gathering info in spontaneous style

write down everything you see and hear

systematically recording presence or absence of certain behaviors, skills or actions using a list

collecting pieces of children's artwork

tangible pieces of evidence that show acheivement

written record in a story format

highlights key moments in child's day

focuses on strengths

most frequently used

• case notes, jotting down,

everyday things that catch our eye

identifies triggers and frequency

can be child or area- focused

only record what you see

detailed data about who, what, when, and where

descriptive evidence

more free flowing

can be time consuming

not practical for teachers in ratio

anytime throughout day

when you need detailed account of a child's behavior during an activity or event

identifying patterns of behaviors in settings

when a certain behavior happens

count tally marks after collecting data from that time

ask questions like

• what can you interpret?

• are there any patterns?

• where is there a low number of tally marks?

no training need

quick and easy

provides immediate quantifiable data

no clear sequence of events regarding specific behavior

doesnt provide qualitative evidence

when monitoring whether learnings are using specific skills and provide feedback

to track developmental progress

when evaluating classroom settings

you can use your own checklist or download one

use it regularly

ideal for tracking progress overtime

different observers can check off skills they see

quick and easy

don't provide rich detail or context

no clear sequence

no regard for environment, family or culture

to document child's specific approaches to tasks

when you want to communicate with families of their growth and where they might need more support

focus on objectives and specific behaviors

include quotes rather than interpretations

provides detail about who, what, when, where and how

evidence is documented in sequence

objective and descriptive evidence

data can be tainted if not written in the moment

may not always report typical pattern of behavior

throughout the school year

variety of samples that reflect each developmental area

• physical, cognitive, language, social emotional and more

organize it in a binder or digital document

share it with the family for positive insight

hang some on the walls on your classroom for positive reinforcement

visible evidence that teachers can use to track growth

children and parents enjoy seeing them

use the samples to adjust curriculum

can be time consuming

requires lots of storage space

requires financial investment of camera, binders, or recorder

as you watch and listen to child at play or doing an activity

planned or spontaneous

provide insight into best ways to plan curriculum

capture moments of their daily life

can be time consuming

difficult to remain objective

does not provide quantitative data