Preschool Observation and Reflection Protocol

Due: Week 5

Value: 50 points

Note: If available, you may want to bring a laptop or tablet to your observation. This way you

can complete the form electronically while you are at the site. If this is not possible, print this

form and bring it with you to guide your observation.

Date of Observation: February 7th, 2022 Program Observed: February 7th, 2022

Age Group Observed: Preschool (3 year old) Address: 918 W Avenue J Lancaster CA 93534

Brief Program Description (e.g, location, number of children served, number of children in setting you

observed, demographics, and any other distinguishing information.

Number of children: 11 children (5 girls, 6 boys)

Number of children observed: 6 children (4 girls, 2 boys)

Environment and Materials (CDE, 2012)

Complete the chart below AND draw a layout/map of the environment or attach a photo.

Guidance from the Preschool Curriculum My observations:

Framework What I saw and/or heard related to this criterion

The daily schedule for adult-child AND child-child 8:00am-8:30am: Breakfast

interactions 8:30am-9:00am: Free play

9:00am-9:30: Arts and Crafts

9:30am-10:00: Circle time

11:00am-11:30am: Get ready for lunch (bathroom,

wash hands, make beds)

11:30am-12:00pm: Eat lunch

12:00pm-3:00pm: Nap time

3:00pm-5:00pm: Free Play, Pick up time

Large group space The teacher told the children to take the legos out on

the circle carpet and the trains and cars on the big

carpet.

The carpet is where the children were mostly playing

with the toys. Legos, trains, and cars.

Small group space The small group space would be during circle time

when the children would grab a small carpet to sit on

in order to pay attention to circle time with the

teacher.

A space to display family-related items The teacher has a board in the classroom that is filled

with the children’s arts and crafts that the family can

see anytime they walk in to pick their child up. The

teacher also has a bulletin board for parents to see the

curriculum for the week and the calendar for the

month. It also has a list of items for parents to sign up

for things to bring for their Valentines Day Party they

are having.
Centers or interest areas Book center

Arts and Crafts Center

Kitchen Center

Coloring Center

Prepare materials ahead of time for maximizing The teacher has flashcards for their vocabulary words

language and literacy they are learning for the week. They also have a letter

of the week that they trace and find on the ABC

board.

Arrange learning environments to fascinate children During dramatic play, I noticed the children were

and prompt conversations talking about their favorite movie they like to watch.

One child said, “I love encanto” while wearing her

favorite dress in the center.

Extend the classroom beyond its walls I noticed that teachers are very friendly and always

ask if the teacher needs help with anything. During

outside play, another class went outside to play and

the teachers were very friendly with each other.

Asking how each others’ days were as well.

Guiding Principles (CDE, 2012)

Complete the chart below.

Selected Guidance from the Preschool Curriculum My observations:

Framework What I saw and/or heard related to this criterion

and the teacher used words like “nest, needle, nail,

necklace, and neighbor.” I noticed the teacher tried to

use simple words and then used a bigger word in

order for the children to get familiar with the words.

The children repeated each word along with the

teacher and the teacher asked the parents to go over

these words with their child when they could. The

teacher said she had an activity with the words on

Friday for them to do.

Children learn best from experiences that are The children were learning about Chinese New Year

interesting, useful and fun and while reading the book “Peppa Pig New Year”

they were asking questions about what Chinese New

Years is. The teacher explained that in China, they

celebrate New Years in February instead of January

like us.

Connect school and home Towards the end of the day, the teacher explained to

the parents the children were learning about Chinese

New Year and if the parents can talk with their child

about what Chinese New Year’s means to them. She

gave them an assignment to bring in something red

which resembles good luck.

environment made sure it was culturally appropriate and learned

more about Chinese New Year before teaching the

children first. She made sure Chinese New Year was

appropriated and did crafts that she found on pinterest

such as a dragon, tiger, and a letter to be sent out to

the parents in a red envelope representing good luck.

Create literacy rich environments With the word neighbor, the teacher mentioned what a

neighbor is and they went next door to another

classroom and she said “this is a neighbor, when you

live next to someone, they are called your neighbors”

Language Modeling (Pianta, La Paro & Hamre, 2008)

Complete the chart below.

Indicator My Observations:

What I saw or heard that is evidence of this

indicator

Conversations with more than three back and forth The teacher has been teaching the children how to

exchanges communicate with each other when it comes to

playing with the toys.

Child 1: Give that to me!

Child 2: NO!
 Teacher: How do we ask for something when we want

to play with it?

Child 1: Can I have that when you’re done?

Child 2: Yes

Teacher: I’m glad you asked nicely. Thank you!

Questions that require more than a one-word response “How do we ask for a toy when we want it from

(open-ended questions) someone else?”

“What is a neighbor?”

Teacher extends and elaborates on child’s response One of the children told the teacher that his uncle is

his neighbor. The teacher asked the child if his uncle

lives next door to his house and the child replies no,

he lives far away. The teacher then says, “A neighbor

is when someone is right next door to you, so your

uncle wouldn’t be your neighbor.”

