How can observations be used to support the development of a child

Why Observe Children? — Better Kid Care — Penn State Extension

Observation is a core piece of the assessment process and continuous quality improvement (CQI) planning. ECE professionals use observation to document a child’s learning and to inform teaching practices. But another reason for observation is to spark learning and development.

Interactions come first

Research shows that young children's learning occurs best within relationships and with rich interactions. Children need stimulating and focused interactions to learn. Researchers find that boosting children’s thinking skills through quality interactions is critical to children’s learning.

“Children benefit most when teachers engage in stimulating interactions that support learning and are emotionally supportive. Interactions that help children acquire new knowledge and skills provide input to children, elicit verbal responses and reactions from them, and foster engagement in and enjoyment of learning. ” (Yoshikawa et al. 2013)

Quality interactions happen when a teacher intentionally plans and carefully thinks about how she approaches and responds to children. Emotionally supportive interactions help children develop a strong sense of well-being and security. Responsive interactions are responses and communication with children that meet their needs in the moment.

Most interactions with children offer ECE professionals the opportunity to engage, interact, instruct, and exchange information that supports healthy development and learning. Relationships between children and teachers grow stronger during everyday interactions. As children gain new information and ideas, ECE professionals can encourage them to share what they think and learn. Deeper thinking and learning engage children in the joy of learning and help to prepare children for new experiences and challenges.

Observation nurtures relationships and learning

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 engage in their world to learn. They are more likely to gain skills, and to do better as they enter school.

Use observation for an objective view of a child. When you really see the child, you get to know her and see more of her abilities, interests, and personal characteristics. Knowing each child helps you to plan individualized and developmentally informed activities. Look at what the child does and says without evaluating or labeling.

Find ways to build each child’s self-confidence. Reinforce success and effort. He may not be successful in all things but he can learn from failure as well as success. Encourage persistence, curiosity, taking on challenges, and trying new things.

Strengthen relationships as you learn more about the child. Talk to her about what she likes, and discuss shared interests to connect with her. Take her moods and approaches to situations into consideration, and let her know that you understand her perspective.

Observe to engage a child with you, other children, and the learning environment. Set up the environment with activities and materials that appeal to him, address his individual needs, and support his development.

Reflect on observations to assess each child’s progress, understand her needs and personality, improve teaching practices, and plan curriculum. Put ideas into practice to enhance learning and relationships.

Verify questions and concerns about a child. Talk to families and staff about him. Follow up if development or behavior is not typical.

Be aware of the quality of interactions with each child. Step back and consider how and why you and other staff interact with her. Do all interactions nurture relationships and learning?

Make tweaks, or small changes, while observing and afterwards. If something doesn’t work, try another approach or activity instead of “pushing through” with plans. Reflect on why something didn’t work, brainstorm ways to improve activities, and think of new activities to try.

Use information from observations to inform program practices and policies. Take a broad look at how the program supports all children and learning. Use the information for CQI plans.

Make observation an ongoing practice, a part of all interactions and activities, and watch for small changes and individual traits. Ongoing observation offers a chance to be proactive, to prevent problems.

Take notes, either during activities or shortly afterwards. It is easy to forget the quick “aha” moments when you are busy with teaching and care tasks, not to mention all the unplanned interruptions that pop up! Notes also make it easier to identify patterns and growth.

Interaction, relationships, and connections offer the deepest support to learning. Observation connects many pieces of information to give ECE professionals a better picture of each child. Observation is an ongoing, integral part of a quality ECE program, and professionals play an important part.

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References

• Allen, LaRue, and Bridget B. Kelly, eds. 2015. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of the National Academies, National Academies Press.
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. 2016. "From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts: A Science-Based Approach to Building a More Promising Future for Young Children and Families." Harvard University.http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu
• Conn-Powers, Michael. 2013. Teacher-Child Interactions that Make a Difference. Bloomington, IL: Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Indiana University Early Childhood Center.
• Domitrovich, Celene E., Roger P. Weisberg, and Thomas P. Gullotta. 2015. Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning Research and Practice. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. Updated 2016. "Interaction Practice Guides for Practitioners." ECTA Center.
• Hamre, Bridget, Bridget Hatfield, Robert Pianta, Faiza Jamil. 2014. “Evidence for General and Domain-Specific Elements of Teacher–Child Interactions: Associations With Preschool Children’s Development.” Child Development 85(3): 1257–1274.
• Jones, Stephanie M., Suzanne M. Bouffard, and Richard Weissbourd. 2013. “Educators’ Social and Emotional Skills Vital to Learning.” Phi Delta Kappan 94: 62-65.
• Morris, Pamela, Shira K. Mattera, Nina Castells, Michael Bangser, Karen Bierman, and Cybele Raver. 2014. “Executive Summary: Impact Findings From the Head Start Cares Demonstration: National Evaluation of Three Approaches to Improving Preschoolers’ Social and Emotional Competence. ” OPRE.
• Yoshikawa, Hirokazu, Christina Weiland, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Margaret R. Burchinal, Linda M. Espinosa, William T. Gormley, Jens Ludwig, Katherine A. Magnuson, Deborah Phillips, and Martha J. Zaslow. 2013. “Investing in Our Future: The Evidence Base on Preschool Education.” Society for Research in Child Development and the Foundation for Child Development.

