PLAR # 7 Learning Outcomes

7. Engage in the process of observation, documentation, and assessment as well as with collaborative curriculum planning, implementation and evaluation.

Engage in the process of observation, documentation, assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation.

Observation

While in the process of observing a child it is important, I place any bias views/opinions I may have to the side of the observation. Through an observation lens I can focus on my thinking process to separate facts from opinions to clearly see the child’s behaviour, learning, and challenges. To be able to see, hear, smell, taste, and or touch what is happening without making judgments, which I do my best to observe is known as objective observation.

It takes time and practice to become skilled at observation. The more I practice this skill the better I will become at reflecting on our guidance strategies, child development, curriculum programming, and environment setting to better match our children’s learning styles in our centre.

E.g. Observation: Timothy talks quickly.

Documentation

To respond effectively and appropriately, I work with a plan/documentation to help me to observe the what, when, where, and why of a child’s development in regards to their behaviour, learning, and or challenges.

Narratives Collect Documentation

“Anecdotal Record: Darla Ferris Miller states “A short descriptive story about a child’s specific behaviour event that is of particular interest or concern. This maybe firsthand information as observed by child care providers or recorded from secondhand information as provided by parents. It is qualitative, not quantitative data” (Miller. D.F. 2013. p. 109).

Running Record: “ A detailed commentary describing of an event as it unfolds each time it occurs.

Anecdotal and running record documents give “word pictures” insight about a child’s behaivour, learning, and or challenges. A collection of qualitative information – unmeasurable descriptive qualities and characteristics of behaviours”

(Miller. D.F. 2013. Chaptered 4 p. 101 – 113).

Checklists Collect Documentation

“Time Sampling: A recording made at predefined intervals to determine the pattern of occurrence and the general frequency of a certain behaviour either in an individual or in the entire group. Setting and sticking with specific time intervals for recording the behaviour reduces the influence of observer bias.

On Task: Focused on the activities at hand; fully involved in and attentive to productive skill development or learning activity.

Event Sampling: A recording to determine the precise number of times a specific behaviour occurs within a set period, as well as the pattern of occurrence.

Time sampling, on task, and event sampling are a way to collect quantitative information – measurable numerical data and statistical calculations that tell how often or what degree behaviours occur” (Miller. D.F. 2013. Chaptered 4 p. 101 – 113).

Assessments – Comments – Interpretations

When writing an assessment, comment, and or interpretation of a child’s observation: behaviour, learning and or challenge(s) – facts, I continue to place my bias views/opinions to the side. I reflect through a subjective interpretation lens – “using the objective observations to think about and express ideas, explanations, and perceptions of what happened” (Miller. D.F. 2013. p. 103). “Interpreting an observation is a process of “inferring meaning” from what has been sensed (seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled). To interpret what has been observed, knowledge of child development is important, as well as understanding the unique development of the individual child” (Miller. D.F. 2013. p. 106).

E.g. Interpretation: Timothy talks quickly when he is with his peers when building a structure. Timothy probably talks quickly to get his building ideas said out loud before his peers interrupt him. When Timothy sits at the art table colouring he talks calmly to his peers.

Collaborative Curriculum Planning

After an observation and interpretation process, it is important to collaborate with staff to create a positive, supportive, and an attainable learning plan for the individual child in regards to their behaviour, learning, and or challenging needs. I feel it is also important to communicate this plan with the parents/family for the child to have full support at home and in my centre to achieve a successful learning outcome. Including the child and parents/family gives us insight to what is happening at home. Maybe they have already or have not tried the plan we are suggesting. Collaborative communicate creates a partnership with staff and parents/family to give the best support we can for the child.

E.g. Curriculum Planning: An educator stays close to the building block area to help with language cues for the peers to listen to Timothy’s idea – An educator helps Timothy with language cues to respectfully ask his peers not to interrupt him when he is taking – An educator reminds Timothy to slow down his speech – As a group educator and children can web map together about how we feel when another person interrupts us.

Implementation

While implementing a new plan of support for a child, role modeling with a positive and encouraging manner helps to ease the changes. I continue to observe the child, peers around the child, the environment surrounding the child, and how the child is adapting to the new plan.

Evaluation

Evaluation is just as important as the initial observation. Observing and reflecting on the progress of the child’s behaivour, learning and or challenges while working with the new plan allows me to understand if the new plan is successful or needs to be reevaluated for the child.

It takes time and practice to become skilled at observation, documentation, assessment, comments, interpretation, curriculum planning, implementation and evaluation.

The more I practice these skills the better I will become at reflecting on our guidance strategies, child development, curriculum programming, and environment setting to better match our children’s needs and children’s learning styles in our centre.

The process is continuous. Then next for me is to go back to observation a week late after the initial observation to check in with the behaviour, learning, and or challenging event with Timothy and his surrounding peers.

As much as reflection, redefining, continuous learning, and gaining knowledge is important for my professional education and personal grow, it is just as important for our children to be supported, encouraged, learn, and gain knowledge with their own behaivour, learning, and or challenging events. To successfully improve their coping strategies to become stronger at self regulating, more confident, aware of their skills and abilities, happier, gaining self-esteem and self-worth is a beautiful cycle to be involved in to support the needs of a child.

The Importance of Observation in Early Childhood Education