EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
Target Student
Student Partner
Mentor Teacher:
University Liaison Joy L. Comingore (229-5553)
MVCDC/DPS Site:
Observation Directions
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Both partners will write entries about the “target student” on this form. The target student will write anecdotal records to provide
evidence of his/her own performance (written in red). The target student’s partner will also write anecdotal records about the target
student on this same form (written in blue). ALL OF THE ENTRIES ON THIS FORM SHOULD BE WRITTEN ABOUT
THE PARTNER WHO IS IDENTIFIED AS THE TARGET STUDENT ABOVE. This evaluation should be handwritten
and not word processed. Supervisors will write in black.
Documentation is included throughout the experience in order to provide evidence for each criteria statement. Include the date that
the evidence was observed. Don’t wait until the end of the term to write down the evidence!
The examples listed under some criteria statements are provided to describe what the criteria might look like in the classroom.
Examples should be checked if they are observed.
The criteria below come from the NAEYC Standards for Professional Practice. Target students may not have the opportunity to
demonstrate all criteria. If this is the case give a final rating of NO (no opportunity) and write a description of what you would do if
you had the opportunity. This needs to be done by the target student only.
Your mentor teacher is not expected to write anecdotes on this evaluation but will sign off at the end of the form to verify the
accuracy of the anecdotes collected
The university liaison will rate each criterion using the following scale:
[1]
[2]
[3]
Not met
Basic
Proficient
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The criterion is not met.
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The criterion is partially met.
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The criterion is completely met.
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There is little evidence that this
statement accurately describes the
Target student.
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There is some evidence that this
statement accurately describes the
Target student.
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There is a great deal of evidence that
this statement accurately describes the
Target student.
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The behavior happens rarely or
seldom.
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The behavior happens some of the
time.
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The behavior happens most of the
time.
Criterion
Final
Statement of Evidence
Include date/s observed
Rating
Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning: Candidates use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and
needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, to create environments that are healthy, respectful,
supportive, and challenging for all children.
1-1 The target student supports children’s emotional development,
assisting them to be comfortable, relaxed, happy, and involved in
play and other activities.
Comforts and reassures children who are hurt, fearful, or otherwise
upset.
Helps children deal with anger, frustration, or sadness by comforting,
identifying, and reflecting feelings.
Helps children use various strategies to express emotions and solve
social problems, as appropriate for age of child.
Intervenes quickly when children’s responses to each other become
physically aggressive, and help children to develop more positive
strategies to solve conflicts.
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
1-2 The target student enhances physical development and skills.
Provides time for active play such as jumping, running, balancing,
climbing, riding tricycles.
Provides creative movement activity using obstacle course or activity
songs and records.
Provides fine-motor activities such as complex manipulatives, toys,
pegboards, puzzles, lacing cards and woodworking.
Provides art material for drawing, modeling, writing.
1-3 The target student encourages cognitive development by providing
opportunities for children to think, reason, question, and
experiment.
Plans activities for labeling, classifying, sorting objects by shape,
color, size.
Discusses daily and weekly routines in terms of time concepts,
season of the year.
Observes natural events such as seeds growing, life cycle of pets.
Creates opportunities to use numbers, counting objects.
Encourages water and sand play.
1-4 The target student encourages language and literacy development.
Reads books and poems, tells stories about experiences, talks about
pictures, writes down experience stories children dictate.
Adds more information to what a child says.
Labels things in room, use written words with pictures and spoken
language, provide a print-rich environment.
Encourages children’s emerging interest in writing (scribbling,
drawing, copying, and using invented spelling).
1-5 The target student encourages aesthetic development through
creative expression, representation, and appreciation for the arts.
Does creative art activities such as brush painting, drawing, collage,
and play dough.
Provides time and space for dancing, movement activities, creative
dramatics.
Does musical activities such as singing, listening to records, playing
instruments.
Most art activities are offered as an exploratory process rather than
to produce a product.
