34.2: Reflect and Evaluate

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Amanda Taintor

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Looking Back

As caregivers implement their plans with children and families, they continue to observe and document the experiences. They ask questions such as "How did it go?" "What worked well and why?" "What didn't work and why?" and "What changes could be made?" They may ask themselves these questions in the middle of trying a new experience or later as they reflect on and evaluate the day or week. The answers to questions like these must be fed back into the cycle of individualization as caregivers continue to observe, document, reflect, interpret, plan, and implement.

Becoming skilled in these activities means caregivers:

Become better prepared to understand each infant and toddler's developmental stage.
Show thoughtfulness about how to offer support to further each child's development and learning.
Demonstrate through actions that they understand the critical role positive adult-child relationships play in how infants and toddlers develop.
Support the family's role as their child's first and most important caregiver.
Know the value of families' input and actively seek it out.
Evaluate the effectiveness of what they implement by continually observing, reflecting, communicating with families, and refining their plan.

As caregivers become more purposeful in their individualization practices, they see more and more opportunities to plan for possibilities and learning opportunities that nurture each infant, toddler, and family. This intentional, individualized care is the path to positive learning and life outcomes for very young children and their families.[1]

[1] Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families , ECLKC Early Head TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPER NO. 16 INDIVIDUALIZING CARE FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS – PART 1. Is in the public domain