QRIS or Quality Rating and Improvement Systems are widely used in preschools and daycare settings throughout the country. There are many systems used such as ECERS (assessing environment, materials, curriculum, health and safety, parent relationship, management, and staff credentials) and CLASS (assessing interactions, language, and climate).
These systems offer ratings to different setting based on what is considered "best practice". While it is a good thing to keep establishments accountable, encourage progress and improvements, and assess current practices, these systems are primarily "play-based" centered. This often leads to Montessori settings receiving lower scores regardless of authenticity or quality.Many of these QRIS are becoming a part of licensing requirements.
As a teacher who has gone through the process twice (ECERS and CLASS) I have learned a lot. It has been a helpful experience in many ways and has shown me ways to become a better teacher and create a better environment. Yet I have also seen many core Montessori principles and practices being disregarded or rated poorly due to the systems' core focus on "play-based" practices.
This is an important topic for Montessorians to research and understand.
We need to be aware of the changes coming up and how they will effect
Montessori schools. We can use this as an opportunity to further the
awareness of the method and better ourselves in the process.
For more details please check out the links below and share your thoughts and experiences!
Video from AMS and AMI/USA
Links
http://www.montessoriforward.org/
http://www.macte.org/
http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/node/324
http://www.montessoriratingscales.com/node/15
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