CD34 Observation#1 Narrative Guidelines (45 pts)

This experience is designed to help you explore and practice being an observer and objectively record what you see and hear children doing and saying as you watch them interact with each other and their teachers. In this observation, select one child under the age of 6 and write as many descriptive notes for the length of one half hour. Since we are still in Pandemic Safe Distance mode you can observe your own child or child in your household. If you decide to visit a family member or friend outside of your home or “pandemic pod” you must take extra precautions of washing your hands and wearing a mask at all times. Please do not put yourself or others at risk for this assignment. I can give you an optional virtual video observation if you do not have a live child to observe in your immediate household.

General Guidelines to Being an Observer

• Find a comfortable place to sit with a good view of most of the room.
• Keep in the background so that the teachers/adults and children can forget you are there.
• If the children ask what you are doing, say something truthful but ambiguous, such as “writing.”
• If the children ask for your help, direct them to a teacher whenever possible. DO NOT INTERACT WITH THE CHILDREN YOU ARE OBSERVING.
• Try to keep any particular child you are observing from being overly conscious of your attention, by making regular glances to other places or children in the room.

Objective vs. Subjective Records

When observing children it is tempting to interpret their behavior in terms of “good” or “bad,” “pleasing” or “displeasing”, etc. It is important to describe or record objectively what the child does or says WITHOUT interpretation. Accurate records are more usable for later interpretation.

While you observe Take NOTES in the following Areas in Observing an Individual Child (DO NOT SUBMIT NOTES)

Physical Appearance (4 pts)

• Describe the child’s physical characteristics, prominent features, distinguishing marks – what makes them unique? (include gender, age, height/weight descriptions)
• Describe the child’s dress and appearance

Body Movements and Use of Body (2 pts)

• Describe the child’s movements
• Make note of fine/gross motor skills

Speech (3 pts)

• Describe the child’s tone of voice – what makes it different/unique?
• How often and with whom do they speak with?
• Give an example of their speech

Emotional Reactions (2 pts)

• Describe how and when they express their feelings (through their body/facial expressions)
• Provide an example

This is how your assignment will be graded so make sure to TYPE UP YOUR OBSERVATION REPORT for the child in the Narrative format see template below highlighted in yellow, (as the action unfolds):

• Observation Descriptors and Context: location, date, time, and play area the observation took place (4 pts)
• Body: minimum one full page, in paragraphs – detailing what occurred in chronological order including descriptions in above Areas of Notice (22 pts)
• Conclusion: Tell me overall how the observation went. Why did you select those subjects to observe? Were there any challenges? Did you enjoy the process why/why not? (4 pts)
• Use detailed descriptions and examples to capture the child as objectively as possible (10 pts)
• Please edit your paper to check for format, grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, tense errors (5pts)

WHEN YOU TYPE UP YOUR REPORT YOU MUST USE THE FOLLOWING TEMPLATE:

CD34Obs1NarrativeWestUpdated.docx

If you do not have a live child to observe under the age of 6 please use the following video to write your Observation #1:

Link

Remember to only pause this video to take note of the static descriptors and physical characteristics. After you write that down you SHOULD NOT PAUSE THE VIDEO. (I can see if you paused the video) You should let the video run as if you were in the classroom observing the little girl with the pink top and dark blue jeggings. Give the child a respectful Alias. I know this simulation is not optimal but it’s the best I was able to find.