Who helps educators make sense of children’s learning?

One educator notices that a child is always returning to the same construction. Another has been listening to the conversations that happen nearby. A family shares that their child is building something similar at home.

Each perspective can shed light on what is happening for the child and what might support their learning. By pooling together these different views, educators can better determine what to do next.

The Australian Education Research Organisation’s Collaborative leadership and teamwork: Assessment for children’s learning advocates for shared understanding as educators work together to identify what matters for children’s learning. It notes that effective assessment practices are those that teachers and educators engage in collaboratively, applying their combined professional knowledge and skills.

Bring different observations to the same conversation

AERO encourages educators to interrogate their own interpretations of practice by seeking colleagues’ views, and to think through the implications for their own practice. It identifies opportunities for building relationships and shared understanding by reflecting on the practices of others.

A good starting point for doing this together might be to identify one experience you want to focus on. Think about what different people might have seen or done that could contribute to understanding what is happening for the child. You could even invite people to share what they saw in different parts of the day.

For instance, a child who rarely speaks in a group setting might be enthusiastically explaining something to a friend outside. By thinking together about what the child is saying and doing in these different contexts, the team could generate some interesting questions. How does this child contribute to their peer group? What makes it possible for them to talk so readily with one friend?

The conversation will need a purpose, a focus to return to. Think about what your team will do next, or observe, or try out with the child, and then revisit these choices to think through what happened.

Make time to question your first interpretation

AERO’s guide acknowledges that assessment is an ongoing cycle and that educators’ capability and confidence grow over time. It advocates for opportunities for educators to receive and provide feedback on culturally responsive practice.

AERO’s introduction to the assessment collection supports team members to reflect on their own social identity, cultural background and beliefs to understand their impact on teaching practice and relationships with children and families. It highlights the importance of considering cultural responsiveness in assessments.

For instance, when having a conversation as a team, prompt people to ask questions about what has been seen, what assumptions have been made and who might have different perceptions. Families and children will often have insight that can enrich educators’ understanding of what is happening, so it’s important to seek their voices to broaden and challenge thinking.

Share the thinking, then follow it through

AERO’s collection considers assessment within the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 planning cycle of observe, assess, plan, implement and evaluate. It reminds educators that children, families and others can contribute knowledge to support learning.

For those in leadership roles, an initial step might be identifying where such a conversation might most meaningfully occur within the service’s planning cycle. Select a focus for your team’s conversation and consider how to make space for different views. You’ll also need to think about who will take action based on the thinking that emerges.

The benefit of such a conversation will be seen in what happens next – a different choice of resource, an alternative interpretation or a revised approach to engaging a particular child or family. Shared assessment practices find their place in a busy service when the conversation leads to more thoughtful practice and a richer understanding of each learner.