We are all aware that the first few years of a child’s life are some of the most important from a formative point of view. This time is crucial in terms of learning basic coping strategies, establishing positive behaviours and interacting with the outside world. The technical term for this part of a life is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS stage occurs between zero and five years of age.
Of course, parents and childcare providers will need to carefully monitor the progress of a child in order to ensure that he or she is headed in the right direction. This is when the principle of tracking observations comes into play. Let’s take a look at what the concept involves as well as it can have a massive impact upon the development of your little one(s).
What is Tracking Observation?
As the name suggests, this term involves following the behavioural patterns of a child within a specific setting. Examples can include (but might not be limited to):
- Within educational settings.
- How the child interacts with his or her peers.
- When the child is performing specific activities (such as solving a problem os simply playing).
Most of these observations will take place during a limited period of time (such as ten or 15 minutes). This helps to accommodate for the attention spans associated with children between zero and five years of age.
Traditional Methods of Tracking Observation
While tracking the behaviours of a single child can be slightly challenging, this task becomes even more difficult when dealing with multiple children at the same time (such as within childcare settings). In the past, traditional techniques such as logs and diaries were normally employed. This could present problems if the carer in question failed to pick up on a certain activity. Once again, addressing a classroom full of children would have made such tasks nearly impossible. The good news is that times have changed for the better.
Modern and Cutting-Edge Techniques
We live within a digital world and this is just as true when referring to modern tracking observation techniques. One of the most popular choices involves the tools offered at www.tinytracker.co.uk. The main takeaway point is that childcare professionals can now access a host of centralised methods in order to more efficiently record the behaviours of a child. Also, this information can then be sent directly to parents. This is a great way for them to accurately monitor the development of their little one even if they are not physically present.
Tracking observation is one of the most effective ways to determine how a child is learning to interact with the outside world. It also provides childcare professionals with the insight and clarity needed to make the right decisions based around specific behaviours. Thanks to innovative technology, there are now more options at your disposal than ever before. So, be sure to take a closer look at what Tiny Tracker has to offer.
