Case Study
A student at your setting has been asked to complete an observation on one of the children as part of her coursework and discuss it with a colleague at the setting. She has asked you to be that colleague. The observation is well written, the handwriting easy to read and her evaluation refers back to the appropriate developmental milestones.
When you ask for a copy of the observation to put in the child’s file, she tells you that there is no need to keep the observation as the child was able to do all the activities and so no intervention is needed. In fact, she chose that child and those activities because she already knew he had the necessary skills to complete them.
- How should you respond to the student’s claim that there is nothing of value in the observation?
- How might the observation be used to plan for the child’s next steps?
- Is there any benefit from carrying out an observation if you already know the child’s capabilities in that particular area of development?
It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the responses you have to the above scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague or friend and ask them to tell you whether they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your assessor.
