从观察开始，
理解每一个孩子。

Cameras and media recorders, including smartphones and tablets, offer quick, efficient ways to document what children say and do. For EHS and MSHS programs that choose to use these devices, consider the following:

Encourage staff to keep audio and video clips short. The longer the clip, the larger the file; large files take up a lot of storage space. Long audio and video clips also take more time to review and analyze later. When saving the recordings, include relevant information to identify the recording (e.g., date and time, setting, names of children and adults, routine or play experience during which the recording was made). This information will be important when staff reflect on what their observations tell them about each child and use that information to individualize care and the curriculum. Photographs, video clips, and audio clips are also excellent, concrete tools for conveying to families what children know and can do.

Tools such as checklists, frequency counts, and participation charts are used to quickly record information about the occurrence of specific behaviors or skills. A defining feature of these tools is that the behaviors or skills are already identified. Staff record the observed behavior or skill by using check or tally marks or noting the date on which the skill or behavior was seen.¹

Staff use jottings as quick reminders of things they have observed. These jottings tend to have short phrases or sentences that describe a single event or interaction; for example, "Matthias stacks three large foam-covered blocks, looks at Dad, says 'Bwocks!' "

Staff use anecdotal notes to document a particular occurrence and typically focus on specific skills, behaviors, or interactions. Staff determine how much detail to include in an anecdotal note. These notes tend to be more extensive than jottings. However, anecdotal notes may start out as jottings, with additional details added later.

Staff use running records to collect detailed narrative information during a specific time frame. They write everything they see and hear, as events and behaviors occur and in the order in which they occur, during the observation period. These narratives are extensive and provide a rich, comprehensive view of children. However, they require more dedicated time for stepping back, observing, and writing than staff may have while caring for children, or during a home visit or group socialization. Running records may be useful for a program supervisor to collect as part of ongoing staff support or if there is a specific issue with a child. When a teacher in a classroom uses this method, consider ways to maintain the 1:4 staff-child ratio (or 1:3 ratio for a group size of nine) and ensure the entire group is effectively covered and supervised while the teacher is engaged. Programs may want to have additional staff available for this purpose.

Regardless of which type of written observation is used, the recorded information needs to be accurate, objective, and provide an unbiased view of the child or children being described.

Written observations about infants and toddlers should be factual and objective to be useful and meaningful¹. This means education staff should write only what they see and hear (e.g., the facts) and avoid using words that:

One way in which staff may think about their own objectivity is to ask themselves, "Am I describing this child's behaviors and interactions in the same or a similar way that someone else observing this child would describe them?"² Consider the following observation notes about 8-month-old Umar:

Both observation notes describe how Umar separates from his mother, but the first note contains the teacher's assumptions about and interpretations of Umar's behavior. Someone reading this note may have different ideas about what happened because words such as "hard time," "doesn't like," "ignores," and "gets upset" are open to interpretation. The second note describes rather than interprets Umar's behaviors. It provides a much clearer picture about what Umar actually does and says during the arrival routine.

Objective, factual written observations include the following:

The following words are often found in written observation notes.³ However, these and other similar words can be interpreted in many ways and express judgment. They should be avoided.

Interpreting the meaning of children's behaviors and interactions is important. Impressions, feelings, and insights about children are extremely valuable to the individualizing process. However, staff first need accurate, factual information to draw conclusions later on about children's skills, behavior, interests, and needs.

Observation notes need to be accurate as well as objective and factual. Accurate observation notes include facts that are written in the order in which they occur.¹ Consider the following story about 33-month-old Gabriel, which takes place during a socialization experience. A home visitor observes the entire exchange:

Here is the home visitor's observation note:

This observation note is not accurate. It contains facts that are out of order (e.g., laughs, jumps up and down, claps his hands, and bumps into his tower). It is also missing information (e.g., Gabriel and his mother are next to each other; each one is building a tower; Gabriel's mom laughs, claps her hands, and hugs Gabriel). Accuracy matters. Over time, inaccurate observation notes may lead to inaccurate interpretations or misunderstandings of what a child knows and can do, how the child interacts with others, and so on.

Here are additional tips for writing observation notes:

Writing accurate, objective, factual observation notes takes time and practice. However, staff can plan for opportunities during the day to write notes intentionally and thoughtfully.