Can observations be negative??

[Aimi-jo]

Negative in the way were something can later be improved..............This is my first mindee i think im on the right track with other obs i have had him for 6weeks and i have quite a few maybe to many but i often over do things.

The first week i had him there was alot snatching of my ds (3months younger), not taking turns, shouting (normal teething problem) but now lo and ds play lovely together, they find things for each other, its lovely to see there relationship now.
Also lo is not interested in crafty thing like colouring, fuzzy felt, playdough he would rather be charging around, but when colouring he is saying all the colours.
Hope this makes sense, this is so new to me.
Thanks for reading

[grindal]

I think the observation should be positive - the next step is the place to describe what it can be developed into.

[QualityCare]

There is always something positive in everything a child does, even if they have hurt another child you deal with it and explain why they shouldn't do it, they listen, that's positive. If while doing an activity, not to how you think it should be done, do the observation describing how he uses the activity, your evaluation/next steps would be to encourage play with that activity with an outcome towards how you want it to be.

[Jods]

I disagree, observations are just that, observations - they should be impartial and have meaning - so not all obs will be positive, however what derives from the obs, i.e. next steps/planning should/could be positive.

For example : 'A' went to the toilet, but did not wash his hands (not a positive ob), NS. put into place hand washing games, posters, reminders, wash the babies hands.

For Example : 'C' snatched toy from 'D', encourage safer play, provide more than one toy, encourage turn taking, distract child.

as how will you show that you have taken an issue of behaviour control, planned for it for that child, and reached a satisfactory outcome if you have not observed it, observations are evidence x

[Aimi-jo]

I thought it would be to show the improvements lo has made, i wasnt gonna put week one X was absolutely horrible, obviously i would word it diplomatacily like X found sharing 'difficult'!!
Like the next steps comments tho.
Thanks for your opinions

[Jods]

Obervation - evaluation - next step - obeservation - evaluation - next step

thats how the cycle goes -

so your first obs would be - 'snatching, not taking turns, shouting'

Your evaluation would be - teething problem, still settling, learning boundaries

your next steps would be - rules, taking turns, extra toy etc

then your next obs would be - 'lo and ds play lovely together, they find things for each other'

Evaluation - settled in learnt rules, boundaries, built relationship

Next steps - continue to support, and keep observing to ensure sharing etc.

see a negative observation - evaluated and planned to. Achieving a positive outcome.

[lisa b]

Obervation - evaluation - next step - obeservation - evaluation - next step

thats how the cycle goes -

so your first obs would be - 'snatching, not taking turns, shouting'

Your evaluation would be - teething problem, still settling, learning boundaries

your next steps would be - rules, taking turns, extra toy etc

then your next obs would be - 'lo and ds play lovely together, they find things for each other'

Evaluation - settled in learnt rules, boundaries, built relationship

Next steps - continue to support, and keep observing to ensure sharing etc.

see a negative observation - evaluated and planned to. Achieving a positive outcome.

very nicely put!

[FussyElmo]

I wouldnt personally ever put a negative observation in my lj's however positive your make it with your next steps.

Why - because I think as a parent I want something to keep and read which shows my child doing things good. I wouldnt want to read x snatched toys and then read an evaluation and next steps because its critical and doesnt do much for the self esteem.

I would have noted the not taking turns and then when as you said he is now doing it nicely do an ob saying x and y did a board game today and x shared and took his turn. Next steps and evaluation x shared beautifully will introduce more oppertunites for this to continue.

[sarah707]

For every negative you give a parent about their child you need to give 7 or more positives before they forgive you.

Plus by stating negatives in writing you run the risk of giving the child a label in the parents head... my child snatches, my child bites, my child hits others etc

Yes of course the behaviours need to be tackled but they don't necessarily need to be remembered in a learning journey booklet.

The learning journey should be a celebration of the child's achievements!

The behaviours can be managed elsewhere

[Aimi-jo]

Obervation - evaluation - next step - obeservation - evaluation - next step

thats how the cycle goes -

so your first obs would be - 'snatching, not taking turns, shouting'

Your evaluation would be - teething problem, still settling, learning boundaries

your next steps would be - rules, taking turns, extra toy etc

then your next obs would be - 'lo and ds play lovely together, they find things for each other'

Evaluation - settled in learnt rules, boundaries, built relationship

Next steps - continue to support, and keep observing to ensure sharing etc.

see a negative observation - evaluated and planned to. Achieving a positive outcome.

Thank you

[lindsayjo]

I was wondering the same thing! Now I don't know whether I should write negative comments :-(

[sarah707]

I was wondering the same thing! Now I don't know whether I should write negative comments :-(

Ok... put yourself in the position of a parent.

Would you want to read negative things about your child in a booklet that was supposed to be a keepsake? A memory book of his life so far...?

A learning journey booklet is a celebration of a child's achievements... of their personality... of their lives... of their likes and dislikes and schemas and ways of learning things and interests...

Ok now put yourself in the position of a childminder writing a learning journey booklet for a child / family.

What is the motivation behind it? Well you want to write something that parents will be proud to keep and show the child's next setting.

You want to produce something they will want to put away and keep for their child to look at in future years.

Now ask yourself - will you achieve that if you are negative?

I know, as a parent, what I would have done if someone wrote something negative about my baby in a file then presented it to me and told me I should share it with their next setting and value it for years to come.

The whole thing would have gone in the recycling.

That's what parents do... they don't read the positive, they see and remember the negative because you are writing about the most special little people in their lives.

This is my opinion as a parent and a childminder it's fine if you think I am wrong but just put yourself in both positions first then make up your own mind what to do for the best

[Andrea08]

I try very hard not to use negatives as sarah points out as a parent i would not like to see it in my LO's file..

but

i would make notes (in my own diary)that when child A is close to child D they snatch toys from each other, and any ideas to put in place to help with sharing etc.

yes its an obs / everdence for ofsted file etc but parents and other settings are to see it too,

xx

[venus89]

I would also only put positive things in a LJ. I'd not write an observation about the child snatching but I might write, once they started sharing, how x has been sharing nicely. At the end of the day you don't write an observation about what they do every day, you write about new things you notice. So that is a new thing, the sharing. The fact they didn't use to remains unsaid.

[Aimi-jo]

I think i must of worded my first post completely wrong, I never meant it to come across as tho i was going to put x is awful at ........ He shouts,doesn't share or listen, and is altogether awful (he isn't at all)
Simply was going to put X has adapted nicely to others or on a creative activity, This isnt X's most favourite activity- difficult to engage.
I did say i have done many others which are all very positive. He is a lovely little boy and fits very well into my family, but no child is an angel all the time.

For the last 2years i have been the mum having talks (daily) with ds nursery/school about various different 'problems' he has had, many other mums/dads pick up and drop off without hardly ever discussing anything with there childs teacher, i think the saying is ignorane is bliss!!

I know the importance of seeing the positive written down trust me, (LJ's) but also if there is an issue i think parents should be aware but completely agree that this should be in the daily diary or similar.

My question has been answered and thank you for your opinions i think i know what im doing now