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Tips For Anecdotal Records 2

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Sopan Shinde
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30 views1 page

Tips For Anecdotal Records 2

Uploaded by

Sopan Shinde
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ways to Make Anecdotal Records

Effective and Useful


Felicia Rudolph

Get to know your assessment tool and system. This will


Anecdotal records are written documentation of what a teacher help you keep in mind which skills or behaviors you are
sees and hears children do while alone, with other children, or looking for so you don’t waste time writing notes about
with a teacher or other adult. A record includes the who, what, behaviors that are not relevant.
where, when, and how of what occurred. The observer watches
or interacts with a child and documents the situation as things
happen or as soon after the incident as possible. Teachers
include direct quotes and descriptions of facial expressions and
gestures. Create a list of commonly used abbreviations. With your
colleagues, agree on shorthand terms for time, people,
Anecdotal records are factual. They do not include judgments or and places in the classroom. For example, SW = sand
interpretations of what took place. The observation period can and water; AA = art area; AC = another child; CT = center
last can last from a few seconds to many minutes. Here are 10 time; SG = small group. This saves time and allows you to
tips to help you prepare for and optimize your observations and include details during a brief observation period.
anecdotal records.

Practice writing anecdotal Plan which children to observe. It is good practice to conduct regular observations
records. Once you become a of all children. Work as a team to assign 3 to 5 children to each teacher. Each teacher
skilled and factual observer, will make sure to observe those children throughout the week. Of course, teachers
you are more likely to feel can observe and write anecdotal records for any child as relevant situations and
comfortable and confident behaviors arise.
about your observations and
recordings/

Choose a specific focus. Each week, talk Write anecdotal records


with your colleagues and agree to focus about small group activities.
Include documentation
Appropriate for materials
the child’s on a few indicators, such as the children’s Start with a generic note
in severalage
places in the classroom.
or developmental status problem-solving and gross motor skills. This describing the activity. When
Make sure whatever you use to take helps you think about when children might the activity is over, add a short
notes is easily accessible to you use these skills, and in what settings. After anecdotal record for each
and your teaching team. Examples several weeks, you will have information on of the four to six children
are clipboards and pens in each both indicators for all of the children and can who participated in the small
learning center and outdoors, choose new indicators to focus on. group activity.
notepads and pens in your apron
pocket, and a small camera in a
waist pouch.

Keep several indicators in mind. Even if you are observing for a specific indicator,
there is almost always overlap with other indicators. Include information in the
Appropriate for the child’s anecdotal record that can be used for another indicator. For example, you observe a
Stock theagelearning centers
or developmental status child telling another child about a book she has read. In this one observation you can
intentionally. Include items in address indicators related to social skills, literacy, and oral language.
learning centers that children are
likely to use as you observe the
focus indicators. For example, if
the focus is emerging writing skills,
be sure there are markers, crayons, Schedule a regular time to review, discuss, and use anecdotal records. Organize
pencils, paper, and
Individually poster board
appropriate your notes daily, if possible, but weekly at least. When you follow a schedule, you
available in all learning centers. are less likely to end up with too much information related to one indicator and
This makes it possible to observe not enough for others. Meet with your colleagues to discuss and share information
children writing in any center. about individual children. Use all this information to determine what else you need
to plan and observe for each child and what to share with families.

To learn more about developmentally appropriate practice, visit www.NAEYC.org/DAP

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