GUIDANCE LOG #2 ASSIGNMENT

FRONT PAGE

Student Name Leidi Marciaga

Course Name Guidance 2

Observation Anecdotal observation

Method
Date of November 22, 2021
Observation
Time of 6:00 pm
Observation (Start
and end time)
Child(ren) Name(s) Jack

Child’s Age 5 years

Field
Placement
Agency
Field Placement
Phone Number
& Contact
Name
Observation Setting

RECE/ Dear Supervising Teacher: Please read and review the guidance log.
Teacher (**Please ensure this form is filled out prior to having it signed. AND
Do not revise or adapt these forms or cut and paste the RECE’s signature**)
Signature
Select the appropriate box below.
o This log is accurate based on your observations
o This log is somewhat accurate
o This log is not accurate. Please explain:
_________________________________________________________
__________________________________

This signature verifies that this observation took place according to the
information above.
RECE Signature:

Date of Signature:
 OBSERVATION

The children were in a group at the story time area sitting, standing and waiting for the teacher

while she talks. But Jack started to walk away from the group and looked at the carpet on the ground

while pointing with both hands and shaking his head. He walked into the eating area and play area still

looking around and pointing at the ground with both hands. He continued to walk around while looking at

the things on the table. He then walked over to the sink area and stared in the direction of the children

before turning back to look at a bin on a table near the sink area. He stands by the sink with his hands out

and started to sing. A staff then called Jack by his name and he looks at the caregiver but continued

pacing around near the sink while singing to himself. The teacher called again and said “come on Jack”.

She held her hands out for him to hold and he walked towards her but didn’t hold her hand. She grabbed

his hand and guided him to go sit down but he ran around the children to the other side of a caregiver.

Jack tried to go behind the caregiver and walked over her legs. But teacher turned to him and said “Jack,

Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, you’re hurting me.” Jack turned around and stumbled the other way. The caregiver

told Jack “Well you are going to have to walk around Jack instead of stepping over me.” While the

caregiver was talking Jack shouted “See Ya” and walked around the children over to the book shelf. He

started climbing the book self and the caregiver said “Jack please get down from the book shelf and Jack

stoop on the ground while holding on to the shelf.

The context of the problem was the children were all sitting, standing and waiting in a group by

the story centre around the caregiver while she was talking. However, a child named Jack seemed very

restless and he displayed behaviours such as short attention span, difficulty listening, easily getting

distracted and doing dangerous activity. The children were gathered around the teacher at the story area
but Jack walked away from the group and was looking around the room. When the teacher called him,

took a while to react and focus his attention and she had to call him again. Jack demonstrated some

challenging behaviour by stepping on the legs of the caregiver while trying to get to the front of the class.

When the teacher told him that he was hurting her and he can go around the other side he shouted “See

you later.” He rushed to the other side and started climbing on the bookshelf instead of sitting down. I

also think the teachers could have done a better job at communicating properly what they wanted jack to

do since he seems to have inattention.

DECISION and ACTION

The following guidance strategies that I would use in this situation to solve the problem

would be positive direct guidance strategies that include using limits effectively, teaching helpful

or appropriate behaviours, and I messages. According to Marion, “Authoritative, trust building

adults use positive strategies, focusing on teaching and not punishment.” (Marion, pg.118)

Setting limits is suited because based on my observation of Jack was very inattentive, not

focused, has no self-control, and does not understand boundaries. He walked away from the
group while the caregiver was talking to the children in a group circle. I believe the steps needed

to help with this behaviour would be; firstly, to work with the children to create some limits

before doing an activity. The limit could be about showing respect to each other by finding a spot,

sitting down, and waiting for the teacher to start reading. According to Marion, “Adults influence

children by stating their expectations for desired behaviour and helping children understand that

there are boundaries, or limits, on behaviour.” Marion, pg.119) This helps build a positive

relationship between the children and the caregiver. The children will more likely take ownership

because they help make them. Second, Jack seems to have a hard time focusing and may not pay

attention to the discussion about the limits. I can tell him directly what to do instead of what not

to do when going to the story centre. I can say something along the lines of “you can find a nice

spot on the ground right next to child B.” According to Marion, “We do need to be clear about

what children may not do, but it is most helpful to focus on what we want children to do.”

(Marion, pg.121) Third, I can help Jack focus on the activity and give cues. For example, I can ask

Jack to hold on to the book we are going to read and sit up in front and give it to me when it is

time for storytime. According to Marion, you should “direct a child’s visual attention to a specific

object or task.” (pg.124) This would help Jack stay focused, not get restless, and do a dangerous

activity like stepping on the caregiver’s feet or climbing on the book selves.

The second strategy the caregivers could have used was teaching helpful behaviours.

According to Marion, you can “help children build self-control by teaching them about helpful

behaviours. Children must learn so many behaviours that they do not know automatically.” We

can help children learn how to listen when others are talking and not to interrupt them. We can

teach them how to participate in a group and learn how and where to sit. While other children we

sitting and gathered around the teacher. Jack was walking around the room, walking over the
 teacher’s legs and trying to climb on the bookshelf. Talking to Jack and the children about

appropriate behaviour they will start to understand what they should do and shouldn’t do. Jack

will understand that if he does unsafe things he can get hurt and it is not good behaviour.

Action

To solve the problems, after I saw Jack was getting restless and he started to walk to the other

end of the room. I would slowly walk to him and touch his shoulders asking why he is not sitting with

us. I would get down to eye level and politely say take this book and have a seat next to his friends

while we wait to start. This would make him focus his attention on sitting with the group and wanting

to be a part of the storytime activity.

