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4: Observation and Documentation - The Key to Intentional Teaching

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    291524
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    To provide children with a safe and nurturing learning environment and to maintain program effectiveness, teachers must incorporate observation, documentation, and assessment into their daily routines. To truly be effective, teachers must develop skills and strategies that are grounded in best practices. In this chapter, you will be presented with information that highlights how observation and documentation can be used as a key strategy to ensure intentional teaching. You will examine the initial steps to take to become a skilled observer, and you will reflect on how to objectively document the interactions that you see and the conversations that you hear. It is important to note that becoming a skilled observer takes time and practice, and that learning how to incorporate observation, documentation, and assessment into your regular routines and daily duties requires some thoughtful consideration.

    By the end of this chapter, readers will be able to:

    1) Describe how observation and documentation are critical skills necessary to support children's development,

    2) Understand and be able to explain the difference between spontaneous and planned observations,

    3) Demonstrate objective observation writing, limiting use of bias and opinions.

    4) Use consideration of ethical guidelines when observing young children.

    Contributions from

    Michelle Sands, Northern Illinois University


    This page titled 4: Observation and Documentation - The Key to Intentional Teaching is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gina Peterson and Emily Elam.

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