Method 1- Anecdotal Records

Methods of Recording

Information

SAMPLES

Method 1- Anecdotal Records

© 2007 Microsoft Corporation

An anecdote is a story. When used for observing, it is a story about a child’s behaviour. Similar to how we might recount a story to family and friends, it is told in the past tense. It has its beginning when a child starts to participate in an activity and its conclusion when the child leaves/completes/exits the experience.

Anecdotes are the most commonly used tool in gathering information about children.

One of the main reasons for this is because they are quick to record. It is a good idea to carry a notebook and pen with you at all times. Quickly jot down some brief notes to jog your memory. Later when time permits refer to your notes and write them up as an anecdotal observation.

It is a good idea to develop your own style of shorthand or short note taking to assist you with this task. Make sure to be close to the action. Sit where you can see and hear the children clearly. This will help with the accuracy of your recording.

Example 1

Date: 22nd March 2008
Time: 10:00 am
Child: Hannah (3.8 yrs)
Place: Playground
Setting: Obstacle course / Observer: Claire
Background information:
Hannah has been spending much more time outdoors.
Other children: Tom (4.1 yrs),
Jake (3.6 yrs), Beth (3.10 yrs)
Hannah walked confidently towards the climbing frame. She placed her right foot on the first step then stopped. Tom, Jake and Beth lined up behind her. She stood back and waved them on. ‘You go,’ she said. When they had passed she stepped up again but backed away when more children arrived for their turn at the climbing frame. Hannah stood at the base of the frame for a moment looking toward the painting easels. She walked towards them.

Example 2

Date: 5th February 2008
Time: 10:00 am
Child: Josh (2.3 years)
Place: Long Day Care Centre
Setting: Outdoor area, sandpit Observer: Nikita / Background information: Josh attends the centre five days a week, Josh enjoys playing outside with his older sister Rosie (4.1 yrs). At morning tea we have found him to be reluctant to join his group indoors for morning tea.
Others involved: Rita (Group Leader), Rosie (4.1 yrs)
Josh sat in the sand pit with his sister, making sandcastles and small hills with sand. They had been playing outside for two hours and it was time to go indoors for morning tea. Rita had instructed Josh in a kind manner that it was time to finish playing, dust off the sand, walk up to the door and sit on the mat. Josh heard Rita, looked towards her and gave her a blank stare then continued on with his game. Rita then repeated her instruction, this time Josh gave out a cry and buried his head in his hands. Rosie then stood up, took hold of his hand and said, ‘Come on Josh, you have to go up’. Josh then lifted his head, sniffled and stopped crying. He stood up and allowed Rosie to lead him up to the mat. Rita thanked Rosie for her help. Rosie gave a smile then ran off to play. Josh seemed to be happy to go inside and sat down with the other children.

Example 3

Date: 26/07/07
Time: 9:30 am – 10:00 am
Location: Book corner / Observer: Zara
Children involved: Jamie (4 yrs),
John (4.3 yrs), Liam (3.9 yrs)
Jamie and John were building with the blocks. Liam asked ‘What are you doing?’ Jamie said, ‘We’re making a road and theses are the trees’.
He pointed to the cylinders balancing on top of each other beside the road. Liam asked, ‘Can I help?’
‘Yes,’ replied John.
They all continued building the road until Michelle called ‘Jamie, can you come here for a moment please?’
Jamie went to Miss Michelle to do a drawing. When Jamie returned he leant in the doorway and said ‘Oh no’. John had knocked down the trees while he was away and Kayleigh had broken some of the road. Jamie then began to rebuild it and Liam helped him. John and Kayleigh left. This time Jamie built a road that went under the bridge and back around. Once he had finished he began to drive his car over the road until it was time to pack up.
Date: 24/11/07
Time: 11:30 am
Child: Michael
Age: 7.2 years
Observer: Jacqui / Setting: Undercover area, sitting on the ground.
Background information: Finished playing getting ready for morning tea.
Others involved: Jacqui (Observer), Sandy (Assistant)
Michael was sitting on the floor by himself putting on his shoes and socks. He put on one sock, slipped his foot in hard and pulled on the little tag at the back of his shoe. He did this 2 or 3 times, then started stamping his foot on the ground and said ‘Ooh! Can’t get me shoe on’.
Jacqui told him to undo his shoelace but he managed to get his foot in. She walked over to another group of children and spoke to them.
Jacqui heard Michael crying and went back to see what was wrong. He was still sitting on the floor with one foot out in front of him with a shoe half on it. Sandy who was closer said to him said, ‘If you need some help, you can ask me to help’.
He sat back putting both hands behind him on the ground and looked at her, raised his cries and stamped his foot again.
Sandy said to him, ‘If you are having trouble all you need do is ask for help’.
He got his foot in his shoe, jumped up and wiped his eyes with the back of his arm and skipped off to his bag.

