Chapter 1: Getting Started 

 
 
Fact Reflection 
1-1 (Why Observe?)  Having this clear understanding of some 
❖ When a teacher observes a child,  steps to take when observing helps relieve 
information is collected and  some pressure that might be on the 
measured against a whole body of  teacher’s shoulders.  
knowledge about child development 
in general and that child in 
particular. 
❖ Teachers can use the 
observe-decide-act sequence based 
on their observations and 
interpretations of those 
observations 
➢ Estimated that teachers 
make thousands of decisions 
in one day! 

1-1a (Safety)   Safety is of the utmost importance when it 

❖ The most important reason for  comes to dealing with children. Keeping a 
watching children is to keep them  watchful eye can help reduce situations 
safe.   that may be harmful.  
❖ Use the observe-decide-act method 
to prevent potentially dangerous 
situations 

1-1b (Physical Health)  My mother has had to send several 

❖ Recognizing the signs of sickness or  students to the nurse because of lice 
disease is another reason to  infestations. She would then have to take 
observe, decide, and act.  further steps to notify the families of all 
➢ Teacher noticing warning  the students, leaving out names of course, 
signs for chicken pox is then  but to let them know lice has found its way 
able to notify adults and  into the classroom. If she is not diligent, 
hopefully prevent other  observant, and informative, the situation 
students from getting ill.   could be alot worse.  
❖ Observing a child’s work, as well as 
the child as they work, gives 
valuable information 

1-1c (Know the Child)  It helps to know what a child likes or 
❖ Adult observes child to discover  doesnt like in order to best have the 
interests.  material stick in their minds. It also sets 
 ❖ Observing how the child plays and  them up with the idea that they can make 
operates is a way to build bridges  their own connections outside of the 
from interests to planning, from  classroom even in the simple act of playing 
home to school, and helps to make  with toys. All learning begins from adults.  
the curriculum relevant.  

1-1d (Assistance)  It’s important to help children, but also 

❖ Adults help children with tasks that  understanding the moments when they can 
are too hard for them.  try to do things for themself. Finding and 
❖ Observation may indicate that help  understanding that balance is achievable 
is needed  through observation 
➢ Diaper needs to be changed, 
something needs to be 
cleaned, etc 

1-1e (Curriculum Planning to Extend  My mom has a classroom this year in 
Learning)  which a majority of her students, either 
❖ Teaching is building bridges,  male or female, enjoy Pokemon. She takes 
making connections between new  the time in the morning before instruction 
information and old based on topics  begins and during snack breaks to ask 
that are relevant and of interest to  about what the student’s favorite pokemon 
the group.   are and incorporates it throughout lessons 
❖ Through observations, teachers can  when deemed fit. She has noticed it makes 
identify a teachable moment,  a significant difference in their learning, as 
budding interest, and a blossoming  they are more inclined to pay attention. 
skill.  
❖ Providing materials, activities, and 
opportunities to build on that 
observed development will 
capitalize on it  

1-1f (Communication with the Child)  I enjoy piaget’s method. I have had 
❖ Every child deserves the individual  teachers in the past that either with or 
attention of the teacher.   without being aware, have made me feel 
❖ Piaget’s cognitive questioning  inferior to my peers and to myself by 
method: delve more deeply into  shutting down a wrong answer. I think it 
children’s “wrong” answers. In  is important to make sure that each 
doing so, thinking processes are  student feels valid and comfortable in 
explored.   answering and asking questions in the 
classroom.  

1-1g (Communication with the Family)  Weekly notes about what is going on in 
❖ Talking with the family about the  the classroom, around the school and or 
child’s daily communicates to them  district could be good things to include in a 
that   newsletter, email, or text chain.  
 ➢ The child is under a watchful   
eye   
➢ They are included in their  My mother is still good friends with my 
child’s life  elementary teachers to this day because of 
➢ Teacher observes and relates  the teacher’s investment in having her feel 
important developments in  welcomed to ask questions and be informed 
their child's actions, instead  about what was going on in the class.  
of just relaying a grade or 
score 
❖ Observation gives descriptive 
accounts of the child’s behavior and 
skills from the point of view of 
achievement rather than deficit. 

1-1h (Guidance)  This serves as another reason for the 

❖ Prevention is always better than  importance of observing and knowing the 
remedy  do’s and don’ts of the process.  
❖ The teacher watches for impeding 
struggles that may escalate into bad 
situations 
❖ Through observation, potential 
problems can be averted.  

