reflective practice logs and self-evaluation
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Reflective Practice Guidance Logs
Course name: Guidance - Individual Child - ECEP 132 - 003
To: Christine Cox
Student Name: Yunfan Jiang (Fiona)
Date: Apr 11, 2011
Table of contents
Observation form…………………………………………………………………3
Log 1………………………………………………………………………....…….4
Log 2……………………………………………………………………………….8
Log3………………………………………………………………………….…….12
Self-evaluation………………………………………………………………….…16
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………….18
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Observation form
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Reflective Practice Guidance Log
Log #: 1Part 1 – Objective Observation
(Clearly identify the problem. Examine the “context” of the problem)
Date: Mar. 18, 2011
It was early in the morning. I was sitting on the carpet and supervising a few children
while playing with them. A teacher was filling out some daily forms at the entrance while
keeping the children in her sight.
S and his father arrived. I greeted his parent and S. After S’s father took off his coat, the
teacher held S’s hand and brought him into the play area. When S saw his father was
leaving, he began to cry and tried to go over the barrier.
Part 2 – Decision(Clearly identify the guidance strategy and state why the chosen strategy is appropriate
for this child and the situation) (Provide Reference)
Guidance strategy : redirection
Reason: S kept on crying and tried to go over the barrier when he was separated from
his father. This behavior is very typical for child who has separation anxiety. Separation
anxiety is normal among older infants, not only those who come to the daycare for the
first time, but also those who have been here for a long time. Although S is not a new
comer for this daycare, such behavior still happened. The separation anxiety is not good
for his health, so I should distract him from this situation. “An adult can be most helpful
by immediately doing something to distract the child from the forbidden activity and
steering her toward a different activity” (Marion, P133). In addition, according to the class
notes, redirection works best with younger children. S is only 17 months old. Therefore,
the redirection strategy is suitable for him. I decided to redirect him to an activity and try
to make him feel happy.
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Part 3 – Actions(Clearly discuss your actions (what you did and said),
the child’s response and the results of the guidance strategy)
I went over and crouched down before him. I put my hand on his shoulder, and said to
him gently, “S, your dad has to go to work. He will be back soon. Do you want to play
with me?” However, he had no reaction to what I said and kept on crying and struggling
to go outside. Then, I began to look for his favorite toy, a rattle which can spin, but I did
not find it in the toy bins. I tried to provide some other toys to attract him. They all did not
work. Finally, I found the rattle in a child’s hand. I exchanged another toy for this rattle.
I raised this rattle and said to him happily, “S, look, what is this? Your favorite toy!” S
stopped crying and looked at me. I went over and spun the rattle in front of him. The
spinning rattle attracted S. He stared at the rattle and began to spin it by himself. He
spun and stopped the rattle repeatedly and looked so happy.
Part 4 – Reflection(Clearly discuss your strengths and needs and the changes that you would make if
needed)
Strengths
- responded immediately
- took actions immediately
- soothed child with gentle voice and
body language
- child eye level
- made appropriate judgment according
to the situation (exchanged with
another child for his favorite toy)
- used happy facial expression to
attract child’s attention
Needs
- I did not be ready for possible
separation anxiety
- I did not pay more attention to the
child who was being separated from
his father
- I did not talked to S about his feeling
- I did not talked to S about his
behavior
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Discuss the changes that you would make and why you would make them. (If any)
How would you PREVENT this from happening next time
The next time:
1) I would be ready for possible separation anxiety. I thought only new comer could
possibly be in this situation. Because S stayed in this daycare for a long time, I thought
he had no trouble in separating from his dad. In fact, some children still expressed
separation anxiety for some reasons (e.g., health status, mood, etc.)
2) I would pay more attention to the child who is being separated with parents. If I had
prepared his favorite toy in advance and attracted his attention before his dad left, this
behavior would have been avoided.
3) I would express my understanding of his feeling.
4) I would incorporate behavior rule into activities.
5) In daily life, I would do my best to establish close relationship with them to ease
separation anxiety and implement redirection strategy as needed.
Supervising ECE Signature
Dear ECE Supervising Teacher: Please read and review the guidance log. Select the
appropriate box below.
o This log is accurate based on your observations.
o This log is somewhat accurate.
Please explain : _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
o This log is not accurate based on your observations.
Agency Name: Victoria Park Childcare Center
Phone Number: 416-445-0287_______________
Name of ECE: (Please Print) ___Janie Li_______________________________ _
ECE Signature: _____________________________________
Date of Signature: ________________________________
Thank-you!
