Self-Evaluation Practices in Preschools April 25th 2014 Imelda - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Improvement of Preschool Education in Serbia (IMPRES Project)

Self-Evaluation Practices in Preschools

April 25th 2014 Imelda Madigan imeldam@early-years.org

Value of Self-Evaluation In Preschools

• Education and Training Department Inspectorate developed Together

Toward Improvement as a resource to support nursery and preschool settings in process of Self-evaluation in NI

• The purpose was to support management and staff to evaluate quality of

provision looking at their strengths and improvements that need to be made

• It supported all staff to stand back and not just look at their input but look

at the outcomes for children as a result of their input

• All staff members felt valued and had ownership of the process. From day
• ne the sector was included in discussion on the quality indicators which

again supported the Self-Evaluation process when it came into place

• Creating a suitable climate for Self-evaluation is the primary goal
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the work undertaken by all

and the outcomes for children is the beginning, middle and end goal of the Self-Evaluation process

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Value of Self-Evaluation Process cont:

• The preschool that recognises their own strengths and their own areas for

improvement are in a better position to gain most benefit from inspection and to continue to develop their position after inspection is over

• Self - Evaluation promotes positivity in all staff members and so promotes

further development at a personal and professional level

• It improves the quality of learning and teaching
• It improves the experiences of children by raising standards
• It increases staff confidence and motivation
• It provides opportunity for personal development and leadership
• Promotes teamwork
• Raises awareness among parents of what the service is all about
• SE is not seen as a form of assessment but establishes an essential

element of openness and participation

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

My involvement in Self-Evaluation work in ROI

• Work with centres who are working at improving quality in all areas
• My role is to be a Critical Friend in the self-evaluation process and to

promote openness and trust. This takes time and must be given time especially at the beginning of the process

• I visit services on a monthly basis—sit through the teaching session.

I observe and write evidence of whatever the focus may be-the environment or adult child interactions etc.

• I have feedback sessions with the self-evaluations team getting

them to critically evaluate their own practice looking at their strengths and then looking at areas to improve

• Plan of action: Strengths:- Areas to improve:-

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Write a Trainer of Trainers (TOT) in Self-Evaluation Practices
• Write a manual to accompany the TOT
• Facilitate the TOT to teachers and associates from 15 municipalities

involved in the IMPRES pilot project. TOT participants would in turn be involved as trainers with their own institutions. They would be catalysts of change and change agents in the Self-Evaluation Process

• Onsite mentoring and support-discussing in-depth the SE process
• Facilitated training on “How to use the Guidelines”
• As a result we refine the Guidelines

Early-Years Involvement with IMPRES

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

What is involved in the Self-Evaluation Process in preschool institutions

• -how to support the change process
• -the importance of teamwork
• -team roles and responsibilities
• -the importance of being critical friend/mentor in SE practices

The entire training was about LEARNER-CENTRED training and how to support their institutions in process of Self- Evaluate

Goals of the TOT: Participants / trainees would understand

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Being a Critical Friend in the process of Self-Evaluation

• More important to be a catalyst than a dispenser of

information

• More important to be a facilitator of learning so the

learners(self-evaluation teams members) become active participants and learn at their own pace

• More important to support learners to reflect on the subject

matter for themselves than to feed them information so

• pen-ended questions that get people to reflect is what is

most important

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Critical Friend:

• Is enthusiastic and highlights successes
• Listens carefully
• Support the SE team through fearful moments
• Be a partner
• Ask provocative questions that lead to reflection
• Be patient and sensitive to needs and tempo of the team

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Critical Friend should not:

• Think they know more than the team
• Judge
• Be a boss
• Rush the process
• Be impatient or force the process
• Be critical of practice

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Purpose of SELF-EVALUATION

improve quality of children’s lives - their care and education

• Clarify continuously what the preschool is aiming to achieve
• Focus on the quality of learning & teaching
• Reflect on current practice
• Identify & celebrate areas where the provision is good and

therefore needs to be maintained

• Identify & prioritise areas which need to be improved
• Plan for development

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Observe and Review, collect evidence(an area of provision) Identify strengths and areas for improvement Decide what are the key areas for improvement Decide how the improvement will be achieved and make an action plan Monitor and evaluate the implementation

• f the plan and

the outcomes

Self-Evaluation is a Cyclical Process

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Conclusion: Self-Evaluation is a never ending journey

• Remember Self-Evaluation is a process, a journey made up of

many steps

• Listen to each other
• Remember the purpose is to grow, and growth takes time
• Work together -- it’s a skill worth growing
• Begin again step by step and the secret is to keep on

stepping in the right direction

Thank you

Project funded by the European Union Improvement of preschool Education in Serbia Republic of Serbia MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT