CD 2 /EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OBSERVATION FORM
TOTAL POINTS: 20
Purpose: To observe the physical and interpersonal environment and gain insight into
the daily routine of a group of children in an early childhood/Kindergarten program
DO NOT OBSERVE FAMILY DAY CARE CENTERS OR THE CLASSROOM
WHERE YOU WORK. YOUR PAPER NEEDS TO INCLUDE EACH
QUESTION/SECTIONS LISTED BELOW AND EACH ANSWER BELOW THE
QUESTION. INSTRUCTOR HAS SAMPLES OF OBSERVATIONS, MAKE SURE YOU
SEE THEM!!!
*IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE FULL OBSERVATION YOU MUST OBSERVE
INDOORS/OUTDOORS ENVIRONMENTS*
AFTER YOUR OBSERVATION, YOU MUST KEEP THE VISITOR STICKER AND
ATTACH IT TO THE LETTER (given in class) . LETTER NEEDS TO BE SIGNED BY
DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL or TEACHER ONLY.
A.GENERAL INFORMATION: 1 point
Name & Address of the school & Phone number of school
Date/ Time In/Out
Weather
______________________
______________________
______________________
Type of School Public/Private _______________________
What is the age range of the group? __________________
How many children in the classroom? _____ Boys:____ Girls____
How many adults?__________
B.PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT (2 points)
1.Describe the lighting in the classroom (from windows, artificial light, skylights) Do you
think the class has adequate lighting, so children an adults are able to work with small
pieces without eyestrain. DESCRIBE:
2. Is there adequate ventilation (enough air circulation)? Yes No DESCRIBE:
3. Is the space reasonable clean? Are the space and furniture cleaned after the
activities are completed? Eg: arts, cooking, lunch, snack, etc… Yes No Provide at
least one example to support your answer.
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4. DESCRIBE: colors of walls, flooring, decorations in the room, kind and color of
furnishings:
5. DESCRIBE:how the materials –furniture and working areas are arranged and placed
in the room.
6. List the FIVE materials the children used most often during free play.
1
2
3
4
5
7. DESCRIBE: how the children played with each of the 5 materials listed above. (Did
they play in groups, independently; did they have enough materials to share?)
8 Give TWO examples of play materials conducive to fine motor skills that you saw in
the classroom
1.
2.
9. Give TWO examples of play materials especially conducive to concept development
(i.e. number recognition, shapes, size color, word recognition, etc.).List material and
concept it promotes
1. Material
___________
Concept/Learning_____________
2. Material ____________
Concept/Learning_____________
C.FURNITURE 1 point
1. Are there enough tables, chairs and cubbies for each child in the classroom? Yes No
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2. . Are there enough low open shelves, so children are able to access the materials
independently? DESCRIBE:
3. Does the classroom offer woodwork bench, sand and water table and easel? Is it
available to the children at all times? Yes No DESCRIBE:
D.ROOM ARRANGEMENT (1 points)
1. Are all areas in the classroom easy to monitor visually? DESCRIBE how the room is
arranged so all areas can be monitored to avoid safety and conflict issues among the
children. If not, DESCRIBE which room areas are difficult to supervise.
2. Did you observe inappropriate equipment or materials? Yes No. If yes, which ones?
3. List and DESCRIBE TWO things that made the room attractive
1
2
4. List and DESCRIBE TWO things that made the room unattractive
1
2
E.RELAXATION/COMFORT AREA (1 points)
1. DESCRIBE what type of soft furnishings and toys you observed (sofa, pillows, soft
floors etc…) Are children allowed to use the soft furnishings and play with the toys?
Yes No DESCRIBE:
2. Did you observe children using the relaxation area? Yes No DESCRIBE:
3. Do teachers encourage the children to use the relaxation/comfort area? Yes No
DESCRIBE:
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4. Can quiet (Eg: Reading area. Relaxation area) and noisy activities (Block area,
dramatic play, etc…) go on without disturbing one another? Yes No EXPLAIN:
F, OUTDOOR/PLAYGROUND SPACE (1 points)
1. Is the space prepared to have children with physical disabilities?( ramps, automatic
doors…) Yes No DESCRIBE:
2. What type of surface is covering the ground? (grass, sand, gravel etc…) Is the surface
in good condition? (Reasonably clean, no holes, big cracks, etc…) Yes No
DESCRIBE:
3. List 3 large permanent apparatus that you observed in the playground.
1
2
3
4. List Two examples of portable play materials conducive to gross motor skills
1
2
5. DESCRIBE TWO things that made the playground attractive
1
2
6. DESCRIBE TWO things that made the playground unattractive
1
2
7. DESCRIBE what type of activities and choices of materials the children had in the
playground:
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8. Is the playground easy to supervise? (Blocking areas, hidden areas, too large
playground, etc…) 9 Yes/ No. WHY?
9. What was your overall impression about the playground? Why?
G. LEARNING AREAS /ACTIVITIES TO STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT(3 points)
1. List the materials observed in dramatic play area:
2. Did boys and girls used the dress-up clothes? DESCRIBE:
3. Were there children able to use the dramatic play area at anytime? Yes, No
Examples:
ART:
4. Did you observe a variety of basic art supplies?
Examples(at least 3) :
1
2
3
List the equipment and/or materials you observed in the classroom that stimulate
the following:
5. Language development? Examples (at least 3 examples)
1
2
3
6. Concepts about cultures, professions, families, etc..)
Examples: (at least 3 examples)
1
2
3
7. Math/Science concepts: Provide one example/material for each of the following:
7.List Pre-Math Activities/materials that you observed in the classroom such as
puzzles, design blocks, dominos, matching games.