Example 4

Method 2-Running Records

A running record is a very detailed description of behaviour or an event, which is recorded as it happens. It is a bit like a sport commentators running commentary at a football match. That is the commentator describes in detail what is exactly happening. In a similar way a running record records exactly what a child is doing and saying within a particular time-frame. Running records are used mainly to provide very objective information about a particular situation.

Running records are a useful tool and worth the time involved,especially when you are specifically looking for a child’s skill acquisition, how a child initiates interactions with others, or discussions the children have with each other

This method of observation can be difficult to use on a regular basis because of the time element involved. It is one reason why running records are not used as frequently as other forms of documentation.

Devising your own fast method of note taking can be helpful in getting the information down quickly. You may need to write using a form of shorthand, for example:

• K - kneeling,
• RH – right hand,
• i – with,
• chn – children,
• prog – program

Missing words can be filled in later so that others will be able to understand the observation also.

When writing running records it is a good idea to use a clipboard on which to write. Quickly jot down the description of what is happening paying particular attention to the dialogue that is exchanged and the language that is used – both verbal and non-verbal.

Because you are writing a description of behaviour as it happens, the running record will be written in the present tense, e.g. Claire holds onto the string with one hand.

Example 1

Date: 05.07.07
Time: 9:30 am – 9:33 am
Child: Karly (3.2 years)
Place: On the puzzle mat
Setting: Karly is at the puzzle mat during indoor free play. / Observer: Jane
Background information: For the past week Karly has spent the majority of her free play time at the puzzles.
Others involved: N/A
TimeObservation
9.30 amKarly kneeling, reaches across the mat with her right hand. Slowly and still using one hand, she brings the puzzle toward her. She places her left hand onto the puzzle mat. Dropping her right knee, then her left, Karly crosses her legs, bending slightly over the puzzle in front of her. ‘There, this one’s easy,’ she says to herself with a smile.
9.31 amVery slowly, Karly turns the puzzle upside down and the pieces fall to the mat. Using her right hand, Karly turns each puzzle piece over carefully. Still sitting cross-legged, Karly turns her attention to a group of girls giggling loudly as they run past the puzzle mat. She shifts her focus back to the puzzle.
9:32 amShe looks intently at the pieces. Choosing the four corner pieces, Karly places one in each corner of the puzzle frame. Using two fingers of the right hand, Karly switches two of the pieces from the top to the bottom of the frame. ‘There’, she states and hits both her hands on her knees.

Example 2

Date: 15/07/2004
Time: 10:45 am – 10:48 am
Child: Narita (1.11 years)
Place: Baby section indoor area
Setting: Narita moving from morning tea to play area. / Observer: Donna
Background information: Narita’s play is centred around dramatic play. Narita is the middle child. She has a baby sister at home and an older brother in care.
Others involved: Saya (Assistant)
Time / Observation
10:45 am / As Narita enters play room, she places her left hand on the gate and looks around the room. Turning to her right she lets go of the gate and walks over to home area. She bends over and picks up a small doll with her right hand saying ‘Baby.’ Narita then turns around as she continues to hold the doll in her right hand. She walks across to the toy trolley.
10:46 am / Narita stops in front of soldier peg frame, drops the doll onto cushion beside her as she squats down in front of soldier pegs. With her left hand she holds the frame as she proceeds to pull one soldier peg out with her right hand. Still holding the peg in her right hand, Narita manipulates the peg in her fingers as she pulls out another peg. Lifting her left hand off frame, Narita takes the two pegs from her right hand with her left hand and sits them on floor next to her. Looking up at Saya smiling, she then holds the frame with her left hand again and pulls another peg out with her right hand.
10:47 am / Narita stops playing with pegs and looks at another child who walks past pushing a doll’s pram. She drops pegs and frame. She quickly pushes to her feet using both hands in front of her for support. Narita then grabs the doll from the cushion with both hands and runs across room to another pram. She drops doll into pram then moves her right hand to the handle of pram pulling it towards her stomach. Gripping with both hands, and pushing the pram, she walks across the room quickly and out onto the veranda saying, ‘Baby, baby,’ as she joins other children playing near the gym.
Date: 12 February, 2008
Time: 9:43 am – 9:50 am
Child: Eve
Age: 7.11 years
Observer: Nicole
Place: OutsideSchool Hours Care – Vacation Care / Setting: Inside classroom on carpet
Background information: Small group – Maths activity – concepts of weights Others involved: Demi (7.1 yrs), Olivia (8.0 yrs), Nathan (8.5 yrs), Connor (7.5 yrs)
Time / Running record
9:43 am / ‘Children, today we are going to experiment with weighing things around our classroom,’ the observer says, ‘I would like each one of you to choose two things we can weigh and bring them back to me’.
9:44 am / Eve is the first one to return with her lunch box and a pencil.
Demi returns to the carpet with her coloured pencil case and small pencil sharpener. Nathan brings the large pencil sharpener and stapler. Connor brings white board eraser and white board marker.
Olivia has a small box of bears (sizes and colours) and a CD.
9:46 am / ‘We now will take turns to see which ones are heavy and which are light.’ Eve picks up the lunch box and puts it in front of her. She then picks up the pencil case, large pencil sharpener and box of bears and places each one with the lunch box. She looks at the observer and smiles.
9:47 am / ‘What are you doing there Eve?’ the observer enquires. ‘I’ve put lunch box, pencil case, pencil sharpener and bears all here’, she replies. ‘I see. Why have you grouped those over there?’ the observer asks. ‘They are all the heavy things, the ones left will be the light ones,’ Eve replies as she points to the piles.
9:48 am / ‘Well, who thinks she is right?’ the observer says and they all put their hands up. ‘We’ll remember this group,’ She adds as she points to them, ‘and see at the end if you were right. First, lets start with you Olivia,’ the observer prompts, and she places the CD on one side of the scales.
9:49 am / ‘Now Connor what will you put on this side?’ the observer asks and Connor places the white board eraser on the other side.
‘Which one is the heaviest?’ asks the observer.
9:50 am / ‘The white board eraser’, says Olivia.