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Signature for log 1
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Reflective Practice Guidance Log
Log #: 2Part 1 – Objective Observation
(Clearly identify the problem. Examine the “context” of the problem)
Date: Mar. 24, 2011
It was free play time. I was sitting on the carpet and supervising the children. Child L
picked up a book from book shelf and sat on my laps. She opened the book and let me
read for her.
When I was reading this book, Child A walked towards us, he held one end of the book
and tried to take it away. L pushed A, screaming, “mine, mine”.
Part 2 – Decision(Clearly identify the guidance strategy and state why the chosen strategy is appropriate
for this child and the situation) (Provide Reference)
Guidance strategy : Choices
Reason: Child A tried to take the book away from L, while this book was had by L first. L
pushed A to keep her book. A conflict between two children appeared. Although their
behaviors are all not appropriate, that does not means they did that intentionally. In fact,
for infants, they tug on some items just because of their interests and curiosity. In this
case, we can find that they are all interested in reading book. In general, it is not
possible that a child is interested in only one book. According to the class notes,
“Allowing children to make choices build their self esteem and have some control/power
in their world”. In addition, one of our goals is to help children learn to make wise choices
(Marion, P121). Therefore, I chose choices as guidance strategy and decided to give
him a chance to choose book.
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Part 3 – Actions(Clearly discuss your actions (what you did and said),
the child’s response and the results of the guidance strategy)
I hold the book, kept eye contact with child A and shook my head. I said to A calmly and
slowly, “If you want to read a book, you can pick it up from the book shelf. Would you like
to pick up your book by yourself or do you want me to help you?” He withdrew his hand
and turned around. He walked to the book shelf and pick up a book. At the same time, I
said to L gently, “You get the book first, you can keep your book. Please be gentle to
your friend.”
Child A went back soon and looked at me. It seemed that he also wanted me to read the
book for him. I praised him with a smile. I said, “I am so glad you are able to choose
book by yourself. You want me to read this book? Wait your turn, please.” He looked at
me for a few seconds. Then, he walked away.
Part 4 – Reflection(Clearly discuss your strengths and needs and the changes that you would make if
needed)
Strengths
- Spoke with children gently, calmly and
slowly
- found the reason of behavior from the
perspective of a child
- stated my expectation clearly
- provided appropriate choices while
made the choices manageable
- stated my attitude clearly to
inappropriate behavior
- gave positive approval when this
inappropriate behavior was corrected
Needs
- I did not express my understanding of
the child’s interest in book with
positive attitude when talked to him
- I did not talk about the feeling if
snatched by someone else
- I did not talked to children about the
solution for conflict
Discuss the changes that you would make and why you would make them. (If any)
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How would you PREVENT this from happening next time
The next time:
1) I would express my understanding of his interest at first with positive attitude. For
example, I could say “I know you like reading book, and reading is good for you. If you
want to read a book, you can…” I think these words can demonstrate my respect for his
interest and helps him build his self-esteem.
2) I would talk about the feeling and say “You feel sad when somebody takes your book
away. L felt sad too when you did so. ” I think the conversation like this can help A make
sense of empathy.
3) I would talk to children about solving the conflict.
4) I would incorporate self-regulation into planned or emergent curriculum in daily life,
such as picking up what they want from the proper place (e.g. book shelf, toy shelf, etc.)
instead of from other children’s hands, waiting turn when do one-to-one activity.
5) I would do more observation to know their interests. The more I know about this child,
the more effective and wise choices I can provide. Therefore, when he want to take the
book or something else (e.g. toys) from other children, I can provide some choices that
he is very likely to accept while ensure all the choices are manageable.
Supervising ECE Signature
Dear ECE Supervising Teacher: Please read and review the guidance log. Select the
appropriate box below.
o This log is accurate based on your observations.
o This log is somewhat accurate.
Please explain : _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
o This log is not accurate based on your observations.
Agency Name: Victoria Park Childcare Center
Phone Number: 416-445-0287_______________
Name of ECE: (Please Print) ___Janie Li_______________________________ _
ECE Signature: _____________________________________
Date of Signature: ________________________________
Thank-you!
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Signature for log 2
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Reflective Practice Guidance Log
Log #: 3Part 1 – Objective Observation
(Clearly identify the problem. Examine the “context” of the problem)
Date: Apr. 1, 2011
It was free play time. A teacher was changing diaper in the washroom. Another teacher
was reading a book for a child while I sat beside the toy shelf and played with child V.
Some toys was scattered on the carpet. An empty toy bin was beside the shelf and
upside down. Child S came over. She put one foot on the bottom of bin and tried to
stand on it with the support of toy shelf.