Avoids making models, patterns, and pre-drawn forms
1-6 The target student supports social development by recognizing and
encouraging pro-social behaviors among children, such as
cooperation, turn-taking, talking to solve problems, and expressing
concern for others. Expectations of children’s social behaviors are
developmentally appropriate.
Supports children’s beginning friendships and provides opportunities
for children to learn from each other as well as adults.
Encourages children to cooperate in small groups.
Coaches children who have difficulty entering a play situation or
making constructive use of child-chosen activity.
Provides opportunities for sharing, caring, and helping, such as
making cards for a sick child or caring for pets.
Explores ways to respond to biased comments and behaviors.
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
1-7 The target student creates a climate that promotes fairness between
students and teacher and among students and treats children of all
races, religions, family backgrounds, and cultures with equal respect
and consideration.
Initiates activities and discussions to build positive self-identity and
teach the value of differences.
Makes it a firm rule that a person’s identity (age, race, ethnicity,
family life, physical appearance, and ability) is never used to tease or
reject anyone.
Talks positively about each child’s physical characteristics and
cultural heritage.
Reacts to teasing or rejecting among children by intervening to
discuss similarities and differences. For example:
Builds a sense of the group as a community, bringing each child’s
home culture and language into the shared culture of the school so
each child feels accepted and gains a sense of belonging.
Provides books, materials, images, and experiences that reflect
diverse cultures that children may not likely see, as well as those that
represent their family life and cultural group.
Avoids stereotyping any group through materials, objects, or
language.
Infuses all curriculum topics with diverse cultural perspectives,
avoiding a “tourist” approach.
1-8 The target student provides children of both sexes with equal
opportunities to take part in all activities.
Provides models, props, and visual images that counter traditional
sex-role limitations.
Values positive levels of noise and activity involving both girls and
boys.
Uses words such as strong, gentle, pretty, and helpful for both girls
and boys.
1-9 The target student interacts frequently with children showing
affection, interest, and respect.
Speaks with children at eye level.
Talks with and listen to individual children during activities and
routines (arriving/departing, eating).
Actively seeks meaningful conversations with children.
Listens to children with attention and respect.
Is aware of the activities of the entire group even when dealing with
a smaller group, or individual child.
Spends time observing each child without interrupting an actively
involved child.
Asks open-ended questions.
Calls children by name.
Includes children in conversations; describes actions, experiences,
and events; listens and responds to children’s comments and
suggestions.
1-10 The target student encourages and demonstrates sound health,
safety, and nutritional practices.
Tables are washed and floors are swept after meals.
Toys are picked up after use.
Soiled diapers are disposed of or held for laundry in closed
containers out of reach of children.
Washes their hands with liquid soap and water at appropriate times.
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
1-11 The target student facilitates the development of responsibility, selfregulation, and self-control in children.
Sets clear, consistent, fair limits for classroom behavior and helps
children to set their own limits.
Uses children’s mistakes as learning opportunities, describing the
situation and encouraging children’s evaluation of the problem rather
than imposing the solution.
Anticipates and eliminates potential problems, redirecting children to
a more acceptable behavior or activity.
Listens and acknowledges children’s feelings and frustrations and
responds with respect.
Guides children to resolve conflicts and model skills that help
children to solve their own problems.
Encourages appropriate behavior, patiently reminding children of
rules and their rationale as needed.
Applies logical or natural consequences in problem situations.
Children are given advanced notice to prepare them for transition
ahead of time.
Children are not required to move as a group from one activity to
another.
The new activity is prepared before the transition from the
completed activity to avoid prolonged waiting.
Does not use corporal punishment or other negative discipline
methods that hurt, humiliate, or frighten children
Food or beverage is never withheld as a form of discipline.
The environment is arranged so that a minimal number of “No’s”
are necessary, especially for young children.
Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships Candidates know about, understand, and value the importance and
complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships
that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.
2-1 The target student respects the children’s home culture
Avoids correcting the children when the use their home
language/dialect
Incorporates family culture in the materials and activities planned in
the class
2-2 The target student communicates with families
Family members are greeted as they enter the classroom
An appropriate letter of introduction is prepared at the beginning of
the lab experience
An appropriate letter describing the completed project is written at
the end of the lab experience
Other ways of communicating with families are identified.
