HEAD START®

Observation and Recording: Tools for Decision Making - Introduction

Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community

Table of Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4

Appendices: Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E

Introduction

Overview

Purpose

This technical guide enhances the skills of all education staff so they can accurately and objectively record young children's behavior and make thoughtful decisions about program planning for each child.

Observation is much more than looking at what a child does. Observation of a young child means carefully paying attention to details of the child's behavior, recording these details in a structured manner, and assessing the implications of the child's actions. By applying the concepts in this guide, education staff in home and center-based settings can develop skills to accurately and objectively observe and record the behavior of children. In addition, Head Start staff can help parents, who are their children's primary teachers, to better understand their child's needs, interests, and abilities. Parents and education staff, working together as partners, can significantly affect children's success when they base their understanding of children's growth and development on thoughtful and careful observations that are accurate and objective in nature.

Observation, an essential building block of all quality, developmentally appropriate Head Start programs, requires a well-trained education staff who are in tune with the actions and behaviors of the children in their care. While observation may seem deceptively simple, it requires training and practice. In the September 1994 issue of Young Children, Ann Benjamin stated that early childhood professionals increasingly need to refine their skills, abilities, and areas of expertise to meet the needs of the children with whom they work. To do this, staff must recognize that observation is vital to the overall assessment process and that it has a strong impact upon another professional responsibility: planning and evaluating programs for children. Because observation plays an important role in assessment, its use can help staff strengthen every aspect of an early childhood program. Education staff can use the observation process to fulfill these fundamental goals:

• Chart children's growth and development



• Identify, guide, and respond to children's behavior and actions



• Facilitate planning for individual children and groups of children

This training guide provides participants with a set of skills and a variety of techniques for accurately and objectively observing, recording, and interpreting children's behavior, and making decisions for program planning.

Outcomes

After completing this guide, participants will:

• Recognize the important role that the observation process plays in working with children



• Incorporate the skill of accurately and objectively observing and recording children's behavior in home and center-based settings



• Use the observation process, in partnership with parents, as one of several strategies to monitor children's progress



• Recognize the implications of personal biases and program challenges on the observation process

Audience

This is a technical guide for education staff in center, home-based, and combination settings. Staff is defined as classroom teams (teachers, assistants, and volunteers) and home visitors.

Performance Standards

This guide supports the Head Start Program Performance Standards objectives for child education services to provide ongoing observation, recording, and evaluation of each child's growth and development. Staff and parents are encouraged to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the educational and developmental needs and activities of children in the program. Staff are encouraged to train parents to improve their skills to observe growth and development of their children in the home environment. The ability of staff and parents working as partners to analyze the implications of atypical development and to make referrals, as needed, is increased when the observation process is implemented.

Organization

This technical guide, Observation and Recording: Tools for Decision Making, is designed to further develop the skills of the education staff to accurately and objectively observe and record the behavior of children. Staff members can use this guide to chart children's growth and development, identify and respond to children's behavior and actions, and plan for individual children and groups of children. Parents can also use this guide to gain ways to more accurately assess their child's evolving needs, interests, and abilities.

Participants will meet the guide outcomes once they complete activities in this guide. These outcomes include:

• Recognizing the primacy of parents; understanding the important role that observation plays in working with children; and incorporating observing and recording of children' s behavior into program practices



• Developing skills for staff and parents so that children's actions in home and center-based programs are accurately and objectively observed and recorded



• Using observation practices in partnership with parents as one of several strategies to monitor children's progress



• Analyzing and sharing observation results with parents in order to collaboratively determine the next steps and any referrals that may be required to plan for the children



• Incorporating observation information into the ongoing assessment of individual children and groups of children and in program planning

Each module includes module outcomes, key concepts, and background information. The module outcomes are based on the guide outcomes. Observation and Recording: Tools for Decision Making contains the following modules:

• Module 1: Using Observation in Early Childhood Programs
  This module sharpens the staff's ability to identify and use a variety of observational methods, match observation goals to observation techniques, and write a running record accurately and objectively.



• Module 2: Overcoming Observation Challenges
  This module provides the staff members with practice in identifying and challenging their personal biases that could interfere with conducting and recording observations objectively. Also, they will learn to identify and address, via planning, program-related challenges that affect the staff's ability to regularly conduct observations.



• Module 3: Working with Parents to Enhance Observations
  This module enhances the staff's ability to involve parents in the observation process and work with them as partners. In addition, staff will be better able to use observation as a tool for answering parents' questions and concerns about children.



• Module 4: Interpreting and Using Observation Results
  This module increases the staff's ability to make valid inferences and to draw meaningful conclusions from collected observation data. In addition, the staff will learn to determine with whom, in addition to parents, they should share the results of observations and link observation results to making decisions about programming for children.