Part 2 – Decision(Clearly identify the guidance strategy and state why the chosen strategy is appropriate
for this child and the situation) (Provide Reference)
Guidance strategy : redirection
Reason: Standing on the plastic toy bins is not allowed in the daycare. It possibly leads
children falling down if the bin tips over or damages the bin. For infants, they could not
be aware of what activities are dangerous. So I should protect her from possible injury or
startle. According to the notes, the redirection strategy is suitable for distracting a child
from the forbidden or dangerous activity and it works best with younger children. S was
only 16 months old. Therefore, I thought the redirection strategy was suitable for her. I
told her the plastic bin was not used for standing. Then I redirected her to look outside
on stairs.
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Part 3 – Actions(Clearly discuss your actions (what you did and said),
the child’s response and the results of the guidance strategy)
I went over quickly and held S gently. I crouched down at S’s eye level and said to her
calmly, “S, the toy bin is for toys. Feet down, please.” But she still stood on it. Then, I
said, “Look, who is outside? Let’s have a look.” I pointed to the window. S looked back.
Some preschoolers were playing on the playground. We could hear their voice. She
went down from the bin. I held S’s hand and brought her to the soft stuffed stairs under
the windowsill. She climbed up the stairs and stood on her toes to look outside. I left S
on the stairs and went back. However, I found another child was trying to stand on the
bin.
Part 4 – Reflection(Clearly discuss your strengths and needs and the changes that you would make if
needed)
Strengths
- took actions immediately
- gentle action and voice
- child eye level
- positive words
- used happy facial expression to
attract child’s attention
- used substitute to solve problem
Needs
- I did not scan environment frequently
and correct the situations which
possibly led to inappropriate behavior
- I did not put the toy bin back to shelf
immediately after S went down to
prevent other children from climbing
- I did not clearly tell S she could climb
up stairs instead of bin
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Discuss the changes that you would make and why you would make them. (If any)
How would you PREVENT this from happening next time
The next time
1) I would scan environment frequently and correct the situations which possibly lead to
inappropriate behavior. For example, I would turn over the bin immediately after I found
it was upside down. When the bin is upside down, it looks like the step and lures children
to climb up. In addition, there are some other objects children like climbing, such as
small chairs. Therefore, I should pay more attention to such objects.
2) I would put the toy bin back to shelf immediately after S went down to prevent other
children from climbing.
3) I would clearly tell S that she should climb up stairs instead of bin if she wants to
stand high. S was 16 months old, and she could understand what I said.
Supervising ECE Signature
Dear ECE Supervising Teacher: Please read and review the guidance log. Select the
appropriate box below.
o This log is accurate based on your observations.
o This log is somewhat accurate.
Please explain : _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
o This log is not accurate based on your observations.
Agency Name: Victoria Park Childcare Center
Phone Number: 416-445-0287_______________
Name of ECE: (Please Print) ___Janie Li_______________________________ _
ECE Signature: _____________________________________
Date of Signature: ________________________________
Thank-you!
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Signature for log 3
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Self-evaluation
While I was working on this assignment, I found it provided so many
learning opportunities for me. During this process, I learned how to incorporate
the knowledge in lectures into the practice.
I worked with infants in the field placement. In the daycare, there are a
variety of situations that need to be dealt with every day, such as grabbing toys,
transition difficulties, dangerous activities, separation anxiety, and so on.
Therefore, implementing guidance strategies is a very important part of my daily
work. How to implement these strategies efficiently is also what I often think of
profoundly. I hope I can improve my strategies constantly by reflective thinking.
My strengths include careful observation, logical thinking, child eye level,
gentle voice, close relationship with children, responding to children positively,
etc. Each time I implemented the guidance strategies, I tried to find the reason of
their behavior and showed my respect and understanding to their interests and
needs. For infants, they could not be aware of what activities are dangerous.
They also could not totally understand why they should follow rules. Therefore, I
redirect them from forbidden or dangerous behavior according to their interests. I
also provide some simple choices for them while ensure all the choices are
manageable. Some older infants can understand what I said, I would clearly state
the rules to them while explain the reason why they should follow the rules.
My needs involves in how to implement strategies more specific to each
child and how to make what I said as simple as possible to be understood by
children. Different child has different temperament. Sometimes, I found that the
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guidance strategy suitable for one child was not necessarily suitable for another
one. The main reason for this is lack of understanding their temperament since I
worked in the daycare for a short time. Sometimes, I sought some information
from my