Examples: (at least 3 examples)
1
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2
3
8. List the materials/activities you saw related to Cooking, planting, caring for animals
and/or field trips?
Examples: (at least 3 examples)
1
2
3
9. Learning materials involving use of senses (taste, smell , touch etc..)
Examples: (at least 3 examples)
1
2
3
10. Learning materials related to the environment:
Examples: (at least 3 examples)
1
2
3
H. GOALS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE( 2 points)
Did you observe the teacher helping a child develop a positive self-image/esteem?
DESCRIBE:
2. Did you observe the teacher help the child in learning or improving gross and small
motor development? DESCRIBE:
3. Did the teacher stimulate the language development by helping the child learn new
vocabulary words? DESCRIBE:
4. Did the teacher help the child in encouraging cognitive growth in such areas as:
understanding, perception, knowing analyzing, questioning? DESCRIBE:
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5. Did the teacher help the child in encouraging creative growth by allowing the child to
explore materials rather than tell the child to do things or by using predetermined crafts
with only one right way? DESCRIBE:
I. INTERPERSONAL ENVIRONMENT:TEACHER /CHILD RELATIONS(2 points)
1. Is there a warm overall interpersonal environment (talk, touch, involved with children)?
Yes, No, Occasionally. Give one specific example:
2. . Does the teacher use “open ended questions encouraging children to answer, think
and participate in learning and discovery? Give one specific example
3. Did you observe any teacher directed indoor activities for the children?
DESCRIBE and provide THREE examples of teacher directed activities observed:
1
2
3
4. Did you observe any free play time indoor activities for the children?
DESCRIBE and provide THREE examples of free play time activities observed
1
2
3
J. CHILDREN WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS(1 pts)
1. Did you observe any child/children with any physical or language/speech needs?
YES, NO. If you answered NO go to question # 8. If you answered yes, continue to
answer 2 to 7 and skip question #8
2. If you did, did the school provided any of the following special provision for the
children?
3. Teaching independent skills, dressing, undressing, toileting, opening door, eating,
using scissors etc,) Yes, No. Provide one specific example:
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4. Any extra adults to meet the needs of the children with exceptional needs? Yes, No. If
yes, Provide one specific example: If not, explain how the children managed to do
activities independently.
5. Any addition of special equipment indoors or outdoors?
6. Did adults ensure that all these children were fully included in all classroom activities?
Yes, No. Provide one specific example:
2 points
7. A) Do you think the classroom that you observed is prepared to receive a child with a
physical disability? For e.g.: child on a wheelchair or having poor balance. Explain your
answer. B) What types of changes would you do in the classroom to make it more
inclusive of children with exceptional needs?
K.GENERAL SUMMARY(2 pts)
1. What is your overall opinion of teachers’ characteristics and personality?
2. What is your overall opinion of the activities and selection of materials?
use your child development knowledge(theories/developmentally appropriate practices
to answer the question)
3. How did you feel about the way discipline was handled at this school? Use specific
examples to justify your opinion.
4. Would you send your child to this school? Yes/No Why? Please use the knowledge
that you have acquired in this class to support your answer.
L. INDOOR/OUTDOOR MAP(Total 3 points:1.5 points each))
1. Attach 2 drawings maps on 2 separate pages. One with the indoor and the second
one with the outdoor space.
.
PLEASE ATTACH PROOF OF YOUR OBSERVATION VISIT: YOU WILL NEED TO
ATTACH THE VISITOR STICKER TO THE LETTER SIGNED BY THE SCHOOL.
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STUDENTS WHO DO NOT PROVIDE PROOF OF THEIR OBSERVATION VISITWILL
RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

OBSERVATION PROCEDURES:
Do not go to your class observation site with a cold or any other infectious
illness. Call the center and request to reschedule the observation.
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Arrive a 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled time to observe the classroom.

Sign in on the daily signature form (Time in and time out)

While you are in the room, maintain as quiet as possible but stay close
enough to hear and see what is going on. Remember, you are just an
observer! Do not encourage any talking with the children or teachers!!! e
invisible!!! :)

Please turn off your cell phone and DO NOT use your phone while you
are doing the observation!
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Bring into the classroom the minimum personal belongings. If you do
have a purse, please keep it close to you, so children will not have an
easy reach to it.
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If you are observing in the same classroom and at the same time as another
student, do not sit together. Avoid conversations and /or any comments.

DO NOT WRITE ON YOR REPORT ANY REAL NAMES OR LAST NAMES
OF CHILDREN OR ADULTS OF THE CLASSROOM YOU OBSERVED.
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Do not discuss the children and their behavior in or outside the
classroom. The observation is personal and confidential.
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When you departure please, remember to thank the teachers and/or any
other staff!

At the end of the observation, have the supervising teacher or Director
sign the observation letter.
ENJOY YOUR OBSERVATION!!! 
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