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families. Candidates know about and
understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other
effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence children’s
development and learning.
3-1 The target student creates or selects evaluation strategies that are
appropriate for the students and aligned with the learning goals.
Existing assessment data is examined
Assessment strategies are authentic and play-based
Assessment strategies are developmentally appropriate
Assessment strategies address both developmental domains and
content
3-2 The target student establishes baseline data about what the children
know and are able to do
The teaching team reviews the whole class tracking system and
identifies areas in need of further assessment
Pre-assessment devices are developed and data is collected
Pre-assessment data is used to plan for instruction
3-3 The target student conducts ongoing assessment in order to
document progress and make instructional decisions
Assessment and documentation is part of each lesson taught
Data from ongoing assessment is used to make instructional
decisions
Data at the end of the project is used to document student learning
Standard 4: Teaching and Learning Candidates integrate their understanding of and relationships with children and families; their
understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design,
implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children.
4-1 The target student uses a variety of teaching strategies to enhance
children’s learning and development.
Extend children’s thinking and learning during activities by adding
new materials, asking open-ended questions, offering ideas of
suggestions, joining in their play, and providing assistance in solving
problems.
Stimulates children’s thinking and extend their learning using verbal
methods such as posing problems, asking questions, and making
comments and suggestions.
Introduces children to new experiences, ideas, or challenges.
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
4-2 The target student is flexible enough to change planned or routine
activities
Target student follows needs or interests of the children.
Target student adjusts to changes in weather or other unexpected
situations in a relaxed way without upsetting children.
4-3
The target student provides enticing and authentic materials and
time for children to select their own activities.
Several alternative activities are available for children’s choice.
Respects the child’s right not to participate in some activities.
4-4
The target student encourages children’s development of
independent functioning, as appropriate.
Fosters the development of age-appropriate self-help skills such as
picking up toys, wiping spills, personal grooming including toileting
and hand washing.
Encourages children to obtain and care for materials, and other
skills.
When appropriate, recognizes that cultural perspectives of family or
community may influence expectations for independence.
4-5 The target student works with the educational team to maintain the
overall sound of the group as pleasant most of the time.
The sounds in the room include happy laughter, excitement, busy
activity, pleasant conversation rather than harsh, stressful noise or
enforced quiet.
Adult voices do not predominate
4-6 The target student plans and implements lessons with challenging
academic content
The content is covered in depth with multiple opportunities to
explore the same concept.
The content is accurate
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EDT 313: DAP for Preschool
Early Childhood Participant Observation Record
Standard 5: Becoming a Professional Candidates identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession.
They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous,
collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that
integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
5-1 The target student collaborates with all members of the educational
team
Maintains ongoing and sufficient communication with all members
of the team
Engages in the team decision-making process
Avoids dominating the team
Completes tasks on time and with quality
Uses effective strategies to resolve conflicts as they arise
Deal directly with the person/s who are at the root of the conflict
before involving others in the conflict resolution process
5-2 The target student demonstrates a sense of efficacy by assuming
responsibility for student learning
Views challenges in the classroom as opportunities to try something
new and generates possible solutions
Uses assessment data to identify what the children are ready to work
on next so that learning is based on the children’s areas of strength
5-3 The target student demonstrates professionalism
Adheres to the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
Maintains confidentiality
Dresses in a way that maintains modest coverage while reflecting the
school culture
Attends the field experience regularly and promptly
Completes all assigned tasks on time and with quality
Maintains a positive attitude
Shows initiative
Both partners sign below upon completion of the anecdotal record.
Target Student
Date
Partner
Date
The mentor teacher signs below to signify that he or she has read the anecdotal record and agrees with the evidence provided.
Mentor Teacher
Date
The mentor university liaison signs below to signify that he or she has read the anecdotal record and agrees that the evidence provided
supports the standard.
University Liaison
Date
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