Effective Observation And Assessment Advice

[Clairelu]

Hi all,

I am just looking for some advice on making assessment and observation more effective in my Reception Class. I am starting my final term as an NQT (started in the school in January) and would really like to improve on my assessment methods as I kind of muddled through last year. Currently (as advised by the LEA) I make one tracking observation per child per term. I have activity observation sheets for each focused activity they do (tick box to say if they have reached the objective of the activity plus space for notes if needed). I also use post-it notes for general observation in CI play but with this I am not always been consistent. It sometimes feels like I am constantly writing notes and not actually interacting with the children. Do you have set times to observe and others to just interact?

 

Any advice would be gratefully accepted.

Thanks,

Claire

[Guest]

We use post it notes for the ancedotal 'catch it if you can' type of observations

 

We use an A4 sheet (mainly blank) but with some 'prompts' on it for obs during child initiated play - like you we aim for one of these per child per term.

 

We have assessment sheets to use with focussed activities.

 

Last year we used lots of class observation sheets - a sheet with every child's name written on it and a small space for notes. However, although I found these very useful and efficient they don't count for much with regard to the profile, so I might not use them so much this year.

 

I have tied myself up in notes with making, 'unplanned' and 'planned' observation sheets, and 'participant observation sheets' but basically if you catch significant learning in a child initiated situation I think you are doing the right thing.

 

Sorry I meant 'tied myself up in knots' not notes - but thinking about it, may be I do mean notes!

[rosemaryhoyle]

I'm feeling completely the same at the moment. Trust me you are not alone. After readng lots of posts on this site I have decided to keep a file for each area of learning and in each file are the profile points in a plastic wallet. There is a forum somewhere where someone has postedcopies of theses profile points in each area. I'm not sure how to make the link but I'm sure someone will be along to help you with this. In each of these wallets I will keep any post its, group observations and photographs related to that profile point. These seems to be that way that a lot of people on this site seem to be doing it. I'm also going to keep a seperate file with each child's name in and keep a record of the sounds they recognise, numbers they recognise and a keyword assessment. Not sure at the moment whether I'll keep anything else in this. I'll let you know how it goes and I'm sure others will be along to give you their suggestions too. Good luck!

[Marion]

We have a list with all the childrens names and a space to record if they were able to complete the task or struggle and a space to make comments to pass onto the rest of the staff we use for adult led activities.

Also have a variety of observation sheets we use for planned obesrvations

[rosemaryhoyle]

That's the way I've been doing it too. I have a class ticklists next to me when completing a teacher directed activity with the profile points it refers to across the top. Next to each name is enough space to write how they found the activity.