The Importance of Observation in Childcare Settings

Observation is crucial for childcare practitioners and parents/guardians to monitor children in the early stages of their childhood development, and is featured in several places in the Early Years Foundation Stage documentation.  This blog post will define what observation is, why it is important in a childcare setting, when to observe and how to document observations.

What is Observation?

Observation in childcare settings is the method of watching, listening, documenting and analysing children as they explore, play and learn.   Monitoring children’s physical actions, expressions, gestures and behaviours, and listening to them talking and interacting with others will show how they are developing, their likes and dislikes and how they learn through their play and interactions.  It also reveals more about the child as an individual, and how they interact with other children and adults.

Why is Observation Important in a Childcare Setting?

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 knowledge.

Observation is also a long-term process: consistent monitoring and reviewing documented observations to make sure children are at the expected stage of development.  If there is an issue, observation quickly identifies the area or areas the child is struggling with, so you are able to address these issues and ensure the child is getting suitable support.

Categories or key areas of learning that observations are usually separated into are:

• Cognitive
• Social
• Physical
• Emotional
• Language

There can be additional areas that you observe and monitor, particularly if a child is struggling or excelling in this field.

The main objective of observation is to provide practitioners with accurate information in order to plan suitable lessons that meet the child’s needs, and to continually improve their learning and development whilst in your care.

When do Practitioners Observe?

Practitioners should constantly be observing children to keep a detailed and up-to-date record of each child’s development throughout the day.  It is also important to recognise that observations from other team members and parents/guardians should be included in documentation, as children will have different relationships with different adults.  These perspectives will offer alternative and individual views to obtain a complete representation of the child’s behaviour and  development. The most in-depth records obtain observations for each child in different contexts and situations, such as inside and outside, in the nursery and at home, with other children and by themselves, during play and during meal time.

There are different types of observation, including:

• Informal Observations

  • Practitioners ‘notice’ things, or ‘wonder’ about why a child behaved a certain way

• Tuning in to the Child

  • Understanding the child’s personal preferences, behaviour and motivations

• Schema Spotting

  • Recognising significant and regularly repeated actions children display when they are playing, drawing or interacting with others

• Participant Observation

  • Participating in children’s play to gain close observations on how children behave.  However, this method can be bias and highly subjective, as adults can influence the interactions.

• Non-participant Observation

  • Observing free play and how the children are interacting naturally, without the practitioners’ input.  

In your childcare setting, you should organise the opportunity to carry out different types of observation methods to provide suitable and in-depth observations of children in different scenarios.  This allows practitioners to examine and identify the child’s identity, such as their learning style, dynamic and relationships with other children, their interests, and their mannerisms or certain behaviours.

How to Document Observations

The process of observation also includes documenting and monitoring these results.  The more observations documented, the more in-depth analysis and monitoring of the child can be achieved.  Observations should always document what a child has achieved, and not what they are unable to do.

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
• if a child does something impressive - such as something new or something they had not been taught
• if a child reveals something that shows you how they view the world or provides an insight into their personality or behaviour

Good observations should be accurate and factual, and should have as much detail as possible about what you saw and heard.   They should be noted down at the time and continually throughout the day, rather than trying to remember an event at the end of your working day, as you may forget certain details.

The format of documented observations also include sections on:

• the name of the child
• the date and time
• the context or situation (e.g. adult participation or free play)
• the category or key area of learning
• the childcare practitioner’s or parent/guardian’s observations
• any comments or opinions from the child

There are also different, more in-depth narrative techniques for documenting observations.  These offer the opportunity for childcare practitioners to reflect upon the observations. These include:

• Anecdotal Records

  • These are written in the past tense and are factual accounts of an event.  Anecdotal records include detailed information on what a child said and did during an event, including their facial expressions, reactions and language, and why, when and where the event took place.   

