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Chapter 9: Observation: The Roots of Practice Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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The Observer <ul><li>Notices tone of voice </li></ul><ul><li>Notices quality of movement </li></ul><ul><li>Notices facial expressions </li></ul><ul><li>Notices language </li></ul><ul><li>Notices actions </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Open-ended Activity <ul><li>An activity that places no pressure on the child and for which there are no external expectations </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Observe <ul><li>“ To see or sense especially through analytic attention” </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Analytic attention : the observer is concentrating in a clear and focused way on the events unfolding around her </li></ul></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Steps in Observation <ul><li>Collect and record data </li></ul><ul><li>Analyze the data </li></ul><ul><li>Interpret the data </li></ul><ul><li>Collect more data </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Types of Observation <ul><li>Subjective : includes the teacher’s perspective and judgments </li></ul><ul><li>Objective : includes only what has occurred during the observation </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Reflection <ul><li>Teachers can reflect on many observations over time to gain a better understanding and appreciation for what is going on in the minds of their children </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Benefits of Observation <ul><li>Tool for understanding diversity </li></ul><ul><li>Generate knowledge about child </li></ul><ul><li>Tool for drafting “scripts for action” </li></ul><ul><li>Aid in becoming an effective decision-maker </li></ul><ul><li>Aid in planning curriculum </li></ul><ul><li>Facilitate communication with families </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Goodness of Fit <ul><li>Matching a child’s temperament with his or her environment </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Curriculum Planning <ul><li>Planning organized activities </li></ul><ul><li>Allowing time for spontaneous activities </li></ul><ul><li>Involves: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Scheduling </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Setting routines </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Defining goals and expectations </li></ul></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Types of Interactions to Observe <ul><li>Peer-to-peer interactions </li></ul><ul><li>Adult-child interactions </li></ul><ul><li>Caregiving routines </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Types of Communication <ul><li>Informal communication : arises from spontaneous encounters with parents and children </li></ul><ul><li>Formal communication : planned communication between parties, such as a parent-teacher conference </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Confidentiality <ul><li>Disclosing information only to those professionals and family members involved in the situation </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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What to Observe <ul><li>Their transitions to the classroom in the morning and end of day </li></ul><ul><li>Their routines – eating, sleeping, washing hands </li></ul><ul><li>Their activities and use of materials </li></ul><ul><li>Their language </li></ul><ul><li>Their interactions </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Bias <ul><li>One’s natural tendency to favor some children over others based on their characteristics, behavior style, and cultural background </li></ul><ul><li>Being aware of one’s bias can improve one’s ability to observe objectively rather than subjectively </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Narrative Records <ul><li>Running record : teacher writes down exactly what she sees for a period of time </li></ul><ul><li>Anecdotal record : teacher describes an event </li></ul><ul><li>Diary/Journal : teacher regularly records what happens and adds commentary </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Observation Methods <ul><li>Event sampling : the observation and recording of a pre-determined event </li></ul><ul><li>Checklists : formal evaluations which measure a child’s developmental performance against preset criteria </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Child Study <ul><li>A comprehensive document put together from observations of a child over a period of time </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Descriptive Review <ul><li>Use the child’s work, his efforts to stand upright and then take steps, his paintings and block buildings, or the stories he writes as a starting point for understanding his world </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York

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Communicating Assessment Results <ul><li>Narrative reporting : a written description of the child’s behaviors that includes observations, assessments, and recommendations </li></ul>Copyright 2010 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, New York