By this time of the school year, most children have had the chance and opportunity to integrate into the new environment, adjust to new people, and learn the schedule. You have helped children socialize and interact with each other, promoted problem-solving, and given them the tools to enjoy a typical day in a classroom. And even though observing children’s behavior and development starts on the very first day they walk into your classroom, it is at this time of year that you can evaluate, measure, and compare children’s progress, mark very clearly where children are now, and set goals for the rest of the school year.
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Using Documentation Panels to Showcase Children’s Experiences
Documentation is a powerful tool in the early childhood classroom. Put simply, documentation is any evidence collected over a period of time that describes, narrates, or demonstrates a child’s experience. Documentation can involve teacher and parent notes, a child’s drawings and dictations, and recordings/photos of an event or interaction. Such evidence allows for parents, teachers, children, and other stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions about children’s learning and growing.