Observation: Reasons For Observing Children And Issues Before Starting

Why observe?

The person needs to make detailed note and sensitive observations to really see what children make and do, to they can make sense of their actions. They want to make note to recognize their achievements and to create further learning opportunities. The important things that let each one make observe for the children is to explore some of the wider implications, to explore some of the wider implications and to help the good observation.

Overview

This chapter explore the reasons of why they have to observe the child. It is easy way in the world to observe the child while they are playing in the first. They are exploring many important reasons why they have to observe the kids in addition ethical considerations and being respectful of the children are considered.

Introduction

The observation, assessment and planning cycle most naturally starts at observation. It is the bedrock upon which all else is built. Without 18 PART ONE GETTING STARTED knowing your children, understanding their interests and existing knowledge, you cannot plan meaningful, challenging and exciting activities for them. In practice this means that every practitioner must, by law, plan challenging and enjoyable experiences. This is not possible if the children are not understood as individuals. Not all boys’ will like cars, not all babies will like painting their hands.

Reasons for observing children

There are five reasons to observe the children. These cover the majority of reasons for observing children, although there may be others, such as ensuring their safety and welfare or being aware of when a baby needs a nappy change.

1 Tuning into the child

To they can get the wavelength they have to tune into a child. This may be as simple as noticing that a baby always reaches for a shiny object, or that a toddler becomes more animated when a particular piece of music comes on. This can only be truly achieved by spending time with the child, with their social group and in different environments. Montessori (1994) have sensitive periods when the kids seem to have a strong attentiveness to special area of development also they can have many information and learning most effectively. Curtis and OHagan (2003) call these prime times when the brain will develop in specific areas. By this identifying they can observations the child’s development and supported learning, also they can make informed decisions as to activities and resources to provide. In practice it is sometimes easier to tune into certain children than others. Because there is such a difference in children between the ages of O and 5, It is to be expected that practitioners may prefer one age range to another. This can be used to advantage, by matching practitioners and their preference, but sometimes this is not possible so practitioners should learn how to tune into the child at any developmental stage.

2 Schema spotting

As children develop, schemas may become more evident. Schemas are defined by Athey (1990) as ‘patterns of behavior and thinking in children that exist underneath the surface feature of various contents, contexts and specific experience’ (p. Nutbrown (2006: 10) extends this to patterns of ‘action and behaviour’, Schemas then are the repeated actions of children exhibited during their play, drawings and speech. For example, for a child with a transporting schema, carrying (transporting) objects is the most important or engaging part of their play. Athey (1990: 62) describes 10 graphic, 11 space and 9 dynamic schemas, which vary from transporter to going through a boundary. The best thing that they identify or spot a child who has a strong schema because the practitioner can use that knowledge to select activities that will engage the child. Not all of the children may only show schematic play for a short period of time before 20 PART ONE GETTING STARTED moving onto another schema and some children may never display schematic play.

3 Special educational needs

In some condition a child from birth may have diagnosed special educational needs (SEN). These may be to demonstrate a lack of progress or plateauing of development or a developmental delay in a specified area of development, for example, the speech and language. Without the evidence of the observations, tracking development accurately is impossible.

4 Key person

There are many require, the requirement of the EYFS that every child attending a setting must have a key person. The key person will have some knowledge about their key child before they start at the setting, from the home visit or the registration information. The key person when they can’t present for both arrival and departure times, a second or ‘deputy’ key person may stand-in. The key person will note a lot of the observations for their key child. It is important to have the key person for each child. Bowlby found that children need to make a secure attachment to a ‘mother-figure, although he later made clear that this may not be a mother, but a significant adult in the child’s life, an ‘attachment-figure’ (p. Bowlby explored the characteristics of attachment and how attachment affected children and their development. Where children have a career or parent who is close, available and responsive they make ‘secure’ attachments (p. Conversely, if attachments are interrupted in any way, for example the career being in hospital for a significant period of time, then the attachment may no longer be ‘secure’, but may become ‘avoidant’ (p. If a child does not achieve a secure attachment in the first few years of life, this will affect relationships later on in life. Practitioners can begin to understand the importance of a close, trusting and loving relationship by understanding attachment theories. If a child does not achieve a secure attachment in the first few years of life, this will affect relationships later on in life. The Practitioners can feel they are concerned that their attachment to a child will replace the child’s love for their mother. In Nutbrown and Page (2008), Dr Page she talk movingly about her personal experiences of attachment and working with children.

5 Research

The research may be a formal requirement of a degree course perhaps as a long essay, which requires a literature review, a research methodology and so on. it is more likely that more informal type of observational research is going on every day, for example, change the clothes to learn more about the kids when they playing or trying kids in the first time their feeling of paint on their feet.

Before starting

Before start to observe the kids, there are some considerations about the methods of working with young children. We will explore the ethics of observing children and being respectful observer.

Ethics

Children observation is a pleasure and a privilege. They have to be aware that being involved with children also means having responsibilities for their own actions and always being aware of the children’s rights. Also they have to allowing the children not to be involved with activities: in brief, to act in a moral, ethical manner.

