Observing A Child Observation

Observing young children interact with toys, peers, and themselves are all very important observations; however, one observation that is more vital is the child’s interaction with the teacher, paraprofessionals, teacher’s aids and any other adult in the child’s life during the school day. It can be hard for teachers to remain unbiased when recording the interaction between himself or herself and a child. Nevertheless, it is vital for these records to say unbiased because they help teachers pick up on areas of the child’s behavior that may seem suspicious or possibly concerning. These observations also give teachers clues about a child’s life outside of the school setting. For example, if a child who is normally bubbly and full of energy, walks into your classroom with their head down, in a quite almost fearful fashion, one can conclude that something is going on in the child’s life that may alter his or her behavior for an unknown period of time. …show more content…
Noticing differences in behavior like the above example is important to take note of because if the behavior continues, it may be wise to contact the parent and explain to them what you have been noticing and see if the parent is able to give clues as to what might be going on in that child’s life. “It’s through the ongoing contact with children’s parents that teachers gain a view of children in their wider, non-school world” (Cohen, 103). I believe as educators that creating meaningful relationships with parents is just as vital as creating meaningful relationships with the