." "This book is well organized and presents portfolios in a teacher-friendly way." "Appropriate assessment of young children involves parents, teachers, and the children themselves. Kingore takes the portfolio method even further and makes a case for the involvement of early childhood educators and school administrators as well." "Practical and simply written." "Kingore′s splendid book enables every teacher, parent, administrator, and counselor to understand the role and value of the portfolio in the growth of the young child. This book is a must-read for all of us who seek to support the intellectual, academic, social, and emotional growth of children."