#Objective observation how to
#Objective observation professional

As a good researcher you will need to ask some thoughtful questions. Your primary mission is to investigate the children in your care by routinely gathering evidence, using a variety of observation methods and tools. Learning about the key principles in early care and education will provide you with a solid foundation and a wide range of instructional strategies to support a child’s development. Familiarizing yourself with child development theories will help you understand and appreciate why children do what they do. Understanding the core concepts of early childhood education is extremely important if you are to set reasonable expectations and plan developmentally appropriate learning experiences. Being present takes considerable effort and careful planning. When we blink, we are bound to miss some little detail or precious moment, that’s a given. To capture all the individual mannerisms, subtle social nuances, non-verbal body language and dynamic conversations that occur throughout the day you must be attentive, focused and ready to go at any given moment.

#Objective observation how to

With every observation, you will sharpen your skills as you learn how to effectively gather objective evidence and detailed data. To truly observe a child, you must be present, knowledgeable, inquisitive and intentional. With each observation, you will gain useful insight that will help you become an intentional teacher. When you watch children closely, their interests and abilities are revealed. You will learn about their individual needs and their cultural practices.

As you watch your children, you will see how they problem solve when conflicts arise and how they cope with the stress from being in a group setting. Not only will you see a child’s personality emerge, you will be able to see what a child can do. With each observation, you will get a glimpse into a child’s developing mind. The role of observation is to provide teachers with information and evidence that they will need to make informed decisions on how to best support the children in their care. Then, we must try to make sense of what we observed and give it meaning. If we want to understand children, we must first watch them and listen to them. Observation is defined as “the process of gathering information about objects and events using senses of sight, smell, sound, touch and taste, noticing specific details or phenomena that ordinarily might be overlooked” Image by College of the Canyons ZTC Team is licensed under CC BY 4.0

#Objective observation professional

Ensure ethical conduct and professional standards of practiceĬOC OER.

Select effective learning strategies to support and accommodate the diverse needs of children.

Understand the cultural practices and family structure.

Measure and assess a child’s development.

Plan and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum.

Make improvements to ensure quality practices.

By conducting regular observations intentional teachers can: Essentially, observations help teachers be more accountable. Intentional teachers use their observations to plan and implement curriculum, set up engaging learning environments, monitor the children’s social interactions, track behaviors, communicate with families, and assess each child’s progress and development. Teachers also perform daily health screenings to ensure their children are healthy enough to participate in program activities.īeyond the standard safety check and health screening, teachers have many other important tasks and duties that they must do in order to maintain a copasetic classroom environment. Teachers are constantly surveying the environment and completing safety checks to make sure the equipment and materials are safe for the children to use. Observations are conducted every day in early childhood classroom environments. It is important to note that becoming a skilled observer takes time and practice, and that learning how to incorporate observation, documentation and assessment into your regular routines and daily duties requires some thoughtful consideration. You will examine the initial steps to take to becoming a skilled observer, and you will reflect on how to objectively document the interactions that you see and the conversations that you hear. In this chapter you will be presented with information that highlights how observation and documentation can be used as a key strategy to ensure intentional teaching. To truly be effective, teachers must develop skills and strategies that are grounded in best practices. To provide children with a safe and nurturing learning environment and to maintain program effectiveness, teachers must incorporate observation, documentation and assessment into their daily routines. 5 Introduction OBSERVATION AND DOCUMENTATION: THE KEY TO INTENTIONAL TEACHING