Help with a negative obs please

[Mcgons]

One of my mindees (nearly 3) is not keen on sharing once she has started to play with something - like in water play last week, had 2 lengths of guttering and the other mindee started pouring water down the gutter she was using which resulted in her having a paddy and saying 'that's my one!' then threw the jug on the floor. Talked to her and then all was fine.

Also same mindee sometimes won't stay at an activity (like putting train track together) or gives up a bit too easily if she thinks she can't do something, and wants me to do it for her. So I'm also working on encouraging her to do things for herself if I know she can and giving lots of praise etc.

As these are things I'm working on I wanted to write them down, but is it ok to write an observation as they're a bit negative, and if yes, how do I write them?

[sarah707]

X uses the guttering to pour water and watches the effects it has blah blah...

Next steps - support X to share and take turns when she is playing.

X puts 3 pieces of train track together and uses it to push the trains along... plus a photo maybe

Next steps - support X to put more track together by working with her to show her how it fits

Focus on what she CAN do and make what she cannot yet do into next steps

Hth :D

[Mcgons]

Thanks Sarah!:)

[Mouse]

Sometimes I think you do need to note the negatives, because on some occassions it's important to highlight what a child can't do. Eg. I have a child who has poor fine motor skills. I could observe that she can do X and the next step would be to move her onto Y, but that doesn't hightlight the fact that she is quite behind with these skills.

Rather than do it as a straightforward obs with next steps though, I do it as more of a concern. I write up that although she is doing X, it shows some delay in this area & I'm going to do Y to try to build on this. I think it puts a bit more emphasis on the fact that you've identified an area that needs working on & shows what you are doing to help.

I will then do follow up obs & note how much progress has been made and what next steps we can take.