Date completed: Spring 2017

Date submitted: Spring 2017

Title of Artifact: Observation #4- Child Study #1
Standard: Standard One- Learner Development

I am placing my artifact, Observation #4- Child Study #1, under Standard One, Learner
Development as evidence of continued mastery towards recognizing the patterns of learning and
development within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas. In
the Pre-Observation section of my observation I have included information as to why doing a
child study is extremely beneficial. Child studies determine how we grow and develop and help
the teachers determine how to make their lessons so they are developmentally appropriate for
each child. The Pre-Observation section of this observation shows how child studies collaborates
with Standard One, Learner Development.
I. Observation 4:
Kindergarten Enrichment (KE) classroom at All Day Learning Centers
II. Grade:
Kindergarten Enrichment
III. Students:
13 total
7 girls and 6 boys
IV. Setting:
Kindergarten Enrichment classroom at All Day Learning Centers
Multi-age classroom (5 and 6 year olds)
13 students
1 lead teacher (Miss Erica S)
Ratio is 1 to 15 (1 teacher per 15 students)
V. Pre-Observation:
To prepare for this observation and doing a child study on a student in the classroom I
read the article, Why is it important that we study children? It states that it is essential
that we study children to understand how they grow and develop from infants to adults.
While doing a child study, we look at the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical areas
of one specific child. Doing child studies also helps parents be patient when it comes to
reaching milestones because when it comes down to it each child is different in their own
way. The article states, Knowing how kids think, feel and why they behave the way they
do helps the individuals caring for them to make better judgments regarding how to
respond and helps them identify appropriate ways of interacting with them.
VI. Data:
This week I decided to start a child study on one of the students in the Kindergarten
room. I asked the teacher who would be a good child to do this study on and she told me
that I should do it on this one boy in particular who is 5 years old. I was not only to
observe this child in the classroom but the teacher told me how he is in all the four
domains. She also told me about his morning. First, in the social category I noticed that
this child often wanders off by himself while playing in free time. He either goes by
himself or when he is with a group of friends he is very controlling and wants to be the
boss of everyone. The teacher told me that other students will invite him over to play but
then just gets some toys and plays by himself. I noticed this when they were doing
centers. He was in the center with the other children but wasnt interacting with them.
Another thing I noticed is that he has a potty chart in the room. He has certain times that
he needs to use the bathroom because if he doesnt go he will have an accident. He ended
up having an accident during circle time and the teacher noticed his pants were wet. He
doesnt tell the teacher that he needs to use the bathroom. If the teacher doesnt tell him
to use the bathroom, he wont go. The teacher told him to go get his change of clothes
and go to the bathroom to change. She also wrote a note to his mother. Second, in the
emotional category this child doesnt really have control over his emotions. He wants it
his way or the highway. The teacher told me about a conversation or a fight he and his
mother were having in the morning. The mom couldnt make him lunch this morning so
he was going to order school lunch. He refused to talk to his mom about what school
lunch he wanted for the day. He was yelling at her telling her that he needed to make his
lunch. Finally the mother had to leave for work and the teacher had to handle the
situation. He also refused to talk to the teacher when asking him what school lunch he
wanted. The teacher ended up choosing the school lunch for him because he wouldnt
talk. She chose the lunch he knew he would like. Third, in the physical category I noticed
that this boy is very active. While doing journals he couldnt sit still for more than a few
seconds. He was swinging and kicking his legs and basically trying to lay on the table. He
was doing his work but his body was just all over the place. Even during circle time while
all of the other students were sitting criss crossed, this child was flailing his arms and legs
and wouldnt sit still even when the teacher spoke to him to sit still. He just couldnt do it
and was so jittery. Lastly, in the cognitive category this child is outstanding. The teacher
told me he can read and write. He can read simple books that are appropriate for his age.
When doing this child study they were doing journals on an American hero and I was
able to see his writing. I was also able to gather other journals that he has completed.
Although the spelling isnt completely correct he is really good at sounding out his letters
and conjunctions. I have included some pictures of his journal work to show.

In this journal entry the beginning of the sentence was written out and the students had to
finish the rest. This child wrote, I was disappointed when the ground hog did not come
out today. Although not everything is spelled correctly, he sounded the words out and
wrote exactly what it sounded like.
In this journal entry the students had to write where they would drive a bus to. This
student wanted to drive the bus to pizza planet. His letter zs are backwards and he
spelled the word planet just how he sounded it out.

This journal entry started off with I want a and the child I was observing wanted a
drone. When he sounded it out, the dr sound sounded like a j to him. So instead of
writing drone he wrote jron.
VII. Analysis:

Although
this child
doesnt
excel in
the social,
emotional
and
physical areas, he does a great job when it comes to the cognition aspect of the four
domains. I can understand that this child cant sit still and maybe there is and underlying
issue of ADHD because he can focus but cant sit still. I was just surprised when I saw
him read and try to write because he does really well.
VIII. Recommendations:
What I would recommend for the teacher in order to try and help this child sit still in
class is to read the article, 10 Tips To Get Your Students To Sit Quietly In Class/ Circle
Time. I really like the ten tips that this article had and I feel if the teacher tried this with
him that maybe his physical aspects would calm down and he could learn to sit still and
not be so jittery. Some of the tips included making sure the table and chain height were
appropriate, use bean bags or place mats as markers on where to sit on the carpet, and to
identify those who have trouble sitting up and have them sit against a wall or sit back in a
chair.
IX. Post-Observation:
I love the daycare that I am working and doing these observations allows me to pay even
more attention to the children in their classroom. I am considered a floater, which means I
dont have a specific room that I am in all day. I am able to see what goes on in all the
classrooms and I get to know all of the children. Although I would like to have a set
classroom, knowing all of the children in the school is pretty awesome rather than just in
one class. All of the children know who I am so not only can I observe them, I can also
teach them something. They look up to me as one of their teachers and I will be there to
help them with whatever it is they need. I am so happy to have the opportunity to work in
such a great daycare that allows me to not only work there but also observe each
classroom in order to get my schoolwork done.
X. Citations:
Michael, D. (2011, March 10). 10 Tips To Get Your Students To Sit Quietly In Class/
Circle Time. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from
http://nspt4kids.com/parenting/10-tips-to-get-your-students-to-sit-quietly-in-
classcircle-time/
Why is it important that we study children? (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2017, from
https://www.reference.com/world-view/important-study-children-
9ec2348559d58723