DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET 16 Chapter 1 Observation Practice #2: What Can You Learn by Observing a Child? Purpose: To identify what can be learned by observing a child engaged in a longer play experience. What to Do: Watch Video Clip #2 of a two-year-old boy, a three- and-one-half-year-old girl, and a teacher engaged in dramatic play. Focus on the two-year-old boy. Guiding Questions: After viewing, generate a list of the capabilities, skills, social interactions, personality traits, and behaviors that you observed him demonstrating. In addition, consider these questions: • Were you surprised at how much you learned in a longer observation? • If you had a history with either of these children, do you think you would have seen things differently? In what ways? • What curriculum plans might you make based on what you learned? Be prepared to share with others the list you made about this boy as well as your thoughts about the questions above. Reflection Purpose: To reflect on how observation affects adults’ relationships with children. What to Do: Think about a time in your life when you learned something special about a child. Then discuss or write about these questions: • What factors were present that allowed you to learn about this child? • Did observing the child contribute to your learning about him or her? In what situations did you observe this child? COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL