FIELDS OF EXPERIENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: CHALLENGES IN ASSESSING CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Early Childhood Education represents the first stage of Basic Education and aims to promote the child's holistic development through pedagogical practices that value interactions, play, and multiple forms of learning. In this context, the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) organizes the curriculum around "Fields of Experience," which guide pedagogical planning and assessment processes while regarding the child as the protagonist of their own development. This article aims to analyze the challenges of assessing child development in Early Childhood Education in light of the Fields of Experience, highlighting the contributions of this perspective to pedagogical practice. The methodology adopted is a bibliographic study with a qualitative approach and descriptive nature, grounded in books, scientific articles, official documents, and academic works addressing assessment in Early Childhood Education, the Fields of Experience, and child development. Analysis of the studies reveals that assessment must be continuous, process-oriented, diagnostic, and formative, based on systematic observation, pedagogical records, and documentation of the experiences lived by the children, while respecting their rhythms, interests, and unique characteristics. However, challenges persist regarding teacher training, the understanding of BNCC principles, the use of assessment tools consistent with the concept of childhood, and the institutional conditions required for meaningful assessment. The study concludes that implementing assessment practices grounded in the Fields of Experience requires investment in continuing education, pedagogical planning, and critical reflection on educational practices, thereby fostering an assessment approach committed to holistic development, inclusion, and children's learning rights.