Observations Of Children

[Guest terrydoo73]

Firstly I have to say we are in Northern Ireland so don't work to the same system as rest of UK.

 

We have just started back after our summer break and want to get to grips with observations as think we are doing them too detailed. We have devised a list ouselves of what we should be looking for ie can they hang up their coat themselves? are they happy enough to come to Playgroup and be separated from parent, are they able to attend to themselves when washing, do they know to put on an apron for painting etc etc

 

Is there a list anywhere that we could download to show us what observations we should be doing rather than repeating ourselves for the sake of having something to do???

[finleysmaid]

i assume you are using the foundation curriculum for northern ireland???

the link here...

http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/foundation_...e_and_literacy/

has, for example, under language and literacy got several ideas of what you should be looking out for...could you create a tracker sheet that follows these general guidelines?

[Guest terrydoo73]

Thanks for this but it is not quite what I am looking for. Perhaps I could put it another way ....

 

Is there a sheet that says ....

 

Child recognises print has meaning under the Communication Language and Literacy Development page

 

or

 

Child uses pincer grip when handlling a paintbrush under the Physical Development page

 

 

Something that has a list of what should correspond to what we see happening.

 

What we are doing at present is basically watching and listening and then writing like mad. It is a case then of when the session is over we sit down and try to match what we have watched and listened to and recorded is then added into the child's personal file with the recording of words or actions on a sticky label and beside it our assessment or comment on. To me it seems like a hit and miss afair and I really cannot see either when the action is repeated and hence we don't really need to be recording it or how we work out a progression for the child. Perhaps I am just making it very complicated but feel overwhelmed by the whole observation process especially when we get people who come in to advise us and they question these elements ie repetition of actions and progression.

[finleysmaid]

i think we are talking about the same thing but from a different angle!....the problem is that the majority of us are working from england and so any paperwork may not suit your needs. can you contact someone from early years NI and see if they have what you need?

I have attached our tracker sheet for one of the CLL areas...of course as the curriculum is not he same it would need changing but we use these to record obs and therfore we know what we have and dont have on the children....2_01_09_Area_of_learning___l__lit_thinking_page_1.doc

[Guest terrydoo73]

I have asked our local Early Years team and they look at me as if I am dumb!! We haven't managed to get any local observation training courses as yet and feel a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. Mind you we are not compelled to do these observations as we don't have inspections apart from our Registration body and they really look to see that we are doing something that works for us and more importantly that parents are happy with! We have not received funding yet from a government body but want to be prepared before it falls on our lap one day!

 

Is this tracker sheet available online as a general type thing so we could download it and tweek it to our setting?

 

Forgot to say our children would probably fall within the age range 3 years to 4 1/2 years ie 36 months to 54 months.

Edited September 15, 2011 by terrydoo73

[finleysmaid]

you might like to have a look here (you can order one!)

http://www.qed.uk.com/early_years.htm

the one i posted is just the development matters statements for the eyfs put into a list format (these are my own ...can download if it helps) but i do not use them as a tick list (a big no-no around here!) it is just part of the way we track where the children are and what we might need to observe or offer more activities on.

[HappyMaz]

I have just looked at the link finleysmaid gives, and if you look at this page here and download the PDF 'Statutory Requirements for Physical Development' there is a list of competencies for children's physical development which look remarkably similar to our own development matters statements.

 

They include, amongst others:-

 

• experiment with different ways of moving and exploring personal and general space
  
• explore, refine and improve simple movements
  
• handle small tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control
  

 

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for? There appears to be one for every area of learning.

 

Thanks finleysmaid - there is a great deal of really good information on this website! Good job I have new toner cartridges for my printer!

[Guest terrydoo73]

Thanks so much for all your help - it is so frustrating when you know what you want but you cannot find it sometimes!

 

I don't want a "tick" system but I want to be able to say yes that observation matches the requirements I should be seeing and be able to note it down on the file and thereby feeling I am accomplishing something by working in a Playgroup!

[Guest terrydoo73]

I am just looking at this link from HappyMaz and I don't think it is correct - it really is for Foundation Stage ie Primary 1 and we are only Early Years ie 3+ years so I will have to do more searching!

[HappyMaz]

Yes, you're right - the Foundation Stage doesn't seem to cover birth to five as ours do. In which case, if it was me and there isn't a published curriculum for pre-school children then I would use the development matters statements from the EYFS.