30 Unit 1 Children and Families in Today’s World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Figure 1.15 Guidelines for Observations Guidelines Details About Guidelines Know your objectives. Objectives tell you what age children to observe, what type of activity to observe, where to observe (in some cases), how much time to spend observing, what type of records to keep. Obtain permission to observe. In public places (a park or shopping center), you may observe children without permission. Parents or other adults are more cooperative, however, when they know what you are doing. To observe in private places (homes or child care programs), you will need prior approval from your teacher and permission from the adult at the home or program. Observe only on dates and times approved by your teacher. Know what to do at the site. Sites have different procedures. At some sites, you may observe in an observation room looking through a one-way mirror. At other sites, you may help with the children. In still other sites, you might sit away from the children. Find out in advance what you will be expected to do. Ask questions at convenient times. Never interrupt a staff member who is engaged with children or an adult. Be sure observations do not distract children from regular activities. Unless asked to help, do not get any closer to the children than necessary. If children come to you, answer them briefly, but encourage them to return to their activities. Also, avoid talking directly to children. Your objectives should never interfere with the program objectives. Observe carefully and objectively. Observe closely so you can remember the situation vividly. Many situations can affect objectivity, such as distractions, fatigue, or discomfort. Biases also affect objectivity, so observers should not study their own children or children of close friends or relatives. Record accurately. When recording information, avoid leaving out information that may help you understand the situation, recording behaviors that did not occur, and having notes out of sequence. Control this by writing the time in your notes every three to five minutes. Protect the rights of all observed. People have privacy rights observers must protect in the following ways: • Never discuss a child in front of that child or an adult except the child’s teacher. • Use no name or the child’s first name only during class discussions. • Respect parents’ rights to refuse your request to observe. • Keep information confidential. • Destroy notes completely when they are no longer useful.