Informed consent

Most settings now have a blanket cover letter, where parents sign to give consent for their children to be photographed and observed while at the setting. The letter should be kept up to date and a check kept that every child is included. They have to use the development files onto school or another place, the special case is in instances of suspected maltreatment when suppliers must tell their kid protection organization ‘immediately’ (DfE 2012b: 14). A cautionary note on parental consent. Once in a while the parent or career might not have the legitimate capacity to give assent, for instance, if the appropriation isn’t lawfully finished at this point. It is acceptable practice to remember an area for the registration structures mentioning who has parental assent, to spare any confusion later on. It is morally solid to have the youngster’s assent just as parent’s assent. So picking up assent implies guaranteeing, however much as could be expected, that the youngster comprehends what is engaged with the specialist watching or shooting them. By demonstrating kids the picture promptly, professionals have a chance to check with the kid whether they give there agree to keep it or not. Where infants and little kids are concerned the assent might be as basic as the kid grinning, being substance or approaching join an action. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF 2012) obviously states in Article 3 that ‘in all activities concerning children. The eventual benefits of the youngster will be an essential consideration’, This ought to be viewed as while doing perceptions, For instance, is the movement set up to address the issues of the professional or following the requirements and interests of the kid?

Being respectful of the child during observations

Being aware and respectful to kids is tied in with Listening to their perspectives and focusing on their desires. As Siraj-Blatchford (1996: 24) remarks, the manner in which youngsters feel about themselves is found out and each kid ought to reserve the option to like herself. This is cherished in the Children Act 1989 which, as per Curtis and O’Hagan (2003), expressed that the ‘welfare of the kid is vital and permitted youngsters’ suppositions to be considered’ (p. They proceed to talk about psychological mistreatment, which can be as straightforward as denying recognition of a kid (p. 20), when observing this implies continually being aware of the kid’s welfare and guaranteeing this is never deterred in any capacity. OK permit a kid to get on a seat? So in the models above, is the youngster hopping on the seat investigating their physical limits and critical thinking or is those kid showing troublesome conduct? In the statutory structure of the EYFS, professionals must accommodate ‘uniformity of opportunity and hostile to prejudicial work on, guaranteeing that each kid is incorporated and bolstered’ (DfE 2012: 2) and furthermore have equivalent opportunities strategies and techniques for youngsters in their consideration (DiE 2012b 26). For instance, recompense ought to be made for ‘social standards, for example, young ladies being required to help young men in certain societies.

What is a good observation?

To feel that you have a good observation you should have four components: the child name, the date, the time and the observation. Name of kid or children, the children being watched should be recognized, so the data can be utilized in appraisal, planning and record keeping. The age of the youngster can’t be fixed thus the noteworthiness of kid improvement can’t be found. In the event that a kid is checking to 100, for instance, this is a past desires for a 2-year-old, however sensibly typical for a 6-year-old. Time The hour of day might be a significant factor of the kid’s conduct and is valuable to help see designs developing. For instance, is a kid constantly disturbed near returning home time, when different guardians are showing up? This additionally empowers experts to follow their own perceptions, to guarantee that their perceptions spread each of the six arcos of learning and advancement or incorporate inside and outside perceptions, for instance. These four criteria are basic for a decent perception, to follow a youngster’s advancement and to be responsible.

The content of the observation is paramount. The sort of substance relies upon the kind of perception. Various kinds of perceptions are considered in more detail in the following part. As a rule the substance ought to be: Factual the specific event must be recorded. For example, John cried when the dad left him about five minutes. A poor example of this equivalent event would be John cried on the grounds that he didn’t need his father to go’. Deciphering the activities of the youngster, instead of simply recording the realities, may mean professionals miss examples of conduct. Right now could be that John misses his father, yet it could likewise be that he generally comes in hungry, so needs to have a jug arranged for when he shows up. Exact It nearly goes without saying that the perception should record what really occurred. This is the reason it is ideal to record occurrences as they happen, instead of holding up until the day’s end and reviewing’ the day’s perceptions. Point by point Depending on the sort of perception, the degree of detail will contrast. However, there ought to be adequate detail to mention the objective fact meaningful. Other kids present, careful toys being played with and potentially location (inside, outside). As a perception ‘playing on the bicycles gives no mapping data. The expertise recorded as hard copy observations from knowing, which lasts to Include and how a lot of detail is required. So when spotting constructions, it might be relevant to incorporate more insight regarding how the kids is playing was it the toys ((using to transport, envelope, rotate?) as opposed to simply the toys being utilized.

Sharing Observation

It is a good thing to share the observation with professionals. For example to share the observation with the parents or career. This can give extra context to the child’s play, such as reinforcement that the child is also fascinated with the washing machine spinning and other rotational toys at home. The parent’s observations and comments can be included on the observation sheet. At Pen Green research center in Corby, Dr Whalley has taken this even further with the Pen Green Loop’ (Whalley 2007: 126) where parents formally observe children in their home and the observations are fed back to the nursery staff. This requires parents to be trained in observation and to attend a feedback meeting each week, so this may not be suitable for all parents. However, parents can be encouraged to give even brief feedback about their child’s play at home. And finally, is the content of the observation factual, accurate and sufficiently detailed to be useful?