Objective observation in child care is a factual, unbiased method of tracking a child's behavior and development over time. By focusing on observable actions rather than personal interpretations, educators can accurately assess developmental needs and improve lesson planning.
Keep reading to learn the guidelines for effective observation and the role objective observation plays in collecting and documenting information about a child's behavior and development.
What is objective observation?
Objective observation takes a facts-first approach that relies strictly on documented details with little interpretation. As an objective observer, you record each detail and action exactly as it happens without offering an opinion on what is occurring.
During this process, you provide information only on factual details that you can hear, see, or otherwise observe. You will watch, listen, document, and analyze children's behaviors and habits as they socialize, explore, learn, and play. As a result, you keep detailed and meaningful documentation of patterns and activities. All of this provides visibility into the following:
- Behavioral challenges and changes
- The child’s communication style
- How they interact with their peers
- Potential special needs they may have
- The child’s strengths and weaknesses
- Their interests and skills
- Who they are and how and what to teach them
Throughout observation, you will document and reflect on the information and evidence you gathered. You’ll use these observations in your assessments and planning. Ultimately, this allows you to consider what improvements to make and to incorporate the changes into the children’s lessons to support their current needs.
Brightwheel makes it easy to include observations on your preschool daily reports. These digital daily reports replace pen and paper and enable teachers to easily log activities and capture milestones directly in the app. You can even streamline family communication by sending automated summaries to families every day.
Preschool Daily Sheet
A free template to document a child's activities, meals, naps, and learning throughout the day.
Objective versus subjective observation
Objective observation contains only factual, descriptive words about what happened, while subjective observation includes an educator's personal assumptions, thoughts, and perspectives on an event.
It’s best to focus on observing objectively before assessing what you’ve seen. As a teacher, be as objective as possible when documenting childhood observations to avoid preconceived notions and unsupported conclusions.
Objective and accurate observations include the following:
- Descriptions of actions
- Descriptions of children's vocalizations
- Direct quotes of children's language
- Descriptions of facial expressions and gestures
- Descriptions of creations (e.g., stacked blocks, scribble drawings, finger-painted pictures)
Subjective observation examples |
Objective observation examples |
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Eddie is probably upset because Sandy took the dinosaur from him. |
Sandy took the dinosaur from Eddie. |
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Eli loves to color. He was too excited and accidentally broke the brown crayon while coloring the picture. |
Eli broke the brown crayon while coloring the picture. |
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Malcolm was frustrated and moved to another table with his workbook. |
Malcolm collected his workbook and moved to another table. |
One method of objective observation is an anecdotal record. An anecdotal record is a brief written record of a snapshot in time, documenting specific details of a child’s activities and interactions in the classroom. These are typically quick and easy for teachers to write and are done in the moment to capture details as accurately as possible. When writing anecdotal notes, it's important to be as objective as possible. Write direct quotes from the child and descriptions of facial expressions or gestures, without including any interpretations or assumptions of a child’s feelings.
Benefits of objective observation for child development
The primary benefits of objective observation in child care include tracking developmental progress accurately, understanding milestone achievements, and ensuring timely interventions. Here are some key benefits of incorporating objective observation into your early childhood education practices, enhancing everything from assessment to family engagement.
Documenting child progress
Documenting what you observe is a valuable part of assessing a child's progress. Objective observations can be included in a child’s formal or informal progress reports or can be used to build a comprehensive child portfolio that showcases each child’s accomplishments and progress throughout their early childhood education. Tracking this development supports learning outcomes, enhances family engagement, and allows you to reflect on your program's effectiveness.
Understanding developmental milestones
When you take the time to observe and analyze a child, you can better understand where they are developmentally, where they need improvement, and where they stand regarding developmental milestones associated with their age group. When done correctly, objective observation is a helpful tool in assessing, evaluating, and responding to a child's progress.
Developmental milestones fall into several domains, each highlighting different aspects of a child's growth.
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Physical milestones: Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, walking, and developing fine motor skills like grasping objects.
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Cognitive milestones: Recognizing shapes and colors, solving simple puzzles, and demonstrating memory of familiar routines.
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Social-emotional milestones: Showing empathy, interacting with peers, and expressing emotions appropriately for their age.
Ensuring accurate assessment and intervention
Whether your personal opinions are negative or positive, subjective observations can often cloud your judgment. However, by objectively observing, you can accurately record a child's behavior based solely on facts. This enables you to assess children properly, identify possible challenges, and ultimately decide on the best and most effective way to respond.
Creating an accurate record of a child's progress provides a clearer timeline for understanding their developmental growth, facilitating timely early intervention when needed. Additionally, it helps you and their families track their progress and identify areas of concern or opportunities for additional support.
Objective observation techniques for early educators
To observe children objectively, educators should blend into the background, avoid lengthy eye contact, and record only facts without inserting personal biases or opinions.
There are specific techniques that will prepare you for observing children in your class objectively. By following these tips, you can make better, more informed decisions regarding your children.
- Find a comfortable place to sit in the classroom.
- Remain in the background and out of the way of the children and other teachers.
- Although you may be tempted to help the children, especially if they ask for help, refer them to other teachers in the classroom if possible.
- Avoid making direct and lengthy eye contact with the child you observe. Instead, use regular glances around the room to avoid alerting the child that you are watching them.
- When writing your observations, be sure to avoid any biased statements. Include only what you see and hear. Don’t include your opinions or assessments about what you observe.
Written observation example
A written objective observation describes exact physical actions, quotes, and timelines, whereas a subjective observation includes assumptions about a child's emotional state or social skills. Below is an example of how to write an observation. For starters, begin with your objective observation.
"Kayla played with the blocks in the corner of the room. First, she stacked them on each other until they fell over. Then, she picked them up and began stacking them again. Finally, after playing with the blocks for ten minutes, she stood up and sat at the desk to color."
After completing your objective observation, you can write a subjective one in your assessment of what happened.
"Kayla played with the blocks in the corner of the room because she doesn't socialize well with the other children. First, she stacked the blocks on each other until they fell over. Then, after they fell, Kayla became visibly frustrated but decided to try again. She picked up the blocks and began stacking them again. Finally, after playing with the blocks for ten minutes, she excitedly stood up and sat at the desk to color."
Map out your approach to objective observation
Supporting a child and their educational growth involves more than instilling knowledge. It also requires observing and assessing their progress to make well-informed decisions to guide their future learning. Through objective observation, you can determine if a child needs additional support or if your teaching methods need adjustment.
When you observe, document, and analyze this information, you can be thoughtful and proactive in planning the next steps in a child's education.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How often should educators perform objective observations in a childcare program?
A: Educators should aim to conduct objective observations regularly, integrating brief anecdotal records into daily routines to capture a comprehensive view of a child's development over time.
Q: What is the main difference between an anecdotal record and a running record?
A: An anecdotal record is a brief snapshot of a specific event or behavior, while a running record involves documenting a continuous, detailed account of everything a child does over a set period.
Q: Can objective observation help identify special needs in young children?
A: Yes, consistently documenting factual behaviors and tracking them against developmental milestones can help educators and families identify potential delays or special needs that may require early intervention.
