observation help please

**chels55** · 16-02-2010, 10:17 AM

i have to do a observation as part of my assignement for nvq, any help would be appreciated i have had two weeks to complete it but my grandfather died 3 weeks ago and my mind has been elsewhere.This is the first orb i have attempted (i can do the observation on anything i choose) i know the english childminders do obs all the time so any tips will be great, i have a child of 2 and a eight year old to choose from, they will be here for about two hours. This has to be handed in tomorrow

**kindredspirits** · 16-02-2010, 10:37 AM

i can highly recommend Sarah Nevilles ebook on observations.

theres a link to her ebooks here http://eyfsforchildminders.webnode.com/

really helped me to understand what to write!

**beckyteddy** · 16-02-2010, 11:10 AM

Write what you actually see and what the children actually do or say as the observation and then analyse or expand on it later. Try not to write/record your own opinions about what you are observing, just stick to the facts. Then, if you want to link it to the Early Years Foundation Stage like we do for Learning Journey Observations, you can add you own interpretation of the childrens actions or comments afterwards.

**MissTinkerbell** · 16-02-2010, 11:16 AM

Choose a particular skill you want to observe - for example if they are playing with bricks you could look at how they co-operate together; build the towers; put the bricks together, etc and then write down everything that they say and do.

Do not try to do the observation for the whole 2 hours - 30 minutes should be enough. Try not to write down your own thoughts or opinions.

After they've gone you can relate what you have written to development matters from the EYFS and here's where you can reflect on where you think the children are at developmentally.

At then end of the day doing an observation is fairly easy as its all about what you see and hear - the harder part is interpretating that information!!