To prepare for class next week (November 9) do the following homework:
Read
Read chapter 7 of Understand Child Development (pages 123-138.) In order to be prepared for an activity we will do in class, pay particular attention to the How to Promote Development section. Also, please re-read (or read for the first time if you didn’t do it last week), the How to Promote Development section from chapter 6 (pages 116-117).
Observation
Here is the handout you were given in class:
Observation: 6-12 Year Olds Playing a Game
For this assignment, you will observe two to four children ages 6-12 playing a game. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Focus on specific aspects:
What do you want to learn? Are you interested in their problem-solving skills, social dynamics, creativity?
Note-taking:
Document what you see and hear. Pay attention to interactions, conflicts, cooperation, and individual behaviors. Note body language, verbal communication, and non-verbal cues. It is simplest to draw a line down the middle of your paper and write your objective observations on the left and your subjective thoughts on the right.
Note individual and group dynamics:
Pay attention to individual behaviors, roles, within the group, leadership, teamwork, and any conflicts or problem-solving.
Track rule modifications:
Often children adapt or change the rules of a game. Note how they negotiate these changes and what prompts them.
You will turn in your notes along with a write up that summarizes your findings. Your write up should be typed, double spaced. There is not a requirement for length, but it should be long enough to describe in detail your findings.
Looking Ahead…
Keep working on your presentations, which you will be giving the last day of class, November 16th.