• Running Record

  • Running records are in the present tense and should be noted down in as much detail as the event is happening.

• Learning Stories

  • Learning stories are stories based on the decisions and consequences from a child or a group of children.  

• Time Samples

  • These are records of a child’s behaviour or actions at specific times, and should be done regularly.  Time samples are often used to identify any negative behaviour a child exhibits, by understanding the influencing factors.

• Verbal Accounts

  • On occasion, observations do not need to be written down and can be verbally relayed to the child’s parent/guardian during informal discussions.  These accounts are often additional information regarding previous observations that have been documented.  

Observations can be written down on paper or typed up on electronic devices.   There are also apps now, that have been designed to assist childcare practitioners with their observation documentation.  It doesn’t matter which method you use and works for your nursery, as long as it is organised, accurate and up-to-date.

You can also include pictures of the child to clearly document certain events, which is something that parents/guardians often appreciate having.  Also, work samples of the child’s drawings and art projects, writing and other creative activities, with notes on how the child carried out the task, including anything they said.

This process of observation and all of the documented information is then added to a child’s file, which will be reviewed and analysed over time to make meaningful observations about the child’s development.

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Accompanying the development of young children in kindergarten

Throughout the work of a preschool organization, support for the development of the child runs like a red thread, which includes such elements as observation, identification and documentation of developmental stages, analysis, planning to encourage the child to certain types of activities.

download the scheme "Red thread: supporting the development of a child in a preschool organization"

1. Determination of the stage of development of the child based on observation

The first step in accompanying the development of young children is observation. The teacher's attention is directed to the child's behavior in order to detect repetitive actions due to a certain level of development.

Form of work: targeted and non-targeted observations.

2. Recording the results of observations

The next step is to write down what you see during the observation. As a rule, educators take notes directly during the observation. These can be both brief and detailed descriptions of what is happening, without, however, containing its assessments or interpretations. Schematic images of the premises and the course of the process will help the educator to subsequently restore the recorded events in memory. Photo and video shooting are also methods of fixation. To show parents, the documentation created during the observation should be specially prepared, since they are not present at the observation conducted in the preschool organization. Thus, the educator regularly uses the material obtained during observations to make an overview of the day on this basis, fill out the pages for the children's portfolio and prepare for a conversation with parents about their child's development. nine0003

Form of work: photo and video filming, notes in writing.

3. Analysis of observation results during their discussion with colleagues and parents

The third step is to evaluate the results of observation in the course of the teacher's conversation with his colleagues. At this stage, teachers interpret the actions they see and relate them to certain stages of development. As a result, educators get an idea of ​​what stage of development each child is at. In a conversation with parents, educators report what observations they have made, what stage of development, in their opinion, the child is going through, and what pedagogical proposals have been prepared for him in this regard. nine0003

In addition, educators listen to what observations the parents have made, how they evaluate the development of the child, and what questions they have open.

Form of work: Spontaneous talks on child development issues and regular talks and discussions.

4. Look for new incentives for the child

The next step is to look for new ways to encourage the child to perform certain actions. In a conversation with colleagues, the educator reflects on what incentives can be used at this stage of the child's development. nine0003

What pedagogical offer will interest the child? What materials activate his perception, motor skills, thinking?

At this stage, educators plan specific proposals, choose materials, often think about how to adapt the room to the needs of children. In addition, teachers try to involve children in observing the daily routine. The educator, together with the parents, determines how the child's development process can be promoted at home, what materials to prepare for this and what activities to offer. nine0003

Educators, like parents, subsequently carry out planning - in a wide variety of forms and with varying degrees of intensity: this can be a special pedagogical offer, or the child's acquaintance with new material for him, or a special approach to individual children in certain situations, etc.

Form of work: regular conversations about child development and planning meetings.

5. The level of development of children is revealed as a result of observation

The implementation of the planned activities, in turn, is the subject of monitoring. The educator monitors how children behave in a differently organized space of the room, how they handle new materials, which will later help the educator to analyze what solutions turned out to be effective and what additions and changes need to be made. During observation, caregivers also learn and document how the child continues to develop. Then the cycle starts anew. nine0003

Monitoring and fixing the results are indispensable elements of planning the work of an educator in a preschool organization.

Handbook "NURSE: OBSERVATION AND RECORDING OF RESULTS" contains practical examples showing how to carry out observation without the risk of drowning in a huge number of forms and forms. The authors offer many simple ideas that are easy to put into practice and that will help the educator to acquaint parents with the content of pedagogical work in the nursery. nine0047