Observatio

n
Jessica George Early
Childhood Education 1A
Learning Objective:
Incorporate observation techniques and
guidelines while studying and developing
strategies to meet their needs.
Know the purpose of observing children.
Understand objective and subjective
statements.
How do we observe children?
It is best to observe from a distance without
the child knowing they are being observed.
Why do we observe children?
An observation is watching children with the
clear goal of studying a specific behavior
ability.
Observing can help monitor a childs emotional,
social, cognitive, and physical development over
time.
Why do we observe children?
Observations provide vital information about
childrens needs, interests, abilities, and
learning styles.
We observe to help us create DAP
curriculum.
Why do we observe children?
Observations show childrens growth and
behavior patterns, and will help provide
documentation of progress of learning.
This can help you decide if your program is
effective
Two Types of Formal
Assessments
Assessments:
Informal
Assessments
Formal Assessments:
Formal assessments are tests that
systematically measure how well a student
has mastered learning outcomes.
Standardized tests, research instruments,
recording data and then analyzing and
interpreting the data
Informal Assessments:
Informal assessments are a procedure for
obtaining information that can be used to make
judgments about childrens learning behavior and
characteristics or programs using means other
than formal standardized instruments.
Informal Assessments:
They include various forms of observing children in
the classroom including anecdotal records, running
records, event sampling, time sampling, checklist,
rating scale, work samples, portfolio, interview
parents, and talking with children.
 Objective
and
Subjective
Statements
Objective Statements:
Statements that rely on and are based on the
solid facts using the 5 Ws as a foundation.
They focus only on what you can see and hear.
They set aside personal feelings and prejudices.
Johnny sat and stared at the blocks before he
began to build with them.
Subjective Statements:
Interpretive statements rely on personal opinions,
assumptions, and feelings about the behavior that has
been observed.

Avoid negatively labeling the child or making assumptions

about the child beyond what they observation should be.

Johnny did not want to build with blocks, I dont think he

likes playing with blocks, so he sat and stared at them.
Confidentiality:
All observation are confidential, should be filed
and any problems should only be reported to the
director.