Classroom Reporting

1. Anecdotal
Records
Eden Mae Selim
BSEd-English-3

2. What are Anecdotal Records?
Refer to the recorded
accounts of pertinent,
characteristic actions and
observations of an individual
as noted and written by a
teacher.

3. What are Anecdotal Records?
It is also a written report
describing an incident of an
individual behaviour.

6. Anecdotal records are…
 Helpful sources of information in evaluating
pupil’s growth
 Useful for teachers in obtaining greater
understanding of their pupils and in identifying
the causes of pupil’s behaviour

7. Purpose
 provide information regarding a student's
development over a period of time
 provide ongoing records about individual
instructional needs
 capture observations of significant behaviors
that might otherwise be lost
 provide ongoing documentation of learning
that may be shared with students, parents
and teachers.

9. Why make a record?
 Fallibility of human
memory
 Inadequacy of human
beings as assemblers
and combiners of facts
about another person
A record provides stable
evidence on which later
appraisals can be based.
It also provides a type of
documentation about a
person, whether to school
authorities, to parents, or to
a potential, that lends
weight and substance to
the report.

10. Who should be observed?
The children will be
ordinarily selected for
observation in terms of the
teacher’s special interest
in them.

11. What should be recorded?
 Interaction of a child with the other children in
the room
 Evidence of acceptance or rejection,
aggression or withdrawal
 Events that throw light on the child’s role in
the group and his reaction to it

12. 3 Common Deviations
The anecdote…
 Evaluates – tells the teacher’s reaction to the
child
 Interprets – gives the teacher’s conclusion as
to the reasons for behaviour
 Describes – in general terms rather than in
specific terms

13. Features of a Good Anecdotal
Record
1. It provides an accurate description of a specific
event.
2. It describes the setting sufficiently to give the event
meaning.
3. The interpretation is separated from the description.
4. The event it describes is one that relates to the child’s
personal development or social interactions.
5. The event it describes is either representative of the
typical behaviour of the child or significant because it
is strikingly different from his usual form of behaviour.

14. How should Anecdotal Records be
kept?
The appropriate form-keeping of records will depend upon
the primary purpose for which they are being kept.
• If the records serve to guide the teacher’s study
of two or three particular pupils, they may well
be kept in the form of two or three separate logs
or diaries.
• If an individual file folder is used, an 8 ½ x 11
inch sheet of paper will often prove suitable.

15. What should be done to organize
or summarize records?
 A thumbnail sketch of the
individual, as shown by the
anecdotes, should be
prepared.
 Health
 Intellectual Ability
 Academic Achievements
 Home Surroundings
 Family Pattern
• In the summary, as in
the records
themselves, the
descriptive summary
and its interpretations
should be kept clearly
differentiated.

16. 4 Types of Anecdotal Records
1. Evaluative Statements
The teacher includes statements that evaluate or judge
the behaviour of the pupil observed.
Example:
“… X was very active in our poetry class and
wanted to do just what she wanted to do. She
simply did not have consideration for others. I
had to ask her to sit in front. For this, she
showed a bad attitude.”

17. 4 Types of Anecdotal Records
2. Interpretive Statements
These statements are attempts to account for or explain
the behaviour of the pupil on the basis of single
observation noted.
Example:
“… X has been over-active in class lately. He
won’t stay in his seat. He is growing so fast that
he cannot remain settled… Of course, the
inward change, the growth, causes the
restlessness.”

18. 4 Types of Anecdotal Records
3. Generalized Descriptive Statements
Statements with very broad general terms and with
qualifying adverbs (frequently, everyday, always, etc.)
Example:
“… X has been awfully restless these days. He is
whispering most of the time. He is not kept busy. In
the circle during various discussions, even though he
is interested, his arms are moving, or he is punching
the one sitting next to him.”

19. 4 Types of Anecdotal Records
4. Specific or Concrete Descriptive Statement
The teacher describes concretely the situation in
which the action or comment occurred.
Example:
“… X did not go out to play during recess
although the weather was just fine. She
stayed in the room by herself. She was
reading a novel.”

22. 6. the date of the entry should be put; the
observer should initial the entry
correspondingly.

23. have access to the pupil’s
anecdotal notebook.

25. (Form No.
1)
Pupil _______________________________ Grade/
Year _____________
Date Place Observer Records

27. ANECDOTAL
EXAMPLES

29. Anecdotal Record
Activity: Learning center – Tables_
Date : 11/09/02
Observer: Teacher Tina
Student’s Name: Tommy Uy
Description of Observation: Tommy ran
over to the table where other students
were completing puzzles shouting, “Here I
come!” He then approached another
student and asked, “Can I have that
puzzle?” Other student: No, I’m not
finished. Jimmy: But I need that one to
build my rocketship. Other student: Mrs.
H says you have to wait your
turn. Jimmy: Mrs. H, Mrs. H, can I have
that puzzle now? Mrs. H: when ___ is
finished, you may have a turn. Jimmy:
Set the timer then. (to other student) You
have 1 minute, right Mrs. H? Jimmy then
sat at the table with his face supported by

30. 1. The most important advantage of
anecdotal records is that they provide a
description of actual behavior in natural
situations.
2. A special advantage to the elementary
teacher is that anecdotal records can be
used with very young pupils and with

31. objective when observing and reporting
pupil behavior.

32. Improving the Effectiveness
of Anecdotal Records