1-1i (Measure Progress, Assessment,   

Evaluation)  Hard to know what is right and wrong if 
❖ Comparisons over time are good  you don’t take the time to process your 
measures of development.  actions. No real change can be made if you 
➢ The child’s social world is  don’t  
portrayed in the pictures he   
paints   
❖ Many areas of development can be   
observed in this one activity and in   
changes from paintings done a few   
weeks ago   
❖ In order to measure progress,   
teachers watch children to gather   
information   
❖ Assessment: t​ he process of   
documenting a child’s knowledge,   
skills, and attitudes in measureable   
terms.   
➢ Observation is the best  Assessment is a great way to know what 
method for assessment  to keep and eliminate in terms of teaching. 
➢ Assessment measures where  Without this step, old and bad habits have 
the child is at this point in  the potential to be repeated, leaving no 
 time. May alert the observer  room for new, fresh, and fun ideas to be 
to unusually delayed or  explored.  
accelerated development 
❖ Evaluation: ​the decision-making 
step of assessment 
➢ Based on prior knowledge 
and comparing observations 
with that prior knowledge 

1-1j (Referral)  As a future speech pathologist, I need to 

❖ Certain behaviors, actions, and  understand the importance of referrals.  
skills- or lack of them- will send an   
alert calling for a closer look at a  The teacher or observer should feel 
developmental area  comfortable and confident in my abilities to 
❖ “Would you like to tell me about  bring out the child’s best.  
your painting?   
➢ Important to not rush to   
conclusions   
❖ Referral: ​a recommendation made   
for further evaluation by a helping   
professional    
➢ May be for further   
evaluation in a specific area,   
such as hearing, speech,   
physical, or cognitive   
development   
➢ Family involvement and   
decision making in the   
referral process are pivotal   
factors.  Not only is this important in a career 
❖ Knowledge, careful judgment,  setting, but can be a habit that should be 
empathy, and consideration are  built into our daily lives. In doing so, this 
important skills for the teacher in  practice can be transferred into our work.  
all these circumstances, for both 
referrals and reporting. 

1-1k (Self-Reflection)  I view this as another necessary and 

❖ Through observing and recording,  important step of the observation process. 
questions can be answered and  In my opinion, it should not be skipped 
teacher’s personal effectiveness can  over.  
be measured  
➢ The child’s interest in a 
planned activity can indicate 
to the teacher the level of 
appropriateness.  
1-1l (Accountability)  Teachers should be proud of their 
❖ Collecting high-quality data  observational work and in sharing their 
through reliable child assessments  discoveries if need be.  
is a way to view the child and   
program objectively    
❖ Proof is needed to show that the   
children are learning and meeting   
the standards and expected   
outcomes   
❖ By systematically using observation   
and other assessment tools, the  Following all the steps and practices 
teacher and caregiver can gather  within the observational process will only 
information and raise awareness  allow room for growth for as an educator.  
about development and work 
through potential issues, and 
become better at and more 
intentional with their planning. 

1-2 (Why Write It Down?)  Our minds process so much information 

❖ Recording: a​ system or method of  and knowing this fact and the methods to 
writing down what has been  help with processing it all is important to 
observed  know for any career field.  
➢ Used here to refer to a 
written account or notation 
of what is being observed 

1-2a (Remember)  Aside from knowing that writing 

❖ Information stays in the memory  information down is important, it is vital 
longer because it was written down.  that the recorder knows which methods 
➢ Written words form a visual  are appropriate for each situation.  
and kinetic or physical 
connection in the brain, 
assisting memory and recall 
even when the visual cues 
are not present.  

1-2b (Compare)  Without looking back on these notes, there 

❖ Children are expected to change, so  would be no point in observing, as the 
a mark of comparison is needed.  whole point is to better understand the 
❖ By writing information down,  child and the methods of learning they 
teachers have tangible comparison  come across in their daily lives. 
points 
❖ Written observations that are 
thorough, objective, regular, and 
done during daily routines and 
 child-initiated play are accurate 
measures of the child’s progress.  

1-2c (Amplify Later)   

❖ There may not be enough time to 
write down a lot of info, so the 
teacher can jot down a few strategic 
notes to jog memory later.  

1-2d (Catch and Preserve Details)   

❖ Details are quickly forgotten 
➢ Details can give clues to 
trends or correlations that 
are not seen at the time. On 
closer examination and 
comparison, they can gain 
significance. 

