FC502A - Observing Children On Physical Development

[milkyway.4]

Your Assignment Module Number and Heading: dip FC502A
Your Assignment Type: Standard Question
Currently Working in Childcare? No
Your knowledge: Basic Knowledge

Your Question?
Assignment: select 1 outdoor play area and 1 indoor play area. choose 3 children and observe at different times of day using a variety of observation techniques, a minimum of 3 observations per focus child. comment
1) significance of developmental behaviours and skills by referencing developmental theory/theorists for each observation
2) each child's funds of knowledge
3) each child's dispositions to learning.
Next, supplement the 2 play areas citing reasons for changes.

setting:outdoor-slide with tricycle indoor-painting age group-2-3 years

Q1. I observed climbing up the stairs, sliding down slide, pedal a tricycle. what else can I observe for 3 children x 9 observations?
Q2. observation techniques used are anecdotal, time sample, running record or learning story. Good choice? any sample of running record observation?
Q3. don't know how to reference theorist after each observation.
Q4. Not sure what my lecturer wants

What is your answer so far or What have you done so far as an attempt to solve this question?
observation 1
V climbs the ladder of the slide, holding the side of the ladder with both hands and with fingers wrapped on the sides. V lifts her right leg up onto the first step then lifts her left leg and pulls herself up to the first step. She then raises her grasp on the ladder one step higher. She continues alternating legs onto each step and moving her hands 2 more times. V gets to the top of the slide. She immediately turns her body away from the ladder, then releases her grasp on the sides of the ladder as she slides down. When she reaches the end of the slide, she jumps to the ground lading on both feet at the bottom.

Significance of developmental behaviours and skills:
-muscle strength and endurance is excellent
- balance skill; static and active is excellent.
- coordination; eye/hand and eye/foot is well developed
- projectile management is excellent. very steady in landing on both feet
-non-locomotor is well developed. does not shift from position when turning around
Theorist: Maslow, Skinner, Vygotsky
My lecturer's comment: for each observation, you need to comment on the behaviours and skills you have observed (physical) and link to theory/theorists. eg Arnold Gessell-developmental norms


Funds of knowledge
her knowledge is wide and varied. she talked about cooking, the different types of noodles, vegetables and meat that can be used to cook a dish.
Skills acquired: how to wash the ingredients
how to use the wok and frying pan
My lecturer's comment: link to skills and knowledge brought from the home environment. remember, the focus however is on physical development.

learning disposition:
confident, cooperative, curious, imaginative, enthusiastic
My lecturer's comment: you need to link these to specific observations.

Description and Message:

[Lorina]

Your observation is detailed and written well!

For fund of knowledge you can probably add what you wrote for "Significance of Behaviour and Skills" and for "Significance of Behaviour and Skills" you can probably add something like:

- climbs ladder unassisted
- confidently slides down slide unsupported
- jumps with both feet together etc.

I'm also going to provide you with a few articles which may help you link these skills to the theories. I am also providing you with a link to our Child Development page where you can find the milestones of gross motor development for each different age. You may be able to add from here more developmental behaviour and skills.

Child Development
Physical, Motor and Perceptual Development

For dispositions of learning see if this helps:

http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning ... tions.aspx

When writing these you need to take into account all the observations of each individual child in each setting. So, for V you should take 2 obs of her on the slide (morning and afternoon for example) and observe if she does anything different in her approach to using the ladder and slide. Does she play with anyone else on the slide, does she say anything to who, does she count to herself as she goes up, does she play with her friends on the slide all these can be added into your observations...

Hope this helps,

,
L.A

[milkyway.4]

Thks for the help. Lorina.
You mentioned about me adding some more info on my observations such as does she count while going up the stairs or does she play with others, etc. However, I'm unsure should I add these as my assignment is on physical development and not language and social. Anyway, will get back to you for my lecturer's comment.