Power of Documentation for Early Childhood

1. Power of Documentation for Early Childhood Bobbie Jo Kite and Scott Mohan April 5 CASA Conference

2. Brief Overview of Reggio Emilia • Reggio Emilia is a prosperous and progressive city in northern Italy. • Has a strong history of supporting early childhood education through private, parochial, and federal means. • For a short period after World War II, in 1945-46, strong local initiatives arose.

3. Explicit recognition of the relationship or partnership among parents, educators, and children. In the 1950’s, educational approaches were rapidly changing and Loris Malaguzzi, founder and director of the municipal schools in Reggio Emilia was inspired by different people that helped shape his philosophy.

4. Basic Principles of the Reggio Approach • The Image of the child • Teachers as Partners • The Three Subjects of Education: Children, Parents, and Teachers • The Emergent—or Negotiated—Curriculum

5. Children’s Relationships and Interactions Within a System • The Value of Relationships: Children in Small Groups • Collaboration and Interaction • The Role of Parents

6. The Power of Documentation • Projects • The Role of the Environment • Time

7. What is Documentation? • Documentation is the process of gathering evidence and artifacts of what happens in the classroom. Documentation is not only the process of gathering evidence and artifacts, but also a physical collection of evidence and artifacts, the reflection of that collection, or part of it, in a way that makes children’s learning visible to the children, to the teachers, to the other adults including families and visitors. --Carlina Rinaldi (1994)

8. Power of Observation Cycle The Power of Observation, p.93

9. Why Document Children’s Work? • Opportunity to capture the experience of a child discovering something about his/her world • Gives teacher new insight into that child • Insights can be shared with parents and used to formulateother experiences for that child • Documentation opens the doors of communication.

10. Documentation is a wonderful way to draw parents and visitors into our classroom and to communicate to them • Documentation begins from observation. Observation is on-going, part of a large documentation process or a documentation on its own.

11. Definition of Observation • We define observation as watching to learn. Observing provides the information you need to build relationships with individual children and enable them to be successful learners. We learn about children by carefully watching them, listening to them, and studying their work. Watching and listening to children helps us understand what they are feeling, learning, and thinking. --The Power of Observation

12. Fostering Relationships • Positive relationships between children and teachers are the foundation for children’s exploration of and learning within the classroom (Howes & Ritchie, 2002) • Observing slows you down, giving you time to listen to children, to learn more about them. • Observing helps you appreciate children, their knowledge and respect their ‘being”. • Helps you become more aware when to intervene in ways to enable children to be successful learners

13. Questions to Help You Get to Know Children • Health and physical development • Temperament • Skills and abilities • Interests • Culture and home life • Approach to learning • Use of language • Use of body language • Social interactions with adults and peers

14. You as Observer • What you bring to observing • Your culture • Beliefs about child rearing • Beliefs about appropriate ways to communicate • Beliefs about children’s independence • Going beyond cultural differences • Your Professional Expertise

15. Striving for Objectivity • Differentiating between what you actually see and your own opinions and interpretations of these actions • Objective and Effective observer • Tuning into individual children • Describing rather than labeling children’s behavior • Listening to children • Learning from families

16. What to Observe? • Capture what actually happened • Capture not analyze it as it is happening • Collect information keeps it open for analysis and interpretation in the future

17. What Can Be Documented? • Process of students and teachers • Chronological process of a course of work • How students interact • How students influence one other in particular situations, parts of classroom or groupings • Every activity offers multiple possibilities

18. Where to Observe? • Play • Center time • Outside play • Academics • Social Settings

19. Deciding what to observe is primarily the responsibility of the observer • Even better if choice is shared by the group (adults who work together with that child) • Field of observation is limitless

20. How to Document? • How you record must match your personal style • Can use several methods • Brief Notes (Quick written records) • On mailing labels • On index cards • On daily log • On a desk calendar • On masking tape • Anecdotal Notes (detailed, narrative accounts) • Running Records (narrative accounts in sequential manner) • Set up a system (forms, notes, folder, etc)

21. How Do I Record… • Matrices (grid to record a word, brief note or rating) • Tallies (count instances of particular event or behavior) • Diagrams • Sketches • Photographs • Videotapes

22. Brief Notes– using post its on a folder

23. Literature Discussions Week of: March 12, 2008 A= Active participation P- Participated somewhat Q-Quiet The Power of Observation- page 80.

