Detailed Observation Study: Early Childhood Education and Care Report

This report details an observation study conducted at the Teresa Child Enrichment Center in Sydney, Australia, focusing on an 8-year-old child named Essie Breeds. The study employed various observation methods, including anecdotal recording, event sampling, and time sampling, to analyze Essie's behavior across different activities. The observations covered creative learning, book reading, playing with objects, language development, and socio-dramatic play. The observer documented Essie's interactions, reactions, and developmental progress, noting her strengths and areas for improvement. The report highlights Essie's responses to instructions, her social interactions, and her ability to understand and apply new vocabulary. The observer concludes that Essie benefits from simplified tasks and encouragement to express herself more actively. The report provides insights into the child's learning process and suggests ways to support her development within the early childhood education setting.

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
Early Childhood Education and Care: Observation Study
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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
The observations are about learning, not just about doing or recording, as the activities
included various methods including narrative dramatic play activity observation, environmental
and social activities observation. The selected child for the observation is 8 years old Essie
Breeds from the Teresa Child Enrichment Center of Sydney, Australia. The date for the
observation was 1st October, 2017. The observer learned through anecdotal recording, event
sampling and time sampling during the observation. The observer observed the child’s activities
during various learning through playing segments in the child care center. The observer
concentrated on the chosen child’s competencies while dealing with various activities throughout
the day. Without any analytic interpretation the observer objectively observed and recorded the
events and the child’s expressions of thoughts and actions.
Observation 1: Creative Learning
The observer was engaged in the time sampling method in order to observe the
development of Essie. The children were given a coloring activity at the art center around 10.30
am. The observer asked to draw only a yellow car. Essie was drawing a yellow car but she chose
other colors like green and blue to draw the background. The observer asked her “Why did you
paint green and blue in the background?” Essie answered “Blue is the sky and green is the tree
behind our garage.” The observer told her that now she will be going to the play area.
Immediately Essie leaves the art area without organizing the color box and closing the color
book. She did not finish the drawing either as she more focused on background and surrounding
than the car, despite the observer’s instruction to organize things before leaving.
Observation 2: Book Reading

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
At 11 o clock the observer guided the children to the library area. At the library Essie was
taking books from the book self and looking for something but looks dissatisfied and returned
them on the racks but not in the prior orderly fashion. The observer asked Essie “What are you
looking for?” Essie unmindfully replied “Where are the pictures of the tortoise?” The observer
asked “Which tortoise?” Then Essie looked at the observer and seems irritated and answered
“The tortoise that I saw yesterday.” The observer asked “Where did you keep the book
yesterday?” Essie thought for a while and answered “I don’t remember.” The observer found a
picture book of “The Tortoise and the hare” and Essie seems happy. Before giving the book
observer told her “You will keep the book here.” Essie nodded her head and took the book the
observer asked “What did you say who helps you?” Essie smiles and says “Thank you.” After
seeing the book she kept it in the instructed place.
Observation 3: Playing with Objects
At the play area the observer asked everyone to build something from the Lego blocks.
Essie took some puzzle blocks but did not start making anything for a long time and kept
observing others. She holds the puzzle piece, took them close and observed them for a while but
could not understand as she throws the puzzle pieces away. Then she picked some Lego blocks
but the observer asks to leave the blocks. Then the observer asks the children to describe what
they built. When Essie’s chance came she stood up but replied “A house.” The observer asks her
to show that to others, but she kept her head down and said with apologetic tone “I could not
finish.” The observer noticed that Essie was struggling to choose words to explain other things
but was struggling with words as she was stuttering in inaudible words. One child laughed so she

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
looks up at other children and was about to cry but the observer told her that it was okay she
could sit down. She sat down quietly.
Observation 4: Language Development
The observer engaged Essie in two parts of language development activities; first the
observer gave Essie 20 nouns and asks her to remember them and gave her 20 pictures of similar
objects like bed, pillow. The observer asked “Can you tell me which is what?” Essie correctly
answered 18 out of 20 as she altered two words. The next time the observer gave her another 19
nouns and another 20 pictures like tree, house. After identifying 19 items she took the left
wooden abstract figure and calls it “A man”. The picture of a man and the word were in the
previous vocabulary exercise.
Observation 5: Socio Dramatic Play
In the dramatic play activity the children participated in an imaginary shopping mall and
asked to play various roles as the grocers, buyers, mall employees. The dramatic play occurred
inside the center at the play area on the same day at 14.30 pm to 16.30 pm. Essie entered the play
area and directly went close to the center behind a desk and it was clear that she was playing a
vendor. She selected few toy vegetables and displayed them on the counter. Another child Toby
approached her and wanted to take some vegetables from her as he also wants to be a vendor but
not enough toy groceries left for him. Toby selected some toys from the counter and says “I want
these” but Essie refused to give any to him by saying “These are mine”. Toby tried to grab some
so Essie snatched and shouted “No!” Toby got frightened and left the place so does another kid
Brian who came to play as a buyer. After they walked away, Essie seemed happy and was busy
playing herself only. Toby went to the observer and asks “Why Essie has all the toys? How will I

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
sell some if I don’t have any?” The observer approaches to Essie and asks “Essie what is
wrong?” Essie answers “I took these vegetables first so these are mine.” The observer asks her to
share some by saying “Don’t you think you should share some with Toby? He does not have any
to play.” Essie thought for a while, looked at other children who are busy playing except Toby.
She called Toby, he came and she gave few toys to him. The observer took few photographs of
the events while the children were engaged in various activities focusing on Essie. The drawing
that Essie made is kept by the author as document sample; the verbal representation during the
post play session is recorder by the observer in audio visual device.
Through the observation the observer felt that the Essie demonstrates behavior that is the
result of not following the procedures narrated by the instructors initially but after repeating it to
her she follows them properly. The observer followed proper regulations while describing the
tasks to the students. She did not intervene in the activities unless it was necessary or required.
During the art class Essie did not respond to the observer’s instruction as she left the drawing
books and materials unorganized. However she corrected this in the book reading activity where
she organized the book in the right place. While dealing with the puzzle pieces Essie showed
impatience and failing to compete with others made her frustrated. She developed the vocabulary
easily and identified the pictures well. The observer feels that Essie should be provided with
easier materials and tasks that are capable of encouraging her to express more actively.