Observation
[Beads shaking]
Narrator: How do you learn about young children? How do you discover their interests and skills? You can watch closely and listen carefully, again and again, so that you get a clear picture of each child and their growth over time. Then you know what each child is ready to learn and how you can help them to learn more. Your observations of children's development and progress are a central part of a collaborative approach with families to support children's learning, growth, and well-being.
Child: Four.
Teacher: Four? How many do I have all together?
Narrator: As you teach intentionally and interact with children in ways that promote outcomes aligned with family and curriculum goals and early learning standards, watch closely and listen carefully.
Girl: This feels like a [Inaudible] is going, and it's—it's—it's where the—it's where the leaves start.
Teacher: OK, so what is growing?
Girl: The leaves.
Teacher: The leaves are growing? And what else?
Girl: And, um, the stem.
Teacher: The leaves and stem are growing?
Girl: Mm-hmm.
Narrator: As children play and interact spontaneously, watch closely, listen carefully.
Girl: Acorn!
Teacher: Now you can push it.
Narrator: What expressions do you see on the child's face? How is the child moving their lips? What is the child saying? What are they doing? [Girl mumbles] Remember to observe and record only what you see and hear, factual details about children's actions, language, and interactions with others. With objective observation, you get a clear record of a child's progress and interests, information you can use to make sure your teaching is effective for every child.
Teacher: Tada!
Boy: It's the same!
Teacher: It is the same, isn't it? They're both long blocks. They are exactly the same. You're absolutely right, Hayden.
In this clip, learn about the process of observation that includes engaging with a family. This video is part of the Ongoing Child Assessment to Support Learning module, one of several EarlyEdU Alliance Higher Education Learning Modules.
