Child Care Methods of Observation

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An anecdote is a story. When used for observing, it is a story about a child’s behaviour. Similar to how we might recount a story to family and friends, it is told in the past tense. It has its beginning when a child starts to participate in an activity and its conclusion when the child leaves/completes/exits the experience. Anecdotes are the most commonly used tool in gathering information about children. One of the main reasons for this is because they are quick to record. It is a good idea to carry a notebook and pen with you at all times. Quickly jot down some brief notes to jog your memory. Later when time permits refer to your notes and write them up as an anecdotal observation. It is a good idea to develop your own style of shorthand or short note taking to assist you with this task. Make sure to be close to the action. Sit where you can see and hear the children clearly. This will help with the accuracy of your recording. A running record is a very detailed description of behaviour or an event, which is recorded as it happens. It is a bit like a sport commentators running commentary at a football match. That is the commentator describes in detail what is exactly happening. In a similar way a running record records exactly what a child is doing and saying within a particular time-frame. Running records are used mainly to provide very objective information about a particular situation. Running records are a useful tool and worth the time involved, especially when you are specifically looking for a child’s skill acquisition, how a child initiates interactions with others, or discussions the children have with each otherThis method of observation can be difficult to use on a regular basis because of the time element involved. It is one reason why running records are not used as frequently as other forms of documentation. Devising your own fast

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