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Monitoring how children are developing at an early age is pivotal in assuring that they embrace the proper habits within classroom settings. This is also one of the main goals associated with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. However, there still seems to be some confusion in regards to how often observations should be completed within nursery settings.
What do the industry experts have to say? What are the benefits of frequent and thorough monitoring? Why are cutting-edge software platforms now being employed in order to “fill in the gaps”? These are some of the questions which we will address immediately below.
What are the Primary Roles of a Teacher in Reference to Observations?
The term “observation” may actually represent a slight misnomer in this case. There are actually three distinct concerns associated with monitoring the ongoing development of a child:
- Observing
- Assessing
- Planning
These are sometimes referred to by the acronym OAP by EYFS practitioners. The main point is that while observing is important, assessing the information and planning the most targeted educational approaches for each student is just as crucial in terms of ensuring a positive outcome (particularly as they migrate from nursery school into traditional classroom settings).
What About the Frequency?
How often should observations be taken? Unfortunately, the current EYFS programme has taken a somewhat flexible approach without providing any clear answer. This is likely due to the fact that the needs of each student are slightly different. Some may require more frequent observational recordings than others.
Having said this, many experts agree that at least one observation should be completed every six weeks within typical nursery school settings. This should provide an ample amount of information to stakeholders (such as parents and teachers) while still fitting into a busy schedule.
The Benefits of Timely Observations
Children within nursery school settings can physically, mentally and socially develop at an extremely rapid pace. This will prove to be challenging for teachers who may not have the time to monitor their progress. Furthermore, failing to take regular observations can cause certain developmental issues (such as difficulty when dealing with social interactions) to be overlooked. If these are allowed to become habits, they will be much harder to break as a child begins to age.
The good news is that software platforms can help to streamline the entire observational process. For instance, the EYFS assessment here can be used to accurately record important metrics with the click of a button. These details may then be shared with others (such as the parents of a child) in order to better understand how he or she is progressing.
There is no doubt that completing often lengthy observational notes can be challenging for full-time nursery staff members. However, we need to remember that this information will play a pivotal role in the development of any child. This is why it is best to leverage the latest technologies in order to ensure greater degrees of accuracy and reliability.
