Obs for an 18month old

[Catwoman]

Hi
I have an 18 mth old girl who rarely sits still long enough to do a 5/10 min obs. Just wondering whether anyone has any ideas that i can use to encourage her to concerntrate long enough to do these obs?
Catwoman

[sarah707]

I'm not sure what you're trying to observe here... or why you are trying to make obs last 5/10 minutes...?

An 18 month old should be inquisitive. She should be into everything and active... she should also have times in her day for sitting quietly, reading books, joining in songs etc. That's all perfectly normal for her age.

Your obs should be about following her interests and her natural instincts to explore her world. You should observe how she looks around and finds new toys and claps when she is happy and waves her arms to 'wheels on the bus' or dances to a song.

Hth :D

[Catwoman]

Hi Sarah
I think that i'm getting confused over these obs for the EYFS. I take it that i do longer obs for the more older child and short brief ones for the younger children. And if the latter is the case do i just pop these on to a post it note and stick it in to my learning journal?
Sorry if i sound muddled but the more i read about the EYFS the more confused i get.!!!!:confused:

[estrelas]

Hi Sarah
I think that i'm getting confused over these obs for the EYFS. I take it that i do longer obs for the more older child and short brief ones for the younger children. And if the latter is the case do i just pop these on to a post it note and stick it in to my learning journal?
Sorry if i sound muddled but the more i read about the EelloYFS the more confused i get.!!!!:confused:

hello,sure Sarah will be back soon to help
but till then heres where i think your going wrong.... Obs are just pictures, if you see your mindee drawing something, then take a picture, link it to Creative Development on EYFS, or if she is playing dressing up, take a picture and link it yto EYFS.
Observations are just that, you noticing shes doing something special, or different or something she hasn't done before.

You don't set them up, its just a natural thing you comment on, that the child is doing.
Hope that helps till Sarah comes along witha clearer answer xx

[estrelas]

hello,sure Sarah will be back soon to help
but till then heres where i think your going wrong.... Obs are just pictures, if you see your mindee drawing something, then take a picture, link it to Creative Development on EYFS, or if she is playing dressing up, take a picture and link it yto EYFS.
Observations are just that, you noticing shes doing something special, or different or something she hasn't done before.

You don't set them up, its just a natural thing you comment on, that the child is doing.
Hope that helps till Sarah comes along witha clearer answer xx

that came out wrong, there not just pictures thats just one way of documenting them, easier i find, with little parahgraphs next to themx

[Catwoman]

Thanks Ke30.
I think the clouds are beginning to disappear. I take it from linking the photo to EYFS i then need to plan the next steps of development?
Catwoman

[estrelas]

yep, thats how i do it but just keep it brief, theres no need to write loads and loads,
Take a pic, link it to eyfs, stick a next step ( only need to do that sometimes) then i have a comment box for parents so they can comment.

I find it so much easier this way.

Otherwise do three grids, obs in one, link in the next, next steps in another.
Then you don't need pics.
I do that occassionally if theres a few things i want to write.

[sarah707]

Absolutely!

Observations, first and foremost, must say something to the reader. The reader must be able to see what you are writing, understand quickly and easily what you are saying, see immediately how you are linking what the child has said and done to the Eyfs and understand how you are intending to take the child's learning and development forward (those are the next steps).

Reams of paperwork is uninteresting to the reader and ultimately tells you very little about the child.

What is more important is that the little things the child does and say are noticed and acted on.

Like ke says, they are snapshots (in words or pictures) of the child's time with you. The powers that be talk a lot about post - it note observations... I don't think a child's folder will look particularly professional with post it's falling off the pages, but if you use them a an idea of spaces in which to write, that gives you an idea of how long a normal observation should be.

If you want to write more, then feel free. But always ask yourself what the words are achieving... what are they telling someone.. are they interesting... do they inform...?

Does that make more sense? :D

[michellethegooner]

I have attached a sample of an ob on my 16mth old mindee, minus photo obviously.

hth

[Catwoman]

A big thanks to you all. I feel better already.:D
Catwoman

[estrelas]

Absolutely!

Observations, first and foremost, must say something to the reader. The reader must be able to see what you are writing, understand quickly and easily what you are saying, see immediately how you are linking what the child has said and done to the Eyfs and understand how you are intending to take the child's learning and development forward (those are the next steps).

Reams of paperwork is uninteresting to the reader and ultimately tells you very little about the child.

What is more important is that the little things the child does and say are noticed and acted on.

Like ke says, they are snapshots (in words or pictures) of the child's time with you. The powers that be talk a lot about post - it note observations... I don't think a child's folder will look particularly professional with post it's falling off the pages, but if you use them a an idea of spaces in which to write, that gives you an idea of how long a normal observation should be.

If you want to write more, then feel free. But always ask yourself what the words are achieving... what are they telling someone.. are they interesting... do they inform...?

Does that make more sense? :D

:laughing: :laughing:
I knew you'd explain it better
One day I want to be that good!!