Observation: A Toolkit of Methods
(K4C1) CDA7

Why do we need a toolkit?

Most households have a toolkit. We need different tools for different jobs. We may need a power tool for one reason and a simple screwdriver for another. Likewise, in observation you use different tools or methods depending on our reasons. You may want to discover what new interests the children have, to figure out what is working in your programs and what isn’t, to understand a child’s behavior, or to determine if you are meeting goals for the children and families. Whether you simply want to see and learn all you can about a child or recording developmental skills for assessment purposes, knowing when to use your tools is a key element in the art of observation.

When to use a toolkit?

Our words as a tool

What you write down is your most powerful tool. When your writing reflects the action of the child being observed in an objective, non-judgmental way, your observations can help each child grow and develop. When you write observations from a point of view that includes your feelings and opinions, you run the risk of not seeing all the possibilities. It takes a little practice to get to the point of writing objectively. Think in terms of verbs, of writing the actions you see and not your feelings.

Writing objectively gives us more information to examine. We learn that Sara is independent and self-directed in choosing an activity. We learn she is struggling with the 8-piece puzzle and might be more successful with a puzzle with fewer pieces. She has the self-help skill of being able to tie her own shoes. She also practices self-control in using her words to ask for a turn at painting and she has discovered how to make the color orange. This is valuable information to use in planning for Sara and for sharing with her parents, who are curious to know if she will be ready for kindergarten in the fall.

More tools: the nuts and bolts of observation

Brief notes – a brief notation of an observation

Writing brief notes is the best way to get your feet wet observing. Teachers who are involved and busy find this a good starting point. Some educators develop a code or a shorthand way of writing brief notes about what they are observing. They do this on sticky note pads or on mailing labels that can be placed later in the child’s folder along with samples of work, drawings, or pictures. Keep sticky notes and mailing label sheets on a shelf or counter for easy access. Planning and carrying through on observations becomes easier with practice.

Running records – detailed narrative accounts of behavior written as it happens

Like anecdotal records, running records are longer narratives that include details. Running records require you to be fully focused on the observation and recording behavior as you see it happening. Is there a child who is having difficulty adjusting to the program? A child whose behavior has been a concern? Do you need to know if children can demonstrate new learning skills you’ve been teaching? Running records can help you see and make connections when you have a specific concern or want to identify specific learning abilities.

Frequency count – a method of recording how often a specific event or behavior occurs

Frequency count is sometimes called an event recording. This method allows you to measure how often an event occurs. When you look at program planning, frequency count can help you see if your environment is set up well and working. Do the children seem to be crowding into certain play areas and avoiding other areas? Are there play problems that could be avoided? Frequency count can easily show you. Using a piece of paper, make columns for each area and set off a time period of five minutes to record with tally marks where children are playing. In five minutes, check again and using tally marks enter the number of children in the next column and note the time at the top. This is a helpful way to discover how the environment is being used and identify areas that need attention.

Checklists – a list of specific traits or behaviors that are clearly observable

We know all children develop in their own way at their own pace. Understanding the different ages and stages of child development is important for early educators. Using a simple checklist of developmental abilities for different ages that can be checked off as observed is one way to document developmental growth. Early educators find them easy to use because they can check off many behaviors at once. Checklists are a good tool to use for curriculum planning and encouraging new growth and learning.

Drawings, photographs and work samples – documentation of children’s work represented in various forms

When children work on projects, a method of observation that is often overlooked is capturing the action in a photograph. It’s a good idea to have a camera ready to use. Saving artwork, samples of writings, and books children create are all ways to document observations. These items can be displayed for families to see or share during conferences. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Educators use other methods and tools, such as recording devices in observing. Videotapes and audiotapes can be useful in catching the actions and activities of children during play, storytelling, puppet shows, and field trips. Various computer programs are fast becoming another method that teachers are using to store and organize observations. If these options are available, they can be helpful enhancements to observations.

Keep the child in mind when observing

Jotting down notes on sticky pads, writing more detailed narration on index cards, or developing simple checklists are all informal methods of recording and documenting observations. They can help you build strong relationships with both children and families and plan for the individual needs of each child. More formal assessment tools and screening tests are available and may be required, but can be risky for young children who can be confused by standardized questions and tests. Whatever the method we choose to use, it should be kept in balance. The end result of all observations should be to find the best strategies and resources to help each individual child learn and develop.

Involve children in observations

The children can be part of their own observations. Record what children have to say about what they are learning. What do they think about their work? What would they like to do differently? Let them be part of the process in planning for their own success. When children begin to have a vision for themselves, you are laying the groundwork for them to be active participants in their own learning. Children take great pride in their accomplishments and are very honest and open in assessing themselves and the direction they need to go. Listen to them.

Organize your tools

Files, folders, and portfolios

There are many ways to store your observations. Coordinating files and folders into a single portfolio file for each child is one idea. As long as each child has a place for their notes and items, there is room for creativity in finding a set-up that works. Sticky notes or mailing labels can be attached to index cards and inserted in the filing system for each child. Pictures, drawings, and books that children create are all excellent samples to keep on file, for display purposes or to share with families. These files are great reference tools in looking at how far a child has come.

Planning methods, recording information, and organizing your observations take time. It is important to schedule this practice into your program. Having a system you can depend on for easy access to information, and having it ready for planning activities and meeting with parents, is a sign of professionalism. Early childhood educators have much to learn from their observations. It is not only a basis in planning for children, but in evaluating your own teaching practices and planning appropriate professional development.