Example 3

Method 3-Diary Writing

Reproduced with permission

Diary writing is useful in helping the carer to construct a child profile. When behaviour is recorded in a diary over a period of time, the tracking of development and growth can occur.

Diary entries are recorded from memory at a later time of day and are therefore written in the past tense. Because of this, the detail which is present in anecdotal and running records is usually not found in a child’s diary entries. Shorter in length, they are a quick method of observation useful in adding to an overall picture of the child. As a form of observation this diary may lack detail and neglect the context of the behaviour. It is, however, a quick method of recording changes and, when combined with other methods, can add valuable information regarding the child’s development.

This type of diary may be shared with parents, and parents may be encouraged to write their own observations also. Again, this can add to the richness of the information the children’s service has about the individual child through traditional observation techniques. A photocopy of work, or photograph of the incident recorded, may also be included in the diary.

Examples of diary entries

6.4.04

Tim (7.5 yrs) sat alone in the book corner when he arrived today.

He appears to do this most days. He didn’t look at a lot of thebooks but seemed happy just to be sitting there.

7.4.04

When Tim arrived today he proceeded straight to the book corner again.

Michael (6.5 yrs) and Greg (7 yrs) were already sitting on the cushions, reading and laughing. Tim hesitated as though he was reluctant to go into the area. He chose a book off the shelf and took it to a spot on the edge of the mat. He didn’t acknowledge the other boys that were present.

8.4.04

Tim arrived later than usual today. He seemed flustered.

He went to the book corner. Michael said hello but he didn’trespond. He didn’t choose a book. He just sat on a cushionand looked at the other children.

Method 4 Checklist

Checklists can be useful when observing a particular skill or a certain aspect of a child’s behaviour. In a checklist, children are ‘checked off’ against a list of skills or behaviours. Checklists are available in text books and diagnostic kits but it is usually in the best interests of the children in your care to develop your own. In this way they relate specifically to your situation or assist you togather the specific information you require.

Checklists usually look at the skill level of a particular age group and consider developmental norms. They provide a typical/average approximation of development to assist in measuring development across an age range. Checklists can also be valuable in helping staff to evaluate their own program and level of service on certain issues, for example, safety.

There are disadvantages in the use of checklists. The major disadvantage is the disregard for the context within which the behaviour has occurred. Children’s actions are shaped by what is happening around them. They are influenced by their environment and by the actions of others. Many checklists do not account for this, nor do they cater for individual difference among children.

Checklists tend to be based on the developmental norms determined by child development theorists and neglect to describe how the behaviour occurs, as well as individual differences and in what context.

Another problem with checklists is that staff may focus on the skills children have not yet demonstrated, rather than on the accomplishments of children. This can lead to planning only for what the child has not yet demonstrated by looking/using only the deficits of the child as a basis for planning.