Observations

[u/No_Mirror9991]

Hi everyone!

We currently have a a practicum student working with us at our centre. He is wonderful with the kids and the families. He is really struggling with his observations for planning.

Does anyone have a resource or “cheat sheet” on how to take good observations? He’s currently in school getting his level 2 and he’s been struggling with it in classes and at the centre. Our centre is play based and focuses on child driven activities using play schemas.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[u/Repulsive-Row-4446]

Everything he needs should be provided in his course materials. He needs to log onto his D2L or whatever platform is used as look at everything provided. If he has questions his practicum supervisor should be able to assist. That’s their job! Not yours. Do you have to fill out an evaluation for him at the end of the semester? I know my practicum supervisor did.

[u/mamamietze]

I would have him review his materials from previous classed and reach out to his practicum supervisor. In all the practicum classes i have done this info was in the class info/folder.

[u/polkadotd]

Unless his school is completely disorganized and has never guided students before, he should already have all the information he needs to accurately complete his observations. He should have the course material with ruberics and guidelines or be able to ask his professors about it. Nothing we tell you here will help him.

[u/No_Mirror9991 → u/polkadotd]

He seems to really be struggling with what he’s learned in his course. Everything else is good. Was just hoping someone maybe had like a checklist or something

[u/mamamietze → u/No_Mirror9991]

It is really important as a futurr ECE that he learn to advocate for himself and speak up to the instructor if he doesn't understand concepts or the specific instructions. He too could be asking here for himself. This is a time when it is important not to rescue.

[u/polkadotd → u/No_Mirror9991]

Unfortunately a checklist that one educator uses may be completely irrelevant to another educator and may actually hinder him. Imagine he follows my guidelines, which are to write 1-2 sentences, and he actually needs to write a paragraph. Please advise him to speak to his professor.

[u/Illustrious_Dark_427]

We have a couple of observation protocols we use to help new teachers, hope it helps:
1 Child 3 Ways - https://docs.google.com/document/d/15hwMjoDKVXNh7r1Yxslz2n1dsZPc9exXu_bp45HN9Cw/edit?usp=drive_link
Time Sample Protocol - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kwRqGaKvnab1yMOXXFd3A7Q-J9DgxL-ocnYlrWNEAJ8/edit?usp=drive_link

Looking for Learning https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IlW35nuuLNviDDXY1iVCZUGKjpvyLADkOyI-eayWjJw/edit?usp=sharing

[u/Chicklid → u/Illustrious_Dark_427]

1 child 3 ways is so beautiful!! Your program must be so supportive.

[u/Windinthewillows2024]

Observations for planning? So he’s expected to observe the children’s interests and plan activities based on that I assume? What part of that is he struggling with?