1. Makin’ a List, Checkin’ it Twice, Gonna Find Out Who’s... Using Observation and Assessment to Inform Instruction in Early Childhood Education http://faculty.tamuc.edu/ jthompson/Resources/Observation.htm

2. Josh Thompson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Early Childhood Education Texas A&M University-Commerce Josh.Thompson@tamuc.edu 972-775-7230

3. A simple liberating thought came to our aid, namely that things about children and for children are only learned from children. Follow the child Malaguzzi (1998) p. 51

4. Domains of Development Meet Norm & Norma

5. Domains of Development Physical Language Aesthetic Cognitive Emotional Social

6. Stages of Development Infant Toddler PreSchooler Kindergartner Primary School age Tweener

7. Eyes in the back of your head Kid Watching – Monitoring ongoing development through daily activities that are integral to instruction

8. Eyes in the back of your head Observation Interaction Analysis

9. Three Purposes To know the individual child To measure the child’s progress To evaluate the program

10. Main Types of Observations Narratives Sampling Child Study

11. Types of Narratives Diary Anecdote Running Record

12. Narratives: Running Record Date of observation Describe the setting Demographics: –People –Race, age, gender, language, SES

13. Narratives: Running Record Thick rich descriptions of everything w/in your eyesight and ear range –Use time stamp –Write down everything

14. Examples of Sampling Event Time Artifacts Portfolio

15. Sampling: Portfolio What goes in? Who chooses? How is material managed? What does it mean?

16. Child Study Thick, rich descriptive observations of children in natural settings that captures all aspects of their lives: classroom environment, friendships, parents and family life, and community

17. Child Study May include tools: Developmental checklists

18. Rules of Engagement Participant Teacher (Interventionist) Observer

19. Analysis: What to do with what you know? Making Inferences http://faculty.tamuc.edu/ jthompson/Resources/ InterpretingObservations.ppt Drawing Conclusions

20. Evaluate and Apply Discuss: What makes any one of these observation techniques effective and appropriate for different observation settings?

21. Follow the child