After talking with jack and he sits down, I would start speaking with the children about

developing limits and what the limits will be when they are doing an activity. I ask them, “How do you

behaviour when getting ready for storytime and what are the things, we need to do to get ready for

storytime?” Some children said “clean up toys” and others said go sit down at the story centre.” The

children will get excited because they helped to create some of the limits and they will likely follow

them.

After the children and I create some limits, I will reinstate the limits that we all will stay sitting

and wait patiently for storytime.” I will tell them that “we will listen and not talk while the teacher is

reading the story because that shows respect.” When someone is asking a question, we will listen to

them until it is your turn.” When it is time for questions. If you have a question, you will put your

hands up and I will call you. Jack and the children responded by nodding their heads showing that

Jack and the children understood before when creating some limits.

However, while talking to Jack if gets up and started walking behind and over the caregiver’s
legs and then going around the children to climb on the bookshelf. I would calmly walk up to him and

go down to eye level and talk about appropriate behaviour. I would explain to him by saying, “It is not

nice walking over or stepping on the teacher’s legs to get to where you want to go. You have to say

excuse me teacher or go around and find a space. You should not climb on the book self because you

can fall. Sitting on the ground is safer around.” Then I would tell him come, let’s sit on the ground and

wait for the teacher. Like Vygotsky stated children need to learn from an adult and I demonstrated to

Jack proper behaviour while doing an activity.

Setting limits and teaching appropriate behaviour was successful because I was able to set

some rules with the children’s help and teach the children about appropriate behaviour. This helped

Jack and the children with self-control, and focusing because they were not restless, or inattentive

anymore especially Jack. It also stopped him from climbing on the bookshelf because he was told

what they shouldn’t do again and he was occupied.

REFLECTION

STRENGTHS CHANGES
● The educator was able to assess the
● In this problem you can use many
situation and respond fast to the
different types of guidance
 problem strategies. The educator could have

used I messages to talk to the

● The educator used positive
children about their behaviour. She
communication getting down to
can let jack and the children know
level and talking to Jack with neutral
how she feels when they don’t
and positive tone.
listen, sit and behave appropriately.
● The educator builds a positive
Children can feel the emotions and
relationship with Jack and the
it will help them understand that
children by creating some limits
what they are doing can make
together.
people get sad or angry

● The educator was a , great role

● Could of talked to Jack and ask him
model by showing Jack and the
how is he feeling today to better
children appropriate behaviour in
understand if something is
the classroom
bothering him

● Jack and the children learned

appropriate behaviour

Indirect Guidance

This problem could have been prevented if Jack and the children had a better

understanding of large groups setting and through the use of indirect guidance strategies of

large groups.

According to Marion, “children benefit greatly from well-managed large group

experiences but poorly managed large groups frustrate teachers, cause anxiety for children,
inhibit learning, and often contribute to discipline and guidance problems.” (Marion, pg. 305)

First off, children need to understand the “structure of large group time.” The activities

that are planned should be worth the children’s time, it should keep the children engaged and

supports the children’s behaviour. They need to know the routine or flow of large groups such

as the beginning, middle and the end. If Jack and children understood the activity beforehand,

they will feel the excitement.

Second, large group expectations of routine should be set. Teachers should state to the

children what to expect and this will help children feel more comfortable once they understand

their limits and rules. For example, you can teach them how to listen, how to respond, how to

wait for people to finish speaking before asking questions. I believe Jack didn’t know about

expectations because kept walking around the room.

When it comes to Indirect Guidance in large groups, you should consider four things

such as; is the activities worth the children’s time, amount of time, seating, and materials.

First, you need to plan and choose activities that would engage the children and

supports the children’s behaviour. Second, think about the amount of time spent with large

groups and understand that group activities should be longer than 10 minutes or so. Third,

think about the best seating arrangement for the activities and understand if the children will

sit on the ground or chair. Some things you will need to understand are; “if children will need

materials, who should sit at the front, are you reading a book that all the children need to see,

and does everyone need to see each other’s face.” (Marion, pg. 306). Fourth, arranging the

seats beforehand, you will need to give instructions to where the children should sit. You can

use carpet squares and sit at eye level with the children either on the floor or on the chair.
 SELF EVALUATION

1) Identify the challenges you experienced while completing the 2 nd Guidance Log and how you

overcame them?

The first challenge that I had while completing the second log was making sure that had done my

observations were correct and recording the problem seen in the video. The second challenge was

making sure to not use the same guidance strategy as the first log. I had to review the Guidance book

and make sure I choose the right strategy to fit this scenario. The third, challenge was trying to

organize my actions so it shows how I will solve the problems. I had to change some words around to

make sure my actions were organized and follow the correct sequence.

2) How did you apply the feedback from Log #1 to Log #2? Please be specific.

I applied feedback from log 1 into log 2 by looking at the rubric to see where I lost marks so I can

understand what I need to do to get the most marks. Second, I looked at my feedback from the

teacher and did my best to correct my mistakes. For example, the feedback said I needed more

information for Decisions and Actions. I took the time to research and add more information about

the guidance strategies I will use and how I would implement them in the scenario. Third, I made sure

to check that I have my title page and reference as stated in my log rubric feedback.

Identify 3 significant skills you gained from this course and why they were significant to you?
1. The first significant skill I learned from this course is how to write different types of observations. I

understand there are different observation methods to use when recording children doing certain

learning opportunities and playing in certain settings.

2. The second skill I learned was how to use direct and indirect guidance strategies to improve a child’s

development. I understand that direct strategies consist of things teachers will do with children to try

and solve the problem and indirect are more preventative measures such as how you set up the

environment or the daily activities.

3. The third skill is being able to use positive guidance rather than authority. I understand how to be a

leader and a role model. This skill has also helped me become a great team leader for new staff at my

workplace.
 References
Marion.M. (2019). Guidance Of Young Children (10th ed.): Pearson