2. Pre-Test
Please complete this non graded 10 question pre-test prior to completing
any lesson. You will write correct if the observation is clear, you will write
not clear if the observation is not clear.
• Timmy goes down the slide by himself then hops up and uses stairs
alternating his feet to do it again.
• Shawn play with playdough.
• The child flapped his arms when the car reached the bottom of the tower.
• The child is crying.
• John ate corn and macaroni using his fork and spoon while sitting at the
table.
3. Pre-Test Cont’d
• Two children were rolling their cylinders across the table repeatedly
to see whose would go the furthest.
• The child was cheering on his friend while they were rolling
cylinders across the table during small group time.
• The child was using rolling pin with playdough.
• The little girl washed her hand in the sink.
• Sally went to the bathroom, when she finished she pulled up her
pants by herself and then went to the sink to wash her hands and
then dried them with a paper towel.
4. Observation in the Early Childhood Classroom
• In this training you will:
• Learn to write clear and objective observations.
• Use written observations to add and extend daily activities in the
classroom.
• Use written observation to complete assessments.
5. When should I write observations?
• Quality observations can be made at any time throughout the day
or week.
• When you have an opportunity to see a teachable moment.
• When a child has mastered a skill that the teacher has been trying
to get them to master.
• Make small notes throughout the week, and record them all at
once.
6. What to Observe
• Criteria for On-Target child development based on Early
Learning and Developmental Standards In:
• Infants, Toddlers, Pre-Kindergarten, and School Age
Children
• Free Play
• Structured and Non-Structured Activities
• Outdoor or Gross Play
• Meal Times & Self-Care Practices
• Large and Small Group Activities
7. What a Written Observation Should Have
• Subject
• Skill or Action
• The setting or scenario if it aids in description of the skill of
action
• Objective
• Direct quotations if possible
• Video or photograph of what the learner is doing
8. Observing Practice Video 1
Look at the following video clip:
•Observe the child in the hat
•After the video:
•Write one observation about the child in the video
9. Examples of Correct Observations
• The child used his hand to dip it into the red paint and then placed a
handprint on the paper.
• The child used her hand to smear paint using a circular motion.
• The children use their hands to paint pictures using different colors.
10. Observing Practice Video 2
Looking at the following video clip:
•Observe what this child is doing with the animals
•After the video:
•Write one observation about the child in the video
11. Examples of Correct Observations
• The child is using her hands to stack blocks one by one as tall as she
can.
• The child is using problem solving skills to see if the block will fit on
the circular block.
• The children are playing together and taking turns building with the
blocks.
12. Extended Activities
• How to Extend Activities
• Add attractive items to activities or centers
• Provide open-ended questions to increase discussions about activities
• Arrange activities with standards used in classroom
• Why Extend
• Develop skills
• Develop interests
• Reinforcement of what is learned
13. Examples of Activities
• Video 1
• Have a variety of dress up items so that she can tell you what she is dressed
as
• Provide various things for her to take care of her baby
• Talk to the child about what she is doing and where she is going
• Video 2
• Have the child line the animals from biggest to smallest
• Have the child Sort and Classify the animals (color, size, etc.)
• Help the child find things to build houses for his animals
14. Using Observations
• When completing assessments
• Checkpoints-putting the child on the level they are currently
on
• Rating Scale-where the child is currently rated with the rest of
the children in the classroom. This also helps the teacher to
determine the level of competency of the different skills the
children have accomplished.
• One example of a rating scale would be:
• Can the child demonstrate______skill?
• Possible answers: Not Yet, Sometimes, Proficient, Mastered
15. Post-Test
• Please complete this non graded 10 question pre-test prior to completing
any lesson. You will write correct if the observation is clear, you will write
No if the observation is not clear.
• Timmy goes down the slide by himself then hops up and uses stairs
alternating his feet to do it again.
• Shawn play with playdough.
• The child flapped his arms when the car reached the bottom of the tower.
• The child is crying.
• John ate corn and macaroni using his fork and spoon while sitting at the
table.
16. Post-Test Cont’d
• Two children were rolling their cylinders across the table repeatedly
to see whose would go the furthest.
• The child was cheering on his friend while they were rolling
cylinders across the table during small group time.
• The child was using rolling pin with playdough.
• The little girl washed her hand in the sink.
• Sally went to the bathroom, when she finished she pulled up her
pants by herself and then went to the sink to wash her hands and
then dried them with a paper towel.
Answers to the Questions:CorrectNo correctCorrectNot correctcorrect
Answers to the Questions:CorrectCorrectNot correctNot correctCorrect
There are many opportunities throughout the day for a teacher to observe the children in his/her class. Free Play-Usually children are in centers and have chosen something on their own to play with either individually or with their peers.Structured Activities-is usually teacher lead and they are trying to see if a child has mastered a skillNon-Structured Activity-usually a teacher has set some things out for the children to play with and they have a choice whether to do the activity or do something else.Outdoor/Gross Play-children are playing outside-running , jumping, galloping, climbing stairs, balancing, etc.Meal Times-teacher is observing to see if the child can pour by themselves, serve themselves, if they can hold a spoon or a fork correctlySelf-Care Practices-teachers are observing to see if the child can do things on their own-wash their hands, pull down and up their pants, zip, button, put their shoes onw,etc.Large Group and Small Group activities-teachers are able to observe this time if they have mastered certain skills such as counting, alphabet, colors, numbers, shapes,etc.
In order for the observations to be clear you want to ensure that each observation has what is included in this list.For Example (look at the picture of the babies): The babies used her legs and hands to pull herself out of the pool to get on the floor.
Example Observation: The little girl picked up the babies and walked down the ramp to go the other side to pick up the baby bottle.
Example Observation of the Video: The child took all the animals and lined them up in a line until her put the last animal down.
As we look back at the videos, here are some extension activities that a teacher may use in order to help the child move on to the next skill.
Teachers should ensure that they have enough observations in order to assess their children at the end. It is important that teachers have enough documentation when they begin to assess so that the data accurately matches the observations they have written.
