Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/conducting-a-realistic-self-assessment-with-the-environment-rating-scales/5018910/
Having staff complete a self-assessment of their own early childhood program using a quality rating instrument is a well-established practice included in national early childhood accreditation programs as well as in state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS). It is assumed that by conducting a self-assessment before the official assessment occurs, frontline staff will become aware of the requirements of the assessment instrument and be able to follow through with needed improvements in their classroom as they prepare for an official assessment. No doubt it is essential for the director and the early childhood teaching staff or the family child care provider to become knowledgeable about the requirements of the assessment instrument that will be used to assess their program. However, in order for the self-assessment process to make a significant and appropriate contribution to the improvement of program quality, several factors need to be considered.Self-assessment vs. objective observation
First and foremost, we have to understand the different roles played by the self assessment and the official agency assessment. Self-assessment is primarily useful to help staff understand, plan for, and make as many improvements as they possibly can in the quality of their program in accordance with the official agency requirements. Since ...