Living and Working With Children – HPW 3C – Cooperative Education
Title: Observing Young Children
Time Requirement: 60 minutes of an Integration Session
Description of the Task:
Students will select and observe a young child in a community setting. They will use proper
skills for observing children and document their findings using appropriate data collection
methods. Findings will be used to make connections to two major theories of child development.
Final Product:
Students submit a written report which includes a brief description of the child selected, a
rationale for the forms used to record the observations, completed observation records, an
analysis and discussion of their findings, and a conclusion. Connections made to child
development theories must be evident in the analysis and discussion. Students should organize
their information using headings and subheadings and write text in paragraph form with proper
sentence structure, spelling, and grammar. A rubric is provided for summative evaluation.
Expectations:
GDV.02 – describe various child-development theories and evaluate their relevance;
ISV.01 – use appropriate social science research methods in the investigation of issues related to
the well-being of children in family and community settings;
ISV.02 – organize and evaluate data gathered through their research;
GD2.01 – summarize the major modern and contemporary theories of child development;
GD2.04 – apply child-development theories to explain the behaviour of young children in
everyday situations;
IS1.01 – identify models of social science research methodology used to study children in family
and community settings;
SO3.04 – report the results of an investigation of the effectiveness of child-rearing and discipline
techniques available to families, care-givers, and professionals.
Assessment Strategies:
pencil, paper
observation records
student-teacher dialogue
written report
Assessment Tools:
pretest (diagnostic)
anecdotal notes for summary of child development theorists (formative)
checklist for observation records (formative)
anecdotal records (formative)
rubric (formative and summative)
Placement Learning Plan Project
1
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
Socratic lesson
summary chart of theorists
clinical observation
student-teacher conferencing
research report
open-ended questions
Task Instructions:
1.
The teacher introduces this assignment by giving students a pretest on child development
theories. Answers should then be taken up and discussed.
1.
The teacher reviews the major theorists of child development (e.g., Piaget, Erikson,
Freud, Goleman, Gorlick, Gilligan, Bronfenbrenner). Students prepare a summary for
each theorist which includes the area of development focussed on by the theorist and the
major concepts, e.g.,
Theorist
Piaget
Area of Development
Cognitive
Major Concepts
- children progress through four
stages of intellectual development...
1.
The teacher reviews the forms commonly used for recording observations and the skills
required by the observer while investigating young children.
2.
Distribute handouts – Assignment: Observing Young Children and Rubric for ‘Observing
Young Children’. Explain the components of the assignment and establish a due date.
Discuss the rubric.
Materials and Resources:
Handouts:
Assignment: Observing Young Children
Rubric for ‘Observing Young Children’
Development chart could be distributed by teacher (or made up by students) for
the age-group being studied, e.g. what a typical 6-year old is like socially,
emotionally, cognitively, physically
Brisbane, Holly E. The Developing Child. 8th edition. Peoria, Illinois: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill,
2000. ISBN 0-02-642708-7
The Developing Child – Observing and Participating with Children. Peoria, Illinois:
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2000. ISBN 0-07-820718-5
Hetherington, E., Parke, Ross and Mark Schmuckler. Child Psychology – A Contemporary
Viewpoint. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2002. ISBN 0070880530
Placement Learning Plan Project
2
ASSIGNMENT: OBSERVING YOUNG CHILDREN
1.
Select a child whom you will
observe. State the name, gender
and age. Briefly describe the
child’s typical personality traits
and behaviours.
2.
Choose two areas of child
development for the focus of your
observation, e.g., cognitive and
social. Select the appropriate
forms for recording observations
for the areas of development, a
different form for each area of
development. Write a brief
rationale which explains why you
chose the form you did for each observation.
3.
Carry out your investigation (using the forms selected to
record observations) at your co-op placement. Be sure
that you have arranged this with your co-op employer
ahead of time. You don’t want them to think that you are
slacking off!
4.
Interpret your results. What can you conclude about the child’s development,
e.g., do you think he/she is within the normal range for his/her age? What
teaching strategies seem to work best for this child? What suggestions can you
make to the physical environment in order to improve the child’s development in
this area?
5.
Discuss your findings by making connections to child development theories for
both areas of child development identified in #2 above. Be sure to clearly state
the theorist of child development who seems to best explain your findings. Draw
comparisons between the theories and your findings.
6.
Prepare a conclusion. Briefly summarize the process and findings of your
investigation. Reflect upon what you would do differently if you could do this
assignment all over again. Make recommendations for better meeting the needs
of the child you observed.
Placement Learning Plan Project
3
Rubric for ‘Observing Young Children’
Category/Criteria
Level 2
(60-69%)
Level 3
(70-79%)
Level 4
(80-100%)
- demonstrates
limited
understanding
of child
development
theories
- demonstrates
some
understanding
of child
development
theories
- demonstrates
considerable
understanding
of child
development
theories
- demonstrates
thorough and
insightful
understanding
of child
development
theories
- applies few of
the skills
involved in a
research/inquiry
process
- applies some
of the skills
involved in a
research/
inquiry process
- applies most
of the skills
involved in a
research/
inquiry process
- applies all or
almost all of
the skills
involved in a
research/
inquiry process
- communicates
information and
ideas with some
clarity
-communicates
information
and ideas with
limited clarity
-communicates
information
and ideas with
considerable
clarity
-communicates
information
and ideas with
a high degree
of clarity, and
with
confidence
- use of various forms of
communication (e.g.,
observation records,
written report)
- demonstrates
limited
command of the
various forms
- demonstrates
moderate
command of
the various
forms
- demonstrates
considerable
command of
the various
forms
- demonstrates
extensive
command of
the various
forms
Application
- making connections
between personal findings
and child development
theories in order to explain
the behaviour of children
- makes
connections
with limited
effectiveness
- makes
connections
with moderate
effectiveness
- makes
connections
with
considerable
effectiveness
- makes
connections
with a high
degree of
effectiveness
Knowledge/Understanding
- understanding of the major
theories of child
development
Thinking/Inquiry
- research and inquiry skills
(e.g., selecting appropriate
forms for recording
observations, analysing and
evaluating information,
forming conclusions)
Communication
- communication of
information and ideas
Placement Learning Plan Project
Level 1
(50-59%)
4