Observation 3

Time sample

  Aim

            The aim of my observation is to observe TC for a period of 15 minutes in order to assess her social development in a time sample method.

  

Background

The place is a registered Childcare provider primarily run with Government funds.  Currently there are 100 children attending its services and employ 21 staff.  There are 2 employees through the CE Scheme and 2 TUS employees.  This Childcare provider run a Creche, Toddler Room, Junior Pre-school Room, 2 Pre-School rooms and a Montessori Room.  Also, it runs an Afterschool Club from 1:30 – to 5:30 which caters children from all local primary schools.  Children attending the Afterschool service have 1-hour supervised homework, assisted by the staff.  They also have a hot and home cooked dinner daily.  The Breakfast Club is open from 8:00 to 900 and is open to all school going children as well as children already attending the Childcare.

            I reported to the manager and she brought me to a big room and give quick introduction to two staff and told them that I am going to do the observation.  It is a big room with two division.  In the first division, there are large 2 tables with 5 and 4 chairs respectively.  There’s a large and small couch, one big screen television and 4 computers with 3 kids using them.  It is colourful with “Saoirse the Aister snake” with pictures of kids doing activity posted on the wall.  It is coloured paper, cut out in a train design with a label of days of week, Monday to Friday.  Facing the wall are kid’s art work were displayed and on the other side is Happy Birthday wall.  The birth date of children attending the services are posted in a paper cut out in a star designed with their pictures on it.  Loads of toys available in different cabinet, tables and boxes.  The second division, you will see a big Christmas tree in the corner, 5 tables with 5 chairs on each table.  On the wall, a paper cut out train in different colours with the label of months from January to December.  Also, the art painting of children displayed, below, boxes, tables and more toys are displayed and ready for the kids.  The first aid press is standing out on the side with a big sign of a green cross.  Beside the press is a cabinet with a lot of stuff for painting.

            This observation took place just after school where children just arrived from their class. There are 8 children ages from 5 to 6 in the room.  The manager chooses a child for me to observe.  TC is a girl and will be 5 years old on 2^nd of January.  She wears a blue head band, wearing eye glasses, a white top and a blue skirt.  At the time of observation TC is sitting on the table with the company of 3 kids eating with her.

Observation
Time	Actions	Social Group	Language
3:25	Sitting in the chair with fork in her lefts hand eating food.	TC with 2 kids	Not talking.
3:30	Stand and transfer to another table eating apple.	TC with 1 kid	Not talking, only chewing her food.
3:32	Standing in front of the bin, finish her apple, throw apple skin in the bin and give her plate to kitchen staff for washing.	Near to a kitchen staff, few kids.	Not speaking.
3:33	Left the area, walked towards the staff, and joined them. Kneeling on the chair, sitting with one leg stretch on another chair.	Group with 4 kids including one staff.	TC says, No, on staff question.
3:35	Stand and walk towards the corner where toys are kept.	TC on her own.	Not talking.
3:38	Sitting on the floor, playing.	TC on her own.	Not talking.
3:40	Stands left the area and walk towards computer, walking around watching and observing other kids doing in computer.	TC near other kids	Not talking.

Evaluation

My aim for this observation is to observe TC for 15 minutes to assess her social development in a time sample method. It seems TC having some difficulty interacting with her peers, as I notice that she is aloof and only talk once in my 15minutes observation.

Social development involves three sets of skills, such as ability to interact effectively with others, understanding of the norms of society and moral development (Flood 2013).  As I observed TC very closely, it seems she having difficulty in those sets of skills.

TC was sitting on the chair at the beginning of this observation.  She is holding a fork on her left hand and chewing food, while 2 kids are eating with her.  TC doesn’t have the difficulty joining other kids, she did not make any attempt to talk or no interest to interact with them. She just keeps on looking around and observe everyone around her and it seems that she having difficulty making friends.  Children who have difficulty making friends often have difficulty later in life with relationships, reduced work success and mental health problems. (Collins and Van Dulmen 2006)

TC throw apple skin in the bin and give her plate to kitchen staff for washing, shows that she understands the rule and shows a positive personality. (Flood 2013).  When TC joined the group, a staff ask her questions she just answer “No” and left feeling agitated.  This area of development involves changes how she thinks, feel and the aspect of moral development shows her moral feeling and moral personality. (Piaget and Kolhberg).

TC personality is part of “Id” that is in touch with reality, pleasure-seeking thinks her own needs to free herself from agitated feelings when she stands, walk towards the corner, sitting on the floor and play on her own. Also going around watching and observing others who uses computers. (Sigmund Freud)

Generally, TC social development seems to be behind norms for her age, since she has difficulty interacting with other kids, not talking and just observing others.

Recommendations

            I recommend that adults should engage with TC more, ask questions and know her interest.  TC will be 5 years old on 2^nd of January she can improve the other skills by teaching her using social stories.

            TC needs to develop other stages of development like language, because TC tends to just going around and observing without talking.

Personal Learning

            I learned that social development includes three sets of skills, such as ability to interact effectively with others, understanding of the norms of society and moral development.

I learned that Piaget and Kolhberg theory in one of the areas of development involves changes how people thinks, feel and the aspect of moral development shows moral feeling and moral personality.

I also learned that Collins and Van Dulmen theory that children who have difficulty making friends often have difficulty later in life with relationships, reduced work success and mental health problems.

Reference

Child Development by Eilis Flood 2013

http://greenfieldschildcare.com/

👉 Observation 1

👉Observation 2

👉Observation 4

👉Observation 5