Through the Looking Glass: Interpreting Growing Success, The Kindergarten Addendum, Ontario’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting Policy Document

Abstract

Transforming the early years program to re ect changing perspectives is not an easy task, particularly in the context of assessment, evaluation, and reporting. This article explores the interplay of alternative perspectives in a critical look at Ontario, Canada’s newly released policy document Growing Success, The Kindergarten Addendum: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016b). As the kindergarten program calls for transformation in pedagogical approaches, its assessment policy seems to stutter as it attempts to keep pace. Through unpacking the assessment addendum, this article introduces potential alternative interpretations of the purpose of assessment from constructivist and social constructivist perspectives, illustrating key challenges in the transformation process. This muddled cojoining of perspectives highlights a lack of clarity in purpose of the kindergarten program which has the potential to negatively affect both child and educator, while leaving parents and community confused and befuddled.