1-2e (Serve as a Literacy Role Model)  Monkey-see, Monkey-do. Children’s minds 

❖ Children need to see adults writing  and personalities are little sponges. It is 
❖ Literacy is an important concept to  important to know this in order to put your 
teach young children  best foot forward in and outside of the 
❖ Stating to child “I’m writing this  classroom.  
down so I won’t forget” shows that 
writing is a way to help memory 
and will entice the child’s desire to 
want to write himself. 
❖ Having a literacy rich environment 
is vital 
➢ Dramatic play area in which 
they can target large and 
small motor skills 
➢ Cubbies 
➢ Group areas 

1-2f Document   
❖ Reliable research demands hard 
data. 
❖ Document: a​ ction of preserving 
data for later review  
❖ In the case of potential child abuse,  
➢ Reports must be accurate 
and show that child was not 
led or influenced in order for 
the disclosure to be 
 supportable evidence 

1-3a (Why Use Different Observation  As previously mentioned, teachers and 

Methods?)  observers need to not only understand the 
❖ All methods are based on  importance of observation but every 
observation and measurement of  branch and uses of each branch.  
those observations, but they differ   
in technique, content, and approach.    
➢ Each method is a technique   
to focus on a behavior, skill,   
or action of an individual   
child or the whole group.   
❖ Narrative Recordings: t​ ells a story   I noticed that no matter the method, there 
➢ Anecdotal Recordings,  is no room for bias or prejudiced writings. 
interviews, running records  If one of these methods become subjective, 
❖ Criterion-reference recordings:  it should be disregarded in its entirety and 
method that provides a  a new set of ethical observations should 
predetermined standard or guideline  take place.  
to look for and measure against 
➢ Class list logs, checklists, 
rating skills 
❖ Quantitative Recordings​: method 
that provides a numerical count of 
individual or group actions 
➢ Time samples, frequency 
counts 
❖ Work Samples: m ​ ethod that 
preserves the child’s work as a 
documentation of development 
➢ Drawings, writings, 
constructions 

1-3b (When to Observe?)  Children are both simple and complex 

❖ In play, children can be themselves,  creatures. It is a gift that we know where 
with their behavior speaking the  they can their most authentic selves and 
language of who they are and what  know how to observe within these 
they think and feel.   contexts.   
➢ Every domain of 
development can be observed 
and assessed.  

1-3c (What are the Roles of the  As a speech pathologist, I will most-likely 
Observer?)  take on the role of non-participant 
❖ The participant observer is  observer. It is important for me to 
observing and taking notes at the  understand and make sure that I am not a 
 same time  disruption within the classroom and can 
➢ Actively engaged with the  gather the most accurate and ethical 
children  information possible.  
❖ Teacher    
➢ Teaching demands full   
attention to children while   
thinking on another level   
about what is important   
about what just happened   
and how to make note of it to   
remember  My goal in observing should always be to 
❖ Student Teacher  better understand the child in order to aid 
➢ Student teacher is actively  them in meeting their full potential.  
engaged with children as 
well as observing and 
recording 
❖ Home-Visitor 
➢ Videotaping is allowed, 
tape-recording and/or 
writing on sticky notes they 
key observations after the 
visit 
❖ Non-participant observer 
➢ Finds a place in classroom 
that is out of way, but where 
full observation of space can 
occur 
➢ This non-intrusive vantage 
point does not influence the 
children’s behavior 

1-4 (Building Child Development  Taking observational notes is essential and 

Portfolios)  having a place to store them and refer to 
❖ Without a foundational knowledge  later is equally as important.  
of child development, behavior is 
observed, seen, but not recognized 
for its importance. 
❖ Knowledge of child development 
helps you to understand what 
typical children of this age know 
and can do.  
➢ Your observations will help 
you know what this 
particular child knows and 
 can do 

1-4a (Child Development)  Development starts in the womb and is 

❖ Development: ​change that takes  shaped everyday the child lives and 
place in a predictable sequence,  interacts in the world. One child’s 
from simple to complex, but at a  developmental goals and perspectives will 
different pace for individual people.  not be the same as another's.  
➢ Results from biological 
maturation and experiences 
➢ Occurs best when children 
have secure relationships 
with responsive adults and 
peers 
➢ Play is an important vehicle 
for all areas of development 
➢ Child’s experiences shapes 
their motivation and 
approaches to learning 

1-4b (Portfolio Assessment)  I never thought of teachers being 

❖ Time can be a demotivator for  scientists, but upon further reading, that is 
building a portfolio  entirely true. It doesn’t make it any less 
❖ A collection of written observations,  true simply because I’m not in a lab coat or 
no matter how meticulous they  in a traditional lab setting.  
were written, is meaningless   
without an organization and   
application for their use.   
❖ Portfolios can be a valid, reliable   
replacement or augmentation for   
standardized testing.    
❖ Close observation of routine events   
helps the teacher evaluate and make   
decisions   
❖ The goal is to be accurate,  Once again, being objective and ethical is 
objective, not to attach a  key.  
non-existent label, and to remain 
ethical and confidential in your 
writings.  
❖ Teachers are scientists, taking the 
ecological view (consideration of all 
aspects that influence a human 
being), by studying children in their 
natural, comfortable settings vs a 
controlled lab setting.