Creating Pedagogical Documentation Using Anecdotal Records

Purpose

To practice creating pedagogical documentation using anecdotal records

Learning Outcomes

· Apply ethical and professional considerations when observing and documenting young children

· Practice a variety of observation methods to document the experiences and learning of young children

· Identify how relevant legislation, provincial and regulatory documents relate to observation and pedagogical documentation.

· Create pedagogical documentation using a variety of observational methods

· Identify how the various observation methods might be used to inform practice and our relationships with young children

Purpose

Guidelines

This assignment can be completed individually or in pairs (2 people).

Process

You have been provided with a series of three completed observations in the form of anecdotal records, along with photographs of children playing.

Select two (2) of these observations and complete the attached reflection chart for each observation

Using the information in your chart, prepare an anecdotal interpretation for each observation that clearly addresses your inferences about the child’s development, thinking, learning and interests.

Each interpretation should also include a brief statement on how your practice will be informed by your interpretations. For example, how would you respond to further support this child’s thinking and learning though additional materials, what comments or questions could you ask, how would you share this information with the family etc.,

Submit the completed charts and anecdotal interpretations to the Assignment folder in SLATE

Observation

Zhen was slowly looking at the toys on the shelf near the block area. She grabbed a small bin of wooden shapes with both her hands and placed it on the table behind her. She began to take the pieces out one by one with her right hand and set them down on the table.

Zhen noticed the bin had a picture of a wooden structure on the front. She carefully reviewed the picture and then looked in the bin to find the same wooden pieces. She picked up each piece and held it beside the picture, and if it matched she put it on the table.

Once she found 5 pieces she began to carefully build a structure, using the picture as a reference point. She would stop building, turn and look a picture and then continue to build. She found more pieces in the bin and after 10 minutes had finished building the structure. Her mother walked over and Zhen pointed to her building and then the picture saying “Look, it’s the same. I made it the same”.

Observation

Jayden (on the right) was playing together with another child on the carpet with hammers, tape and a piece of drywall. Jayden picked up the hammer and looked at the educator saying “I can use this?”. The educator responded “yes, of course”. Jayden picked up the hammer with his right hand and began to gently hammer on the drywall. It made a small dent and Jayden said “wow, it’s a hole”.

The educator responded “ I wonder what will happen if you hit it harder?” . Jayden then picked up the hammer and held it above his head, he then banged on the drywall twice. He made a larger hole. Jayden commented “Hey there’s stuff inside”. He turned the hammer over and used the back end to make the hole bigger. He placed three fingers in the hole and said “there’s sand and rocks in here”.

Observation

Annie was laying on the carpet on her back, kicking her feet in the air. She slowly turned her head to the left and turned over onto her tummy. Her head lifted and she looked towards the corner of the room and began to crawl towards the mirror. Annie lay back down on the carpet and looked at herself in the mirror.

She smiled widely and exclaimed “Ahhh” . She moved up close to the mirror touching her reflection with her left hand and nose. She screeched in delight with her feet raising up and kicking behind her. She opened her mouth and put it on the mirror.

Observation Reflection Charts

Observation 1:

	Make sure that you are using inferential language when writing your reflections to these questions
What is the child interested in?
What might the child be trying to discover?
How might this relate to their own life or previous experiences?
What do you see as the child’s strengths or dispositions for learning?
	Use and reference the ELECT continuum of development to complete this part
Select one brief section of the observation and record it here (2-3 lines)	Age group (Infant, Toddler, Preschool/Kindergarten, School-age)	Domain and Skills Include the number preceding the domain and skill	Indicators of the skill Choose only one from this list	Justification of why this anecdote fits here. (Link the anecdote to the ELECT and tell me why you selected that item from the ELECT)

Observation 2:

	Make sure that you are using inferential language when you writing your reflections to these questions
What is this child interested in?
What might this child be trying to discover?
How might this relate to their own life or previous experiences?
What do you see as the child’s strengths or dispositions for learning?
	Use and reference the ELECT continuum of development to complete this part
Select one brief section of the observation and record it here (2-3 lines)	Age group (Infant, Toddler, Preschool/Kindergarten, School-age)	Domain and Skills Include the number preceding the domain and skill	Indicators of the skill Choose only one from this list	Justification of why this anecdote fits here. (Link the anecdote to the ELECT and tell me why you selected that item from the ELECT)