Observation and Documentation Dr. Maggie McGuire © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

How Children Learn… PThrough active learning PBy doing things over and over and over PThrough their senses PBy making mistakes and trying a difference approach © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

How Children Learn… PThrough modeling PThrough materials and people relevant to their life experiences PThrough a variety of experiences © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Getting The Most From Assessment  Tie assessment to your goals  Link assessment to lesson planning  Group and analyze the assessment results for all the children in your group(program)  Use individual results to plan for each child  Set new goals © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Purpose of Observations To determine the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development of children. To identify children’s interests and learning styles To plan To meet the needs of individual children To determine progress To provide information to parents To provide self insight © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Steps for Conducting Observations Step 1 Plan for observation Step 2 Conduct the Observation Step 3 Interpret the data Step 4 Implement the data © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Five Minute Observation Select a child and observe them. At one minute, write down exactly what they are doing. At two minutes, write down exactly what they are doing. At three minutes, write down exactly what they are doing. At four minutes, write down exactly what they are doing. At five minutes, write down exactly what they are doing. © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Five Minute Observation + - Gives a quick snapshot of what the child is doing Addresses a specific child Can be adjusted for any type of observation- skill or behavior While you are doing this, who is interacting with everyone else? Difficult to get to every child © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Advantages of Portfolios 1. Celebrates growth over time 2. Happens in a natural setting 3. Helps with planning 4.Focuses on what is right about a child 5.Gives children an opportunity to be a part of the assessment process. 6.Shares information with others. © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

What Should Be In A Portfolio? Family Information –Family questionnaires –Parent’s comments –Conference notes Screening Tests Developmental Scales Interviews –Audio tape recordings –Video tape recordings © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

What Should Be In A Portfolio? Work Sampling –Copies of charts and graphs –Child’s scribbling or writing –Child’s painting –Photographs –Stories that have been dictated –projects Anecdotal Records - just the facts - everything must have the child’s name and the date on it © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011

Checklists + - Quick Standardized Clearly displayed Little room to write Skills are assessed in isolation Difficult for others to interpret Limited areas to be assessed © Dr. Maggie McGuire 2011