Assessment, continued

Creative Arts

EXPECTATION 1: Children express themselves and develop an appreciation for music.

Jack sings in tune, alone and with others. He knows many songs of different styles, and often improvises music that matches his feelings. We go to music events often, and he knows various instruments by name and by sound. We have quite a few instruments in our home, which he plays experimentally.

EXPECTATION 2: Children develop an appreciation for dance and movement.

He uses movement to reflect his feelings. He tries to match a steady clapping beat, but has some trouble. He seems to be aware that his beat is not together with the others. He can march with a steady beat.

EXPECTATION 3: Children develop an appreciation for dramatic play and storytelling.

Jack loves to dress up and pretend. His favorites are doctor, pirate, Batman, fire fighter and robot. He also likes to play knights (a la Backyardigans) with the neighbor. Sometimes if he's playing with a girl, he will pretend to be daddy to her mommy, usually at her suggestion. The scenarios have been very simple so far, mainly involving dressing up and running around "being" the character.

EXPECTATION 4: Children develop awareness and appreciation for visual arts (e.g., painting, sculpting and drawing).

This is another easy one, as art is our go-to activity. He uses a variety of media in his own ways. He will request that I get out the play dough, or the water colors, or the markers, for example. Sometimes he will limit himself to just one or two colors, even though they are all available. As far as representation, he can draw a recognizable face (a circle with dots for eyes and a line for a mouth), and simple circles and lines. We have often visited art museums and shows, and he can tell you that he particularly enjoys sculpture.

Health, Safety and Physical Education

EXPECTATION 1: Children develop the knowledg and skills necessary to make nutritious food choices.

So far, Jack can't do this at all. He would happily eat waffles for every meal, "Not peanut butter, white butter, please! And syrup!"

EXPECTATION 2: Children develop self-help and personal hygiene skills.

Jack can pour himself a cup of water, spread peanut butter on toast, eat without much help, wipe his face, and use a spoon and fork. We have a routine of tooth brushing, which he does fairly well. He uses the bathroom by himself. He can wash his hands, but needs help to get them really clean. He covers his mouth when he coughs or sneezes about 50% of the time. He knows germs live in his mouth and nose, but doesn't quite understand why that is important. He can dress himself in pants and shirt that pull on. He always puts dirty clothes and towels in the hamper.

EXPECTATION 3: Children develop an awareness of potential hazards to their health.

Jack knows to tell an adult when he sees a dangerous situation. He reminded me once when I almost drove off without fastening his seat belt. He understands warning signs and signals, such as walk/don't walk signs, emergency exit, and wet floor. He does not fully understand what to do in an emergency, such as how to find a safe adult, or call 911. We have discussed these issues, but he does not seem to grasp them yet.

EXPECTATION 4: Children develop competence and confidence in activities that require gross motor skills.

Jack can run and jump readily, and can ride a bike with training wheels. He loves to play on climbing equipment, and strikes a good balance between challenging himself and knowing his limits. He loves to swing and spin. He can throw a ball or frisbee, though his aim is not good. He enjoys bouncing a basketball, though he can't catch well yet.

EXPECTATION 5: Children develop competence and confidence in activities requiring fine motor skills.

I can think of two recent opportunities to witness his fine motor skills: using cooking cutters to shape play dough, and gluing little scraps of paper for an art project at the library. He usually holds a pencil in his fist. On the other hand, he has recently learned how to use the TV remote control, which gives him great pride.