Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

Early Childhood Classroom Observation

Celeste Riches
Brigham Young University Idaho, Spring 2016
CHILD 350

EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

Early Childhood Classroom Observation

Part 1: The Early Childhood Classroom Observation Scale
I observed the Wednesday/ Friday 12:45-2:00pm Toddler Lab on March 2, 2016. There
were many positive things I saw happening in the classroom. However, there were some areas
where improvement is needed. Overall, the classroom did a great job at meeting the requirements
from NAEYCs Early Childhood Classroom Observation scale. The interactions among the
teachers and children were fully met as far as I observed. The teachers were very engaging with
the children and helped provide the needed support emotionally, socially, and behaviorally.
The curriculum was set at the childs level, however, there was a lack of certain materials
that are needed for toddlers to learn and grow. I could not see any push and pull toys that
children could go around the classroom with or toys that would allow the toddler to fulfill their
curiosity of filling and dumping. The materials that were laid out did not show a wide variety of
cultures. There were some cultural toys but very few. The teachers did a good job of facilitating
the activities and routines that the children were able to transition from one thing to another
easily. The children were able to learn as teachers encouraged language and literacy
development. Not only did each activity have a book associated with it but the teachers were
engaged with the children to provide language and activity prompts.
The physical environment of the classroom was well set up. There was enough room for
each child to have their own space to participate in their activities indoors and outdoors. The
space was rearranged to make it easier to use for the large group activity. There were different
sections throughout the room that gave necessary space for each activity focus. The children had
their own cubbies that they could keep their personal things in and could feel part of the
classroom.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

For the classroom to score better on the observation scale, I would make a few changes.
For the curriculum, I would add more culturally appropriate materials, push pull toys, and more
dump and fill toys for the children. I would hang the childrens artwork up around the classroom
and make sure it is presented respectfully to help the children see that their work is important and
valued. I would put up more materials on the walls or ceiling to help cut down on sound. In the
classroom, there was hardly any sound blocking materials. Those were some of my biggest
concerns that I observed.
This observation was helpful for me to see what should and should not be done in a
classroom for toddlers. I will be in the Toddler Lab next semester and it was nice to see how the
classroom is set up and organized. I was able to see how the activities were helping the children
learn the necessary skills at their age level. It was also helpful to see what needs improving and
now I can brainstorm ways I can help make things better when I am the teacher. It was good to
observe the different areas in detail to know that everything we do as teachers should be
intentionally done to help the children in the very best ways. Things are not just thrown together,
it takes thought and purpose behind it to make it the best learning environment for the children.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

Part 2: Effective Curriculum

Observation Place and Date: M/W 12:45-2:00pm Toddler Lab; March 11, 2016
Dramatic Play
What was the activity?
The theme for dramatic play was Firetruck. There was a pop up firetruck that the children
could play inside. Along with the firetruck there were firefighter dress up clothes and a fire
hydrant with a hose attached. There were also fire truck toys that the children could push around
the classroom.
Did the children enjoy the activity?
There were a few children who really enjoyed this activity. However, it did not keep the
attention of most children. There were two children who played together and side by side as one
carried the fire hydrant around the classroom and the other child dressed up and stayed by the
truck to answer emergency calls or call 911. There was a teacher quietly available to promote the
play if needed.
Did the children participate in the activity?
On average, children spent about 2-3 minutes playing in or around the fire truck. There
was only one boy who spent about 8 minutes playing with the fire hydrant. He would go around
the classroom and try to put out fires. Only one teacher engaged with him as he put a fire out on
her and he sprayed her with his fire hose.
What did the children learn?
The children were able to explore the fire truck and the dress up clothes. They learned
that fire is put out by water that comes out of the fire hydrant and hose and fire fighters have to
communicate with each other with two-way radios or a phone.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

Where there any missed opportunities for learning?

There were children who would go over to the firetruck to explore but they were not sure
what they could do and the teachers did not promote the play very well. The teachers could have
asked what noise a fire truck made or what color it was or the helmet the child picked up to wear.
What could the teachers have done to make the activity better?
The activity was well thought out and prepared but it lacked in the social elements.
Teachers could have done more to ask questions to the children to promote play and encourage
the dramatic play.
Art
What was the activity?
Paint Stamping
Did the children enjoy the activity?
There were only a few children who participated. There were a couple who had fun
making marks on the paper.
Did the children participate in the activity?
The few children who did paint only stayed for a couple of minutes.
What did the children learn?
There were some stamps that were letters but none of the toddlers knew how to make a
good stamp of the letters to read the letter. They learned that there was a cause and effect as they
put the sponges and stamps in the paint and then onto the white papers.
Where there any missed opportunities for learning? There were some missed opportunities to
teach the children how to stamp the letter stamps and to point out what letters they were.
What could the teachers have done to make the activity better?

EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

The teachers could have talked more with the children about what they were making or
about the stamps. They could have helped the children learn how to stamp the stamps and then
talked about what marks were left by the stamps. The teachers seemed more concerned about
getting smocks on the children and keeping the paint on the table than helping the children have
a learning experience as they played with the paint.