Preschool is a crucial time in a child's life. Brain development and motor skills are heightened, and children become aware of their surroundings. There are different observation tools educators and parents alike can use to observe students' behaviors. Observation tools can be purchased from professional educational partners or created by highly skilled educators. Typically, observations monitor socioemotional development, work habits, motor skills, reading readiness and math and science readiness.
Work Sampling
Work sampling is a professional way to document and assess a child's growth and development. Work sampling has proven effective for a curriculum-based assessment; guidelines, checklists and portfolios are used to monitor students' progress. This program is helpful because it not only meets national standards but it allows parents to collaborate with educators in the observation process. The main aspects of work sampling include observations of social, emotional and cognitive development. Data are constantly reported throughout the year, and the educator is able to form a comparison of a student's progression.
Program Assessment
Program assessment uses a specific curriculum to observe students. A variety of programs, such as Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs (APECP) and Classroom Language and Literacy Environment Observation (CLEO), are used to monitor a child's growth in a particular area. The CLEO program evaluates language and literacy using various observations and rating scales. Each program is designed to pinpoint specific growth development areas and see how a child rates in each category.
Research Components
An in-depth research practice focuses on observing the response of children in targeted classroom situations. This observation technique takes family collaboration into consideration. Research is held over a period of time, and the data found are presented to families and colleagues to have a personal approach in research. Because this observation uses research data, children are prompted to learn and identify classroom practices, acknowledge social and emotional situations and respond to various social actions.
Self-Made Study
A self-made observation study is used by many educators in forming a basic opinion of how a child responds in developmental observations. Typically, self-made observations consist of checklists that include all components of daily preschool activities. Educators are able to easily observe a child's behavior and rate that child with a basic grading scale. Scales are usually rated beginner, developing and proficient. These observations are simple yet effective in exploring how a child is developing in preschool.
