Week by Week Documenting the Development of Young Children

by Nilsen, Barbara A.

• ISBN13: 9781401870928
• ISBN10: 1401870929
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-17
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Week by Week: Documenting the Development of Young Children presents the accepted methods of recording developmental observations, including their advantages and disadvantages, giving educators the information they need to make an educated choice. The author also has added an overview of child development with the premise that one must know what to look for as well as how to record it. The most unique feature of this publication is a manageable weekly system to gather data on all children in all developmental areas over the course of a year, using methods that are the most appropriate for that particular development. Each developmental area is revisited at least three times. Forms for recording observation and charts for tracking these efforts, along with recommendations for making the time to invest in these important activities, make this a must-have guide and resource for teachers.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
About the Autor	p. xiii
Introduction: Getting Started	p. 1
The Whys of Observing	p. 1
Portfolios	p. 7
Week by Week Plan	p. 11
Topics in Observation: The Ecological View of the Child	p. 15
Now You Can Get Started	p. 20
A Word about Ethics and Confidentiality	p. 20
Key Terms	p. 21
Using the Class List Log to Look at Separation and School Adjustment	p. 23
Using the Class List Log	p. 23
Topics in Observation: Why Not Use a Diary or Daily Journal?	p. 27
Using the Reflective Journal	p. 29
Looking at Separation and School Adjustment	p. 32
Helping All Children with Separation and School Adjustment	p. 42
Helping Professionals for Separation and School Adjustment Concerns	p. 43
Other Methods	p. 43
Key Terms	p. 43
	p. 44
	p. 45
	p. 46
Using Anecdotal Recordings to Look at Self-Care	p. 48
Using the Anecdotal Recording	p. 48
Looking at Self-Care Skills	p. 54
Topics in Observation: Using All Our Senses	p. 56
Helping All Children with Self-Care Skills	p. 66
Helping Professionals for Self-Care Skills	p. 67
Other Methods	p. 67
Key Terms	p. 67
	p. 68
	p. 69
	p. 70
Using Checklists to Look at Physical Development	p. 72
Using the Checklist	p. 72
Topics in Observation: Your Frame of Reference	p. 78
Looking at Growth and Development	p. 80
Helping All Children with Physical Development	p. 92
Helping Professionals for Physical Development Concerns	p. 92
Other Methods	p. 92
Key Terms	p. 92
	p. 93
	p. 94
	p. 95
Using Running Records to Look at Social Development	p. 97
Using Running Records	p. 97
Looking at Social Development	p. 103
Topics in Observation: "The Stew"	p. 104
Helping All Children with Social Development	p. 114
Helping Professionals for Social Development Concerns	p. 114
Other Methods	p. 115
Key Terms	p. 115
	p. 115
	p. 116
	p. 117
Using Frequency Counts to Look at Emotional Development	p. 119
Using Frequency Counts	p. 119
Looking at Emotional Development	p. 123
Helping All Children with Emotional Development	p. 135
Helping Professionals for Emotional Concerns	p. 135
Other Methods	p. 135
Key Terms	p. 135
Topics in Observation: The Assessment and Curriculum Braid	p. 136
	p. 139
	p. 140
	p. 140
Using Conversations to Listen to Language and Speech	p. 143
Using Conversations as an Observation Method	p. 143
Listening to Language and Speech	p. 149
Helping All Children with Language Development	p. 157
Helping Professionals for Speech and Language Concerns	p. 158
Topics in Observation: Diversity	p. 159
Other Methods	p. 161
Key Terms	p. 161
	p. 161
	p. 163
	p. 164
Using Time Samples to Look at Attention Span	p. 166
Using Time Samples	p. 166
Looking at Cognitive Development	p. 171
Helping All Children with Attention Span	p. 180
Topics in Observation: Attention Span and Autism	p. 181
Helping Professionals for Attention Concerns	p. 182
Other Methods	p. 182
Key Terms	p. 183
	p. 183
	p. 184
	p. 185
Using Standardized Tests to Look at Cognitive Development	p. 187
Using Tests	p. 187
Topics in Observation: Measuring Cognitive Development--Why Not Test?	p. 193
Looking at Cognitive Development: Math and Science	p. 197
Helping All Children with Cognitive Development	p. 207
Topics in Observation: "Real" Curriculum	p. 208
Helping Professionals for Cognitive Concerns	p. 210
Other Methods	p. 210
Key Terms	p. 210
	p. 211
	p. 211
	p. 212
	p. 213
Using Rating Scales to Look at Literacy	p. 216
Using the Rating Scale	p. 216
Looking at Literacy	p. 222
Helping All Children with Literacy	p. 233
Topics in Observation: Books in the Sandbox	p. 235
Helping Professionals for Literacy Concerns	p. 236
Other Methods	p. 236
Key Terms	p. 236
	p. 236
	p. 238
	p. 239
Using Work Samples to Look at Creativity	p. 242
Using Work Samples to Observe a Child's Development	p. 242
Looking at Children's Creative Development	p. 248
Helping All Children with Creativity	p. 260
Helping Professionals for Creative Arts	p. 261
Other Methods	p. 261
Topics in Observation: Responding to Children's Work	p. 261
Key Terms	p. 261
	p. 264
	p. 264
	p. 266
Using Technology to Look at Sociodramatic Play	p. 268
Using Technology as Documentation	p. 268
Topics in Observation: Protecting the Rights of the Child	p. 274
Looking at Dramatic Play	p. 275
Helping All Children with Sociodramatic Play	p. 283
Helping Professionals for Play Concerns	p. 284
Other Methods	p. 284
Key Terms	p. 284
	p. 284
	p. 286
	p. 287
Using Documentation for Child Abuse Suspicions and Looking at Self-Concept	p. 290
Using Documentation for Child Abuse Suspicions	p. 290
Diversity and Child Abuse	p. 295
Topics in Observation: Dealing with Families Suspected of Child Maltreatment	p. 297
Self-Concept and Self-Esteem	p. 298
Helping All Children with Self-Esteem	p. 307
Helping Professionals for Child Abuse and Self-Esteem Concerns	p. 308
Other Methods	p. 308
Key Terms	p. 309
	p. 309
	p. 310
	p. 311
Using Program Assessments to Look at Children in Groups	p. 313
Assessing Early Childhood Programs	p. 313
Topics in Observation: Assessing the Environment--Pointing Back at You	p. 320
Looking at the Adjustment of the Child to the Program	p. 322
Helping All Children in Group Settings	p. 332
Helping Professionals for Program Evaluation and Support	p. 332
Other Methods	p. 333
Key Terms	p. 333
	p. 333
	p. 335
	p. 335
	p. 336
Using the Portfolio to Conference with Families and Looking at the Child's Interactions with Adults	p. 338
Communication between Home and School	p. 338
Using the Portfolio to Conference with Families	p. 340
Daily Contacts	p. 340
Looking at the Child's Interactions with Adults	p. 356
Topics in Observation: Does the Week by Week Plan Meet NAEYC Guidelines for Assessment?	p. 359
Helping All Children through Home and School Communications	p. 362
Helping Professionals for Home and School Communications	p. 363
Other Methods	p. 363
Key Terms	p. 363
	p. 364
	p. 365
	p. 365
	p. 366
Using the Yearly Plan to Observe and Record Children's Development	p. 368
Week by Week: An Observation Plan for Portfolio Building (Practitioners)	p. 372
Weeks 15 through 40: Plans for the Week	p. 376
Summary of Plans by Developmental Areas	p. 407
Observation Forms	p. 410
Weeks 15 through 40: Reflective Journal	p. 429
Glossary	p. 456
Index	p. 461
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