Clear, Appropriate Goals and Feedback
expectations and goals
"Observations and documentation are about getting to know each child in as many different contexts as possible - to know each child as a person unique in all the world." -O'Keefe
"Children who begin with something to say and with intellectual eagerness to say it are sometimes made so conscious of minor errors in substance and form that the energy that should go into constructive thinking is diverted into anxiety not to make mistakes, and even, in extreme cases, into passive quiescence as the best method of minimizing error" - Dewey
Documentation is often something that seems daunting as a teacher. Squeezing more into an already packed school day can feel like a nice concept in theory but ultimately unrealistic. The key to using documentation on a regular basis with your students is prep-work and organization.
- Place materials into general categories. Depending on your students, consider the following: (a) information on identity as a reader and writer; (b) book handling information; (c) oral reading and retelling audiotapes and notes; (d) writing samples; (e) projects; (f) information collected during play. Document knowledge and growth in each area