Test for Intelligence

Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically (i.e., a commitment to "the whole child"), what, if anything, do you believe should be measured or assessed? Explain your reasoning.

When measuring and assessing a child, there developmental skills should be addressed in order to focus on “the whole child.” The important areas of language, social/emotional, and physical/motor development. In physical development, it should be assessed or measured if the child can move his or her large and small muscles in order to produce movement. The motor skills with their large muscles that promotes running, jumping, hopping, and skipping. The movements with their small muscles that promotes writing, drawing, and picking up objects. Language development needs to measure and assess how well the children communicate, learn, listen, speak, and expand their vocabulary. Social and emotional development need to assess and measure the children ability to trust their peers and adults, share in the learning environment, and the ability to express their feelings and emotions in a positive way.

In what ways are school-age children assessed in other parts of the world? (Choose a country or region of the world for which you have a personal affinity.)

According to Gladstone (2010), one of the assessment tools used for children in Africa is called Malawi Development Assessment Tool. The children in Africa are assessed through developmental milestones. They are assessed in the developmental areas such as motor, social, and language skills. The children are monitored and assessed to see have they mastered specific developmental skills at a certain age. When the children are assessed, the monitoring process helps to detect the children who are not advancing with specific skill as fast as other children in the learning environment. Gladstone (2010) stated that the children that were ruled as having a disability were given extra supports and services to assist them with functioning in the classroom setting. It is important to assess the “whole” in order to see what the child has mastered or need if they need additional support in the learning environment.

Gladstone, M. (2010). The Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT): The Creation, Validation, and Reliability of a Tool to Assess Child Development in Rural African Settings. www.wellcometrust.wordpress.com

What additional ideas, comments, suggestions, examples, and/or concerns related to assessing young children would you like to share with your colleagues?

The concerns I have is whether the children are being assessed effectively in their learning environment. Therefore, they will be able to receive the proper early intervention services or special education services if it is needed by the child.

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

As a child, growing up I remember one of my best friend who lived in poverty. Her family had limited food and clothing. Sometimes, the whole family would continually move around to have some where to stay. Most of the time, they was put out their apartment because the family was unable to pay the rent. Nevertheless, my friend would come stay at my house some nights with my parents because she felt comfortable and safe.  My friend would be happy to have something to eat, somewhere she felts safe and comfortable with the people she was with in their home. Therefore, my friend experience poverty at different levels because she feels that made her the woman she is today. She felt like everything in the world did not come easy; therefore, you have to work hard at what you want to survive. Now, my friend is a director in the education department at a promising university and doing well in her life.

The region I want to learn more about is China. Most children in China face living in as an orphan because they do not have home. The social workers are usually evaluating perspective individuals who are willing to adopt children that are orphans in China. There workers are trying to find safe homes for the children to prevent so many children being orphans in China and not having a stable family. There are also children living in poverty; therefore, China is doing what the country can to reduce the number of families with children or without children who living in poverty. The country is doing this by providing the people with different job opportunities that will benefit their family and children.