Each module has specific outcomes for participants to achieve, and each activity is designed to fulfill one of the outcomes. For easy reference, the outcome is listed with the activity. In addition, the Next Steps, the last activity for each module, introduces a unique staff development tool, the portfolio, a living document of one's professional growth and achievement. The material that is developed and added to the individual's collection is an important tool for self-evaluation and demonstrates to others one's professional growth.

The Key Concepts section appears in every module of the guide and summarizes the main ideas contained in each module. The Key Concepts are discussed more explicitly in the Background Information section of each module. The trainer can choose to present the Background Information section as a mini-lecture or as handouts or overheads in the coaching or workshop sessions.

The Resources section appears at the end of the guide. It lists additional materials that have further information on the topics covered in this guide.

The Appendices section of the guide provides participants with detailed information that they may use as they complete the activities in the guide and as a resource on the job.

Definition of Icons

Coaching - A training strategy that fosters the development of skills through tailored instruction, demonstrations, practice, and feedback. The activities are written for a coach to work closely with one to three participants.

Workshop - A facilitated group training strategy that fosters the development of skills through activities which build on learning through group interaction. These activities are written for up to 25 participants working in small or large groups with one or two trainers.

Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice - Activities assigned by the trainer immediately following the completion of the module to help participants review key information, practice skills, and examine their progress toward expected outcomes of the module.

Continuing Professional Development - Follow-up activities for the program to support continued staff development in the regular use of the skills addressed in a particular training guide. They include:

1) Opportunities tailored to the participant to continue building on the skills learned in the training

2) Ways to identify new skills and knowledge needed to expand and/or complement these skills through opportunities in such areas as in higher education, credentialing, or community educational programs.

AT A GLANCE

Modules	Activity	Time	Materials
Module 1: Using Observation in Early Childhood Programs	(W) Activity 1-1: Matching Goals and Approaches	120 minutes	Handout 1: What's Helpful, What's Not? Handout 2: What Would You Reccomend? Appendix A
	(C) Activity 1-2: Observation Has Many Forms	90 minutes	Handout 1: What's Helpful, What's Not? Handout 3: Observing Strengths and Weaknesses Handout 4: Try Your Hand at Observation Appendix A
	(W) Activity 1-3: Off and Running	120 minutes	Handout 5: Running Record Recording Form Handout 6: Guidelines for Accurate and Objective Recording Appendix B, Videotape clip
	(C) Activity 1-4: Writing a Winning Running Record	n/a	Handout 6: Guidelines for Accurate and Objective Recording Handout 7: Accurate? Objective?
Module 2: Overcoming Observation Challenges	(W) Activity 2-1: Scotty Must Have Done It!	120 minutes	Handout 8: Scotty Must have Done It!,
	(C) Activity 2-2: Breaking Down Preconceptions	n/a	Handouts 6: Guidelines for Accurate and Objective Recording Handout 9: Labels and Objectivity Handout 10: Tips for Overcoming Preconceived Notions during Observation Handout 11: Keeping Preconceptions in Check
	(W) Activity 2-3: Making Time for Observation	120 minutes	Handout 12: Overcoming Observation Challenges, chart paper, markers
	(C) Activity 2-4: No Excuses	n/a	Handout 12: Overcoming Observation Challenges Handout 13: Reflections on Observations Handout 14: How Did It Go?
Module 3: Working with Parents to Enhance Observation	(W) Activity 3-1: What Would Parents Say?	120 minutes	Handout 15: Portfolio #1 - Dana Y. Handout 16: Portfolio #2 - Eduardo H. Handout 17: What Else Do I Need ? Appendix C Appendix D
	(C) Activity 3-2: Making Parents Observational Partners	90 minutes	Handout 18: Looking to Parents for Help Appendix D,
	(W) Activity 3-3: What Do Parents Want?	120 minutes	Handout 19: I've Got a Question
	(C) Activity 3-4: At Your Service	n/a
Module 4: Interpreting and Using Observation Results	(W) Activity 4-1: Valid vs. Invalid	120 minutes	Handout 20: Interpreting Observational Data Handout 21: Making Inferences
	(C) Activity 4-2: Time for Interpretation	60 minutes	Handout 6: Guidelines for Accurate and Objective Recording Handout 20: Interpreting Observational Data
	(W) Activity 4-3: The Big Picture	120 minutes	Handout 20: Interpreting Observational Data Handout 22: Supplemental Parent Information for the Portfolio of Dana Y. Handout 23: Supplemental Parent Information for the Portfolio of Eduardo H. Handout 24: Action!
	(C) Activity 4-4: Where Do I Go from Here?	90 minutes	Handout 24: Action!

(W) = Workshop Activity

(C) = Coaching Activity