In this assessment, you will explore environments and interactions in early chil

In this assessment, you will explore environments and interactions in
early childhood settings. Goals of this assessment include assessing
your competencies in describing the characteristics and practices of
culturally responsive, collaborative, supportive learning environments;
identifying supportive practices and strategies within these
environments; and creating and adapting environments that are responsive
to external requirements and the unique development and learning needs
of each and every child. You will complete this assessment three times-
one paper for each center/setting in which you observe.
Your Assessment requires that you conduct three early childhood classroom observations of 5 hours each. You must complete 15 total hours of observations to pass the course. These
observations should take place in DCFS licensed facilities; preferably,
these will be NAEYC accredited centers. In Part 1 of your Assessment,
you will develop an overview of legal mandates, standards, and ethical
principles that are essential considerations in designing learning
environments. In Part 2, you will conduct an Environmental Scan and
write a summary of the information gathered. In Part 3, you will
complete an Interaction Event Template and write a summary. Include a copy of your completed Interaction Event Template with your assignment. Finally you will analyze the data in your Post-Reflection (Part 4).
Prior to your observations:
Complete
the background check process and WAIT for your instructor to tell you
that you are cleared BEFORE you initiate observations.
Once your
background check has cleared, call and schedule your classroom
observations. All three observations should take place in different
sites/program types. Types of programs include Montessori, private child
care centers, public schools, Head Start programs, Preschool for All
programs, etc. You will choose three of the following age groups:infant/toddler
pre-k (3-5 year olds)
kindergarten
1st or 2nd grade
You
will spend 5 hours in each setting- you can do the five hours in one
day or split it across two or more days. Set aside 30 minutes for the
environmental scan and 60 minutes for interaction event sample.
When
setting up your observation, explain to the teacher/ program
administrator that you will be taking notes on the organization of the
environment and then observing interactions in the classroom. Be sure to
arrange a time when different interactions will be observable (i.e not
nap time)
Remember: You will complete three papers with the following elements- one for each ECE setting in which you observe.
Part 1: Pre-Reflection
Part
1 of your assessment requires that you describe factors within the
early childhood environment (such as space, materials, images, sounds,
language, ideas) and adult behaviors and interactions) influence
classroom community and children’s development and learning. With these
factors in mind, provide a 1 to 2-page overview critical considerations
for each of these factors when designing engaging environments for young
children.
What is the name of the center/school? What age group will you be observing?
What do you know about the population of students at this school? Socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, languages spoken, etc.?
What do you know about the surrounding community? Socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, languages spoken?
What
factors within the early childhood environment will you be looking for
in the environmental scan? Be specific and tailor your response to this
question to the specific age group and setting in which you are
observing.For example- in an infant toddler classroom, you would
be looking for age appropriate toys and materials, opportunities for
gross motor movement throughout the day (i.e. tummy time), routines
specific to infancy/toddlerhood- use your book for reference
Part 2: Environmental Scan (30 Minutes)
Upon
your arrival, introduce yourself to the teacher and work with her/him
to choose a location to observe from where you will not hinder classroom
activities.
Write down the details of the daily schedule .
During
the 30-minute Environmental Scan, observe the classroom design. Take
notes on features and aspects of the physical environment. Include in
your notes the following:Details on signage, labeling, and
organizational strategies that are used within the environment to help
children navigate and self-regulate. (i.e. how is the classroom
organized? What furniture is in the classroom? What centers/areas are
available for children to engage in? how are materials organized? Do
children have easy access to materials meant for them? Are children able
to easily identify where to place items when they are done playing? Are
centers/classroom areas labeled?
Characteristics of the
learning environment that support or impede collaboration (i.e. are
there places for children to interact with each other easily- tables for
manipulatives, areas to read together, etc.)
Characteristics of
the learning environment that support or impede creativity and
exploration (i.e. are there centers- science area? Nature area? Art
center? If so, are they available for children to use? Are there
interesting/engaging materials in these centers?
Ways in which
the physical and social environment reflects cultural responsiveness
(i.e. books in children’s home languages? Books that feature children of
different ethnicities and abilities? Dolls that reflect different
ethnicities and abilities? Classroom print/signs that reflect the home
languages of the children in the classroom?)
Part 2
should be a summary of the information you gathered from your
environmental scan, including a description of the daily schedule.
Part 3: Interaction Event Template Summary (60 Minutes)
Print the chart provided here
Download Print the chart provided hereprior to your visit to collect interaction samples and data for specific periods of time during the 60-minute period.
To begin your event sample, provide an overall description of the following:Number of children in the room.
Number of staff in the room
Activities occurring during observation time period
Interaction strategies used, including verbal communication and guidance strategies
Other relevant information (whether families were in the room, how children responded to strangers, etc.)
For the 60 minute period focus specifically in on interactions collecting the following information:
A description of the interaction you observed (can include quotes)
The location of the interaction
Reason for the interaction
Duration of the interaction
Interaction type (Adult to child; Child to Adult; Child to child; Child to environment)
Part 3 should be a summary of the information you gathered on the interaction event template. Include a copy of your completed template separately.
Part 4: Post Reflection
Your
Post-Reflection requires that you reflect on data collected in your
observations, and suggest adaptations to the environments you observed
within. For your Post-Reflection, respond to each of the following:
What
was your overall assessment of the environment observed in terms of
their ability to support positive behavioral and developmental outcomes?
Identify specific environmental strengths and opportunities.
What
strengths and opportunities did you observe within the environment
related to fostering trusting relationships with children and their
families?
Describe culturally and individually responsive
strategies observed within each of the environments. In addition to
strategies observed, identify opportunities, if applicable. How can
strategies be adapted in ways that are respectful of personality and
temperament?
Based on your responses to each of the questions
above, how effective do you feel the environments you observed was in
terms of supporting the healthy development and learning of young
children, including
encouraging active, creative exploration,
promoting children’s positive interactions with others,
supporting self-regulation,
supporting health social and emotional development,
supporting access and participation;
and promoting positive behaviors.
What
would you suggest in terms of environmental adaptations or changes to
the learning environment overall to enhance the learning community and
ensure that the diverse development and learning needs of each and every
child is enhanced?
Your paper should be a minimum of 4
pages, including the summaries of the environmental scan and the summary
of the event sample template. Include a copy of your completed event
sample template as well (the completed template is NOT part of the 4
page minimum). Please label the sections for your paper (Part 1, Part 2,
etc.). 12 point font and double spaced.
ECE 101 Observation Paper Rubric
ECE 101 Observation Paper Rubric
CriteriaRatingsPts
Part 1- Pre-Reflection
25 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
/ 25 pts
Part 2- Environmental Scan
25 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
/ 25 pts
Part 3- Interaction Event Template Summary
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
/ 10 pts
Copy of Completed Interaction Template
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
/ 10 pts
Part 4- Post Reflection
20 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
/ 20 pts
Formatting, Length, and Grammar
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
.