Teacher talks aloud, describing her thought process or During Circle time, the teacher is explaining to the

actions children what Chinese New Year is and how the color

red means good luck in their country. The teacher

explains to the children that they will be creating a

letter for good luck and putting it in a red envelope.

The children were excited.

Teacher talks aloud, describing a child’s thought A child was hitting another child in the classroom and

process or actions the teacher told the child not to hit because it hurts

when we hit other people. The teacher asked the child

differently than hitting. The child states, “I hit him

because he took the toy away from me and I wanted

it, it was mines. I need to tell the teacher, but he made

me mad.”

Teacher uses advanced language (vocabulary) with I noticed the teacher was using words with the

students children that they were able to understand, but also

using words they wouldn't. The words they didn;t

understand, the teacher would explain. For example,

the children didn’t know the word neighbor, therefore

the teacher explained what it meant multiple times.

Throughout the day, the teacher used the word

neighbor in her vocabulary.

Teacher connects advanced language to familiar The teacher explained that sometimes they may hear

concepts and/or words someone say “next door” which is another word for

saying neighbor. The teacher then asked if they have

ever heard the words “next door.” Some of the

children said yes and others said no.

Assessment: In the box below, briefly describe the ways the early childhood educator assesses the children’s

language and literacy development. If the program uses the Desired Results Developmental Profiles (DRDP)

or another continuum, explain how the program collects the required information to complete the instrument.
Early childhood educators assess children’s development by observing the children throughout the day and

keeping record of what the child is doing. Educators can also analyze and reflect on their day by creating a

lesson plan for the child’s interest the most. Communicating with other teachers about certain ideas and plans

for the children in the classroom.

The preschool doesn’t do DRDP’s.

Reflection Questions: Use what you have learned about language and literacy learning and

development in infant toddler settings to identify the educator’s strengths. Answer each of the

questions below. Your responses need not be more than two paragraphs, but they need to be

detailed and include specific evidence (see rubric for more details).

1. In the area of Environment and Materials, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what

you observed and the CA preschool learning foundations in language and literacy strands

(e.g., listening and speaking) and substrands (e.g., language use and conventions) as

evidence of the educator’s strength.

The environment was clean and organized and the teacher was able to find everything she

needed for arts and crafts. The teacher made sure the children were in a safe environment the

entire time and everything in the classroom was easily accessed for the children. When children

aren’t in a safe environment, it causes stress for the children. I noticed the teacher added a more

homey environment to her classroom. For example, there’s an area where the children are able to

sit in a corner with a couch and take a break if they are too overwhelmed. There are also books in

the area for children to grab and read in order to calm them down as well. Educators guide
children's behavior through their interactions and communication at all times. It encourages

children to reflect on their actions and the impact those actions have on themselves, others and

the environment around them.

2. In the area of Guiding Principles, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you

observed and the CA preschool learning foundations in language and literacy strands

(e.g., listening and speaking) and substrands (e.g., language use and conventions) as

evidence of the educator’s strength.

The teacher was very professional and I could tell she was determined to get the children

to learn more about Chinese New Year and the letter N as well. I love how the teacher was able

to handle the situation between the two children who were hitting each other. Instead of having

the children sit down, she wanted them to communicate with each other to resolve the issue. She

taught them how to say, “Can I have that toy when you’re done?” when they want a toy from

another child. This resolves the conflict of having the children fight with each other when they

can communicate instead. During circle time, I noticed the children were listening closely to the

story about Chinese New Years and they wanted to learn more when the teacher asked them

questions about the book. The teacher asked the children what animals they see in the story. They

replied with tiger and dragon, which were the two main Chinese New year animals they were

learning about.

3. In the area of Language Modeling, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you

observed and the indicators described above as evidence of the educator’s strength.

Children need to have a role model in the classroom and I believe that the teacher

expresses a great role model for the children. Language modeling means providing a running
example of the language you might want your child to use. The teacher has provided the children

with vocabulary words to continue to use for the week. The letter they were on for the week was

N and the teacher provided the students with N words for the classroom and home as well. The

teacher provided cards for the children to repeat these words at home and when they come back

into the classroom the next day, they would do activities of those words. The teacher provided

the children with a few basic words and then a harder word in order for them to expand their

vocabulary. When children use the same words, they will then help their vocabulary and

remember the words for future use.

4. In the area of Assessment, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you observed

and the CA preschool learning foundations in language and literacy strands (e.g.,

listening and speaking) and substrands (e.g., language use and conventions) as evidence

of the educator’s strength.

I’ve noticed the teacher has the children’s best interest at heart. When the teacher saw the

children working together building with the legos, she told them to make their own version of a

tiger out of legos. She discovered how amazing they turned out to be by what they knew about a

Chinese tiger. Though the children were struggling with some of the N words the teacher used in

the classroom, instead of the teacher becoming frustrated she continued to teach them and work

on their improvement.

CDE (2010). California preschool curriculum framework (Vol. 1). Sacramento, CA: CDE Press.

Pianta, R.C., La Paro, K. M. & Hamre, B. K. (2008). Classroom assessment scoring system.

Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.