How Often Do You Observe?

[Guest]

Just wondering how often you all do formal written observations during the week?

I work in a nursery with 2 - 4 age group mixed. At the moment staff observe informally and we don't record anything. But I think it is important that we start using some format sheet to record what we see happening.

I'm thinking, at least one day, is this too many/too little?

Thanks for info!

Kelly

[Guest]

Child_observation_sheets.doclike you staff observe informally, but we also do a planned activity three times a week (a different one each time) and then observe the children at that planned activity. on the two days when we are not doing a planned activity we observe two children for ten - twenty mins in play, we use a seperate sheet for this (i will attatch it here for you).

staff feel a lot happier at using the observation sheet and feel they know there children a lot better now that they are doing focused observations on them.

 

Dawn

[Marion]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

We usually do formal observation for assessment or if we have concerns about a particular child or group of children.

Most of our observations are less formal recording only a few sentences or a brief note outlining what has been seen (these are done daily at all focused activities)

 

The observation sheet can be changed depending on group size

Group_Observation_Sheet.doc

[Susan]

hi and welcome lingwood.

 

Any notes you keep on activities as you work on them with children are observations!

[Guest]

I also like this observation sheet I got somewhere on the forum:

 

 

child_observation_sheet.xls

 

 

I also like this format I got from the forum I think:

 

OBSERVATION_NOTES.doc

[Guest]

Here is the observation sheet that we use if we are carrying out a formal obs, we have friday's 11-12 and afternoons to do these. The area of interest is often a profile statement. Then we have the informal obs sheet which we add to as often as poss and we use post its for speed and ease and stick them onto the informal obssheet there is no point re writing.

Child_Obs_Sheet.doc

observation_sheet_1.doc

Edited October 16, 2006 by Guest

[Guest]

We use sticky labels most of the time and just observe incidentally. Every so often, if a child is of concern for whatever reason, I'll observe them more formally. And we use these sheets (attached) when working on specific activity. We call it's 'Wows' and 'Ouches' for things that surprise us and things that make us think... 'Sheeeeesh, I thought you'd have been able to do that Jack!'

 

~ Porl

Scale_Point_observation.pdf