Communication

GENERAL INFORMATION
Age range:	2-6
Type of setting (e.g., family child care; center-based program):	Child-Care Center (Nationally Accredited)
Number of children in that “room”:	12
Date/time of observation:	September 20, 2017 / 1:00 p.m-2:00 p.m.

QUICK NOTES:

• Female child “Liz” – 4 years old
• Observation starts on playground during playtime
• Liz is with three other girls her age – 12 kids on playground total with 2 adults
• Liz and three other girls seem to be doing tricks and each one takes turns doing a trick and then others imitate her
• Reminds me of HORSE
• First girl during observational period does a somersault – each girl does a somersault on the grass field behind playground
• Liz does a cartwheel next – does not bend knees
• 2 out of 3 do a perfect cartwheel after her – 1 does a round cartwheel with knees bent to chest
• Other two girls do tricks (one does a popular dance move and other girls imitate; other does jumping jacks)
• One of the teachers begins to laugh and asks the girls where they learned the dance move
• The conversation seems lighthearted and shows that connection between the students and teacher
• A little boy runs up and tags Liz on the arm saying “You’re it! Chase us!” – All kids on playground scatter
• Liz almost immediately tags a little girl who was not in Liz’s initial group- Liz touches her back and begins to turn around
• Girl turns at Liz and yells “That doesn’t count. It was my shirt you tagged, not my back.”
• Liz then says “I tagged your back. You felt it. I know you did. You’re it.” Then runs off, turning once to make sure the little girl is ‘it’
• Teacher interludes with asking the children to play nicely - that is all that is communicated
• Two other children become ‘it’ – Liz carefully dodges these children
• Caregivers call children in from outside
• Children all rush to sink to wash hands – caregivers have a “cool down” period after outside before snack
• Teacher goes over expectations of the room now that they are inside again
• Liz was first to wash hands- immediately goes to aid caregiver who is passing out water cups; other one is grabbing a book
• Liz’s cup comes out of the mini-fridge with either dirt or fuzz on it- Liz does not want it
• Caregiver takes cup, rinses it out and washes it with hand soap before filling it back up-says nothing to Liz
• Liz takes cup but puts it back in the fridge and sits down-teacher sees this, but does not acknowledge it
• Remaining time spent listening to teach read book – Liz pays close attention with no interruption

WRITE-UP:

          Female child named “Liz” (changed for observational purposes), aged 4 is extremely active in the first twenty minutes of observation on the playground. She begins in a group of about three other girls, playing a game where each child tries to do something and then the others try to imitate (similar to the game HORSE in Basketball). One girl does a somersault and each girl imitates her. Liz then does a cartwheel (full form, no bent knees) and each girl tries to imitate her. Two out of the three other girls project a perfect cartwheel as well. During this time, it was observed that the teacher standing nearest to them began to interact with the students by laughing and asking about the dance moves that the girls started to do. She asks them where they learned it and the girls laugh and talk about how it is from the movie "Trolls". The teacher tries to do the dance move, showcasing that they are creating a relationship with the students by relating to what is relevant to them. The girls continue to do this for another five minutes before the game is interrupted by a game of ‘Tag’ where a little boy runs up and tags Liz where she begins to start chasing the other children who have all joined in for this single game of play. She tags another little girl and the girl turns and says “That doesn’t count. It was my shirt you tagged, not my back.” Liz then retorts “I tagged your back. You felt it. I know you did. You’re it.” Before she begins to run away, she looks back one more time to make sure that the little girl is following her. The teacher yells across the field that they need to play nicely, but does not comment further. They continue this game with Liz dodging two other children who become “it” after her before the two caregivers call the children in. When the children come in from outside, the immediately go to the sink to begin washing their hands while the teachers prepare a period of “cool down” for the children after being outside as well as restating the classroom expectations. One teacher grabs a book as the other teacher begins to hand out water cups to the children who have washer their hands. Liz immediately begins assisting the teacher handing out cups. When her cup comes out of the mini-fridge, there seems to be a piece of fuzz or dirt on the top. Liz immediately gives the cup back and says she doesn’t want it. The teacher rinses the cup out and does a once over with soap before filling it back up with water and handing it back to Liz without speaking a word. Liz takes the cup, but puts it back in the fridge before sitting down, again the teacher sees this action, but does not comment further. She then waits patiently until the teacher with the book begins reading.  During the reading time, Liz stares fascinated at the book and does not interrupt. End observational time.