I like an assessment method I call the OCDRP system.  OCDRP (which can be remembered by saying, ‘Our Children’s Developmental Record Process’ or ‘Ockdrip’) actually stands for each of the steps in assessment:  Observation, Collaboration, Documentation, Referral, and Planning.

It Goes Like This – The information teachers assemble through Observation and Collaboration is Documented on a form that should be devised directly from a program’s educational objectives for each age group. If a child is found to be a fragile learner or have special rights that teachers need help in planning for, a Referral should be made to a resource that can assist the parent and teacher in making a diagnosis of need and meeting the needs of this child. The form is then shared with parents at parent-teacher conferences used for sharing and Planning.  Every child is assigned a Strength Plan, developed and agreed on by both teacher and parent. 

Programs may use any professional or commercial curriculum and assessment system they wish as long as the assessment forms match the educational objectives precisely.

Step One: Observation – To observe children correctly, teachers must be fully aware of child development stages and what is considered standard behavior and skill acquisition for each stage.  Teachers must not make comparisons of one child to others, but must factually compare each child’s individual behaviors and skill acquisition to the program’s strengths or benchmarks.                                                                        

Teachers should look for:

• Deviations from the standard  – both delays and accelerations                           
• Strengths that can be used to meet needs or build “weaknesses”                            
• Strengths than can allow and encourage progress to continue                                      
• Great differences in skill levels among the domains of Body, Mind, and Spirit   

Teachers should make informal observations during all elements of the day and may make more formal observations (looking at a particular area of concern in an individual child) at any time or in a “set up” assessment situation

Some issues that may cause teachers to make second or more formal observations:         

• Obvious or suspected signs of abuse or neglect                                                      
• Obvious or suspected health symptom (hearing, vision, motor, speech, stamina, nutrition)      
• Obvious or suspected physical symptom                                                                 
• Obvious or suspected delay or difference in emotional skills                                     
• Obvious or suspected delay or acceleration in intelligence skills                               
• Large discrepancies between developmental areas i.e. high intelligence/delayed social)
• Difficulties noticed at specific times of day or with specific activities (transitions, meals, toileting, arrival and separation from parent)                                                           
• At the request of a parent or when a co-worker asks for collaboration

Next Blog: Fact-Finding vs. Fault-Finding