Observation, assessment, planning and evaluation all support children’s learning and development they are all vital tools for teachers in the early childhood sector. It is essential for teachers to have a strong understanding of the influence physical, temporal and interpersonal surroundings have on children’s learning and development. The following essay will explain the importance of these tools when planning for children’s learning and will discuss strategies which teachers can use to promote learning and development.
Observation describes the method of watching children, listening to them, taking note of what is going on, what is being seen and what is being said. Before observing children there are several ethical factors to take into consideration for example, consent from the child’s parents/caregivers giving permission to observe their child must be obtained. All observations must be kept confidential and used in a professional manner, there will be no harmful outcome for the child/children, and observations must display cultural awareness (McNaughton & Williams, 2009). Observing children benefits teachers working throughout the early childhood sector allowing them to get to know the children that are attending better and also work on developing positive relationships with them and their families. Observing children allows teachers to plan appropriate activities and learning experiences based on different interests and needs of individual children by looking, listening and noting the activities of a child or a group of children “all early childhood staff are familiar with written record-taking and observation of children’s development in order to help them to plan techniques and learning experiences for a particular child or group of children” (McNaughton & Williams, 2009, p.296). Quality documentation makes visible the interweaving of adult and child thought and action, providing the possibility of improving the quality of communication and...