Here are two steps I will take towards my goal of becoming a knowledgeable and caring early childhood educator: 1. I will carefully read and take notes on each weekly reading assignment to gain a deeper understanding of child development and best practices in early education. 2. I will observe and record interactions with children to practice objective observation skills and gain insight into how to meet the individual needs of each child.

4.  Participant observer-Teacher/Student
teacher/Assistant: writing aids the memory
(Week by Week will guide you to use a different lens)
 Non-Participant Observer-maybe no
responsibility in the classroom other then
observing and recording (student observers
etc.)Your place in the classroom should be out of the way but be in a
place where you can see and hear what is happening.

6.  Individual information gathered about a child so it will be useful in
assessment, curriculum planning as well as providing information
on growth and development.
 A tool used for family communication.
What is in it?
 Family information
 Consent form
 Written observations
 Class lists/logs/ summary
 Anecdotal/running record
 Media/audio/visual recordings
 Child’s work samples
 Formal Evaluation Instruments (checklists-Rating Scales)
 Family comments & checklists
 Teachers individual plans for child
 Other reports: previous teachers/progress reports/attendance etc.

7.  Families. To receive feed back about their child, to learn about the curriculum as well as the
approaches used by the teachers….to provide an insight to what the child’s day consists of.
Custodial parents and legal guardians have the right to see and control school records under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment) passed by Congress in 1974.
 Practitioners. Other teachers and program personnel who interact with the child may look
at the Portfolio contents to get to know the child. Additionally, staff may share ideas about how to
plan best for the child.
 Community Agencies. Program evaluator who might be gathering developmental
level data. Accreditation validator looking at how the program records developmental milestones.
Each person who views the file should sign a file log.
 The child. Children above toddler age can be involved in seeing and contributing to their
portfolio.

8.  Because it is an authentic, reliable way to
assess children’s development.
 On going assessment can be done during
authentic activities (play) in a naturalistic
setting without taking children away from
natural learning.

9.  When children are actively involved in play.
 Play for children is genuine, this is when they organize their world while
developing their minds, bodies, emotions, social skills and language.
 Looking at children’s play is an opportunity to measure attainment of skills,
plan the environment and curriculum to support child’s growth.

10.  It is a guide for students to observe all
developmental areas at least once.
 It incorporates a variety of observational
methods to use.
 Meant to be a weekly plan for recording
observations of each child’s development.
 It is used for planning curriculum.
 Outcome putting it all together, creates a
meaningful, comprehensive portfolio.

11.  Personal bias lends itself to Subjective Perspective
 Remaining as neutral as possible lends itself to Objective Perspective
 Comprehend that Objective Observation is…..a collection of data based on what you see.
This is similar to a camera. No opinion or interpretation of what is observed, just what is
observed. Therefore unless a child tells you with his words he is feelings you do not know. You
can observe a smile, laughter but not happy and joy; that would be a subjective observation.
Your observational data must stay on the external actions of the child, not internal feelings.
 Distinguish the difference and note that…Subjective Observation is a collection of data based
on what you think you see. It is observation that contains personal opinions and interpretations
of what the child is doing. It is going in to the inside of a child and making assumptions about
what he or she is thinking or feeling

12.  Children are human beings first and children second.
 Stable rhythm and routine foster positive behavior.
 A child’s temperament is an inborn personality trait that contributes to how children approach and react to life. It
is a quality that cannot be” changed or modified”. It is a quality that needs to be understood and honored.
 Understanding a child’s age and stage of behavior is important in guiding the parent or child care provider in his
or her expectation of behavior and in the formation of the choices and guidance we provide to the child.
 Mistakes are learning opportunities, use them as teachable moments offered with care.
 When we work with children we need to be aware of what our actions and our words are really teaching children.
 Do our actions or reactions towards children come from anger and irritation or care and support?
 Why do some behaviors irritate us and others do not? The adults need to reflect on their behavior
 The Adults do the adjusting the children do the growing.
 All our actions need to be worthy of imitation

13.  Education of developmental milestones and ages and stages of
development.
 Experience with children and sound observation skills.
 This mixed with the passion for children and your teaching life will
support your vision of being that teacher that makes a difference
in children’s lives.
 I believe that Children are worth all the effort and dedication
required to be educated in this field.
“If we are not willing to discipline ourselves to learn and dedicate our time to understand all we can about them, then we are not
worthy to stand in front of the child and call ourselves teachers” (Author Unknown)

14. Set a goal for yourself…TODAY
Examples:
 Do well in this class
 Create a better classroom for your children
 Drink more water
 Plan to transfer
 Get an AA
 Have a better relationship with…
 Speak another language…etc.
The next 8 weeks, what two steps will you take towards this goal.
Share success on the last day of class. 