EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THE EDUCATIONAL SCENE AND “ASSESSING”

Abstract

 In this pedagogical essay it is proposed to analyze the contrast between a classificatory and measuremental conception of evaluation and an approach, contrary to the previous one, capable of being described as an attentive and open point of view, that does not seek "results to measure", but rather interesting effects and traces of teaching in early childhood education. In the measuremental conception, evaluating is "assessing", taking as a frame of reference "what is expected" of the children together with the question "did they achieve it?". And if they did not succeed, they are said to be "in process", which is the euphemism for failure. In the antipodes of this paradigm so installed (and that is presented as unique and indisputable) there are, however, other places from which evaluation can be thought, where the frame of reference is the intention, loving and honest, to offer teaching, care and confidence to every one, without classification, without a list of skills to be achieved, but with the desire to understand and attend, to listen and learn. It will be argued here that in order to educationally look at the pedagogical processes of early childhood education, it is necessary to retrace the prevailing logics in terms of measuremental evaluation, consistent with the meanings of existence of this level of education.