This document discusses the importance of observation and documentation in early childhood education. It emphasizes moving away from traditional methods of observing children in isolation and comparing them to developmental norms, and instead focusing on observing children within relationships and social contexts to understand their interests and abilities. This allows educators to design child-initiated programs that respect each child's unique skills and knowledge and view children in a positive light. The document also stresses the importance of viewing one's role as supporting children's active learning and development rather than focusing on perceived deficits.

1. Play & Pedagogical Documentation

2. 28-Mar-11 CHCPR14B CHCPR9C & CHCPR10C CHCPR14BObserve Children andInterpret ObservationsCHCPR9CDocument, Interpret andUse Information About ChildrenCHCPR10CDesign, Implement AndEvaluate Programs Of The Service

3. Looking, Seeing, Watching?

4. Looking, Seeing, Watching?

5. Looking, Seeing, Watching?

10. Looking, Seeing, Watching? What does observing mean to you? What purpose does it serve? How well do you know the people or situations you have observed? 28-Mar-11 CHCPR14B CHCPR9C & CHCPR10C

11. Looking, Seeing, Watching? What are some of the difficulties that arise when observing? How might you overcome these? What can you do to assist, extend or resolve the situations you have observed? 28-Mar-11 CHCPR14B CHCPR9C & CHCPR10C

12. Looking, Seeing, Watching? Own observations of children are significant, valid and concise Interpretations of behaviour, needs and interests are clearly linked to evidence in observations The intensity/detail of the observation is appropriate to the purpose and the context Interpretations of observations demonstrate inclusive principles and understanding 28-Mar-11 CHCPR14B CHCPR9C & CHCPR10C

13. Child Initiated Programming One upon a time, in a land far, far away, there were people who lived in boxes. There were boxes of all different sizes and colours, and the people thought they were wonderful. What made it hard, however, were the children. They didn’t like the boxes. They didn’t want to live in them, and they cried when they were made to stay there. So they set about finding ways to climb out of their boxes… Elizabeth Dau; ‘Enhancing Children’s Development’ 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 13

14. Child Initiated Programming Educators responsibility Reliance and Comfort Identity Question Explore Rethink 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 14

15. Confucius ‘To Hear is to forget To see is to remember To do is to understand’ 1960’s – Two important changes Focus from teacher to the child Focus from teaching to learning 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 15

16. TRADITIONALLY… much emphasis has been placed on the early childhood teacher knowing in advance what is to happen in the program Result: What is going to happen is seen as ‘the Program’ rather than what actually does happen 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 16

17. ‘To hear is to forget, To see is to remember To involve me is to understand’ Marilyn Fleer Involving the child in experiences… offers new insights 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 17

18. A program A program in an early childhood setting is inanimate not active, energetic, or lively Until it is in the hands of the children and educators Then it becomes complex and dynamic, almost with a life of it’s own 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 18

19. A program should represent the learning A Program is the process of learning A series of actions, experiences and spontaneous incidental moments Learning in the broadest sense; happening through interpersonal relationships, experiences and routines Learning that happens; as children, educators and families interact with the environment and each other 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 19

20. What do we really want? The starting point for educators must be: What Do We Want For Children? To continue struggling to be free of the boxes or to have guided and meaningful opportunities to explore their world at their pace, linked to their interests along with supporting and progressing their current level of development 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 20

21. ‘Changing how we think about children and our work looks quite daunting, but it is really just a shift, in how we think rather than throwing away our ‘old’ knowledge and starting again.’ Dau. E; ‘Enhancing Children’s Development’ 2004 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 21 The challenge…

22. Traditional observations… We observe but do we understand? Traditionally observations were seen as a means of getting to know children Traditionally observations often focus on unimportant detail because it may fit into a developmental box Observations tend to describe the child in isolation, as an individual, rather than as a person within a group 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 22

23. Or… Alternatively we can watch children with the intention of understanding what interests them and support them beyond the box Moving away from traditional methods of observation enables us to see children working in a social setting and the complex interrelationships they have with other children and staff 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 23

24. Changing our terminology and perceptions Interactions …a way of looking at children as if they are ‘scientific curiosities’ with whom we ‘interact’ as part of our ‘work’ with them To Relationships …asks us to see children as people, unique and valuable in their own right 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 24

25. Relationships A relationship is a living thing It changes over time It can be improved or damaged, and requires ongoing care and attention This describes important aspects of our work not reflected in the term ‘interaction’ 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 25

26. The whole child As suggested previously Traditional methods of observation and recording, break the child up into a series of boxes The names and numbers of these boxes varies They range through physical, intellectual, emotional and social development Add to the mix creativity, language or communication Fragmenting children inhibits our ability to see children as a whole 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 26

27. Child Initiated Programming When we describe children in developmental boxes we compare them against ‘norms’ to decide on their ‘needs’ The focus becomes how we will teach what we have decided the children ‘need’ to learn 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 27

28. The deficit model… This creates a negative view Children are described in terms of what they cannot do rather than… What they can do ‘Norms’ are based on our knowledge of what most white, middle-class children do at a particular age 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 28

29. Doesn’t consider gender Doesn’t consider cultural differences even with in white middle-class Doesn’t account for huge variations in the times children learn particular skills Doesn’t account for children sitting above or below the ‘norm’ 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 29 Limitations

30. Hhhmmmm? How do we resolve this conundrum? How do we work with those who sit outside the norm? 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 30

31. to view and act on our role differently Shifting from deficits to abilities and interests By changing our view to focus on children’s interests and abilities we see them in a more positive way We see them as more actively involved in what happens 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 31 We have a responsibility

32. Child Initiated Programming We are able to see children being involved in the construction of their own understandings of the world We respect the knowledge that children enter our worlds with If we do all this we are in a far better position to help their learning through the program 28/03/2011 Play & Pedagogical Documentation 32