Assessment in Action

Purposeful, comprehensive assessment in early childhood education goes beyond documentation—it is a responsive practice that helps teachers see, support, and celebrate each child’s unique growth. In this session, Dr. Nicol Russell will explore how observation-based and formative assessment practices can inform individualized teaching, strengthen partnerships with families, and promote continued growth for all children.

Participants will examine how to interpret data through a strengths-based lens and use it to guide daily interactions, curriculum decisions, and continuous program quality improvement—ensuring that every child’s story of learning is seen, valued, and acted upon.
Participants will

• discover how responsive, observation-based assessment supports responsive teaching and individualized learning;
• identify when and how to use different types of assessment to inform instruction and program decisions; and
• practice strategies for embedding assessment into play-based learning and relationship-based routines.