“Observation can be seen as noticing and trying to interpret what the child’s actions, emotions and words mean in terms of what they are learning. We can observe what they are mastering and what they still need help, guidance and practice with. Our role includes noticing what the child does and how this might be changing over time.” (Realising the Ambition 2020)
Recording of observations needs to be informative but practical. Recording key moments of learning in a way that is meaningful and that leads to responsive and intentional planning to reinforce and develop learning.
Education Scotland promotes engaging with the Observation Cycle. When observing children what do we notice? What does that tell us? What are the next steps for the learners or for us as practitioners?
The child-centred pedagogy in practice model from Realising the Ambition tells practitioners to “Listen with your eyes and ears.” What does the child’s actions, emotions and words tell you about their development and their learning? Yes, it is useful to know that they enjoy playing with the mud kitchen, but it is much more useful to notice the extent to which a child is curiously and creatively exploring how textures change when materials are mixed together. Science > Materials > Properties of substances and their uses > SCN 0-15a.
Observation is crucial in play pedagogy because there isn’t always an end point to assess, such as a finished piece of work. Learning focussed observations help us to understand the child’s interests and stage of development. They support us in considering what to do next to build on the child’s learning. Accurate and useful assessments through observation require a comprehensive knowledge of the curriculum and the skills children are developing. These assessments are essential for supporting and enhancing further planning. Our observations and assessments lead into our mix of intentional and responsive planning.
An example of a weekly plan, including observation and a detailed observation template can be found in the downloadable resources section here.