24. Examples of Matrices

25. An example of tally sheet Date: 3/21/08 Children’s participation during group times The Power of Observation, page 83.

26. When do I intervene? • Three basic questions before intervening • Should I step back and give children the space and time they need to make a discovery or solve a problem independently? • Does the child need me to step in and help? • If I step in, what should I say or do?

27. Revisiting the Practice of Observation • Observations begins with your wondering about a child • Collect Data • Reflect on what you have learned • Interpret what the child did and said • Respond on the basis of that interpretation • Review your observation notes at end of week—see how much you have learned!

28. Power of Observation Cycle The Power of Observation, p. 93

29. Using Observation to guide instruction • Observations provides a way to look at the development in all domains • Useful and helpful for assessment periods • To create window inside the daily life of children • Helps with Curricular Planning

30. Curricular Planning • Capturing kids interest • Web planning • Provocations • Community resources

31. Sharing Your Observations Internal uses: Teacher notes Assessments (IEPs, IFSPs, Report Cards) External uses (for community): Newsletters Bulletin Boards Story Boards Class Books Student Showcases

32. Goals of Sharing • Targeted info • Targeted audience • Think about what you want to share • Your goal for sharing? • Misconceptions: Playing vs skills and learning

33. Uses Of Documentation • For children to reflect on their own work • For children to connect to and reflect on other children’s work • For adults to reflect on children’s work and discuss about where their work might go next • For families to experience the work and explorations of their children • To document children’s growth over time • To develop a complex and detailed picture of the child in all developmental domains • To provide a resource for the wider community of educators to understand children’s learning better • To share with everyone what is happening inside a school

34. Everyday Life Environmental Projects Products of Interests or discussions Particular experience or event Self-managed projects Works in Progress Quote Board Skills Board Sequencing Board Reflection Board Project Board Story Board Works in Progress Types of Documentation

35. Quote Board • Used for dialogue between one other • Put in quotes and keep it word for word (English or ASL GLOSS) • Used when children choose not to extend on activity or project

36. Skills Board • Analysis of skills and concepts learned during specific activity • Anecdotal record of a child • Visible and clear explanation • Can easily add to portfolio Toddlers Skills Board

37. 2nd/3rd grade Skills Board

38. Sequencing Board • When play is extended • Steps into achieving the final product • Objective and clearly stated • Significant items such as drafts, drawings, materials, etc

39. Reflection Board • Review of a child’s own work or event • Own feedback • Process own thoughts, feelings, senses of event

40. Project Board • Running Record style--details needed • Trial and Error • Cause and Effect • Review process, planning, doing • Experiences and exploration

41. Story Board • Stems from child’s actions, activities, ideas • Attracts others • Broadening play • Think of it as a story (Beginning, Middle, End) • Usually an event that attracts the majority of the class

42. Particular event board

43. Science Fair Documentation

44. Work in Progress • On-going • Similar to Portfolio • Opportunity for students to re-visit anytime • Recalls information • Provokes communication, interaction, and learning

45. Works In Progress Binder

46. Works In Progress-- Folders

47. Think about the ways you are already documenting Examine your list of your current practices All types serve different purposes May be missing in some but may be included in some Make observation part of your daily schedule. Are there spaces where photos are displayed? Do you have a notebook to write yourself notes? How are experiences captured currently? How is student work collected? Is it re-visited? Looking At Your Class

48. A word of Encouragement “Lack of resources isn’t an excuse, it is a challenge.” “I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one.”

49. Sources Much of this information is adapted from: Gandini, L. (1997) Foundations of the Reggio Emilia Approach. Hendrick, J. First steps towards teaching the Reggio Way. Jabalon, J. R., Dombro, A. L., Dichtelmiller, M. L. (2007). The Power of Observation Wurm, J. (2005) Working in the Reggio Way.