Reflection and Evaluation

[LindyT]

I had a program audit yesterday and was told I need to separate my Reflections and Evaluations in my programming.

I always thought they were one and the same.

This is an example


Weekly Program Evaluation
• Tuesday – The garlic presses were of no interest to the children. I think they are too heavy. Transitions today were slow so pepped them up with songs today between transitions. Play dough had the children engrossed in rich imaginative play for more than 90 minutes. I think next time I will make cooked play dough. The raw was too sticky.
• Wednesday - B loved the climbing frame that M dropped around. The stepping stones were quite popular too. The painting was well received by H, B and A. None of the other children engaged in it. B vomited at M/tea. This is not the first time this has occurred and suspect B may overload himself. I will monitor his eating more closely
• Thursday - The ball session didn’t go as planned (I had anticipated some social interactions to occur. C didn’t show much interest in the balls but he did engage with them with the cars and trucks so will try that next week.
I did some research on this Social Development and found my expectations were a bit out for C. Not until about the 19 month mark could one reasonable expect Social development to begin for C.
• Friday – Today the children were very busy. I reintroduced the Garlic crushers to the children. S and J found these very interesting and spent a majority of their time using them. I was pleased I retried the Crushers as I felt B, T, S and J will develop good hand strengthening for the transition for using scissors and pencils correctly. T’s negative play with the soft toys was redirect verbally. We talked in the group about how the ‘Puppies” could play nicely together and be kind to each other and be friends. T only needed remind twice about helping the Puppies to be friends. Whilst the coloured water experience was exciting for the children I feel the coloured water experience was on a too grand a scale. I’ll look to making the experience occur again maybe in cups so that colour mixing can occur.
B’s eating was better today. He managed to eat morning tea without vomiting.

I'd love some help to get these working as reflections and evaluations.

Thanks in advance

[LindyT]

Tuesday – The garlic presses were of no interest to the children. I think they are too heavy. Transitions today were slow so pepped them up with songs today between transitions. Play dough had the children engrossed in rich imaginative play for more than 90 minutes. I think next time I will make cooked play dough. The raw was too sticky.

Spoke with my Coordinator and this way my understanding from that conversation.

Evaluation The garlic presses were of no interest to the children.
Reflection I think they are too heavy.

Evaluation Transitions today were slow
Reflection so pepped them up with songs today between transitions.

Evaluation Play dough had the children engrossed in rich imaginative play for more than 90 minutes.
Reflection I think next time I will make cooked play dough. The raw was too sticky.

[fifi31]

Hi Lindy

Your reflections are how you felt the day went with the children whether it was a tough day or a smooth one what you should do next time to improve on your day /program etc. Your evaluations are what you observed with regard to children's development, how they reacted to activities and what was involved etc.

[Lorina]

Hi Lindy,

How's it going?

There are two differences between an evaluation and a reflection.

A reflection allows us to analyze our experiences, make changes based on our mistakes, keep doing what is successful, and build upon our knowledge & an evaluation looks at original objectives, at what was accomplished and how it was accomplished.

So, the examples you had given from your understanding of the conversation you had with your co-ordinator seem fine.

Cheers ,
L.A