Why is observation important in infant and toddler care?
Observation, documentation, and reflection are important skills for high-quality infant and toddler care. Developing these skills can help teachers with the following activities: Sharing observations with families.
What is the purpose of observing a child?
Before observing a child there has to be a main reason for doing so. Is the purpose of the observation to: plan the curriculum (observe child participating and engaging within the environment), is it for a child to achieve a goal (observe child during a particular experience and watch for child to achieve goal),
Should observations be shared with the parents of the child?
A: Yes, observations should be shared with each family. It gives them an understanding of their child’s development and learning. It provides parents an opportunity to see their child’s learning in “action” and what approach you are going to take to further extend on their child’s skills and abilities.
Why do we document Observations and assessments of a child?
Reasons to document observations and assessments of a child include: if it’s the first time the child has done something if it is a display of embedded knowledge - the child learnt something previously but they are displaying this knowledge physically or verbally at a later date if a child displays pride or self-esteem in something they created
What is the importance of observation in early childhood education?
Observations are the key to good program planning. Observations help adults understand the strengths and needs of each child. Early Childhood Educators observe children to get to know them better and get a sense of their knowledge, needs, interests, skills and how they learn best.
Why is it important to observe and monitor children's Behaviour for changes?
By observing children as they explore, play and learn, practitioners can ensure that a child's development is at the expected stage, whether the environment and resources (toys or equipment) are stimulating their development, and what future support the child will need in order to gain new interests, skills and ...
What are ethical considerations when observing a child?
1.8: Ethical Guidelines when Observing ChildrenTake every precaution to maintain confidentiality and to ensure privacy.Remember to ask if it is OK to take photographs of children and their work.Understand that children have the right not to take part in activities.More items...•
What is observation in child development?
What is Child Observation? Child Observation is the method of watching, listening, asking questions, documenting, and analyzing the observed words and actions of children as they interact with their surroundings and other people.
Why is it necessary to observe children at play and work and record your observations?
It gives them an understanding of their child's development and learning. It provides parents an opportunity to see their child's learning in “action” and what approach you are going to take to further extend on their child's skills and abilities.
Why is observation important?
Observation is a very important part of science. It lets us see the results of an experiment, even if they are not the results we expect. It lets us see unexpected things around us that might stimulate our curiosity, leading to new experiments. Even more important than observation is accurate observation.
What is the most important guideline when observing children?
When you are observing children, personal belongings should be brought into the classroom. During your observation time, you should avoid talking to the children, other observers, or the staff.
What are five basic guidelines to follow when observing children?
Make use of the head phones provided, adjusting the volume from the microphone. Limit any talking, talking only when necessary and use a quiet voice. Occupy the gallery/observation spaces only when you are actively observing- follow the children to the playground or gross motor space if they leave the classroom.
What are the ethical responsibilities regarding observations?
Ethical observation – key points Parent/carers understand why we observe and what we are recording. Written consent should be provided by parents/carers. Children have an understanding of why we make notes and take photos. When observing children practitioners are mindful of the child's rights.
What is the purpose of observation in teaching?
Purpose of Observation The fundamental purpose of classroom observation is to improve student outcomes by improving the instructional prowess of the teacher. A secondary purpose of observation is to perform an investigation into possible inequities in instruction among different groups of students.
The Process of Observing and Documenting
Observation Resources
- Observation helps ECE professionals look at their interactions with children, and discover how important interactions are as they get to know and support children. Observation is a way to connect with children, to discover their connections to others and to their environment. Children who feel cared for, safe, and secure interact with others and en...
Reflection
Building Time For Reflection
References
- Clearing Your View: Staying Objective in Observation(2017): This podcast from the Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) explains how to observe children and write down what you see in an objective way that will help you understand the meaning of the infant’s or toddler’s behavior. Look at Me! Using Focused Child Observation with Infant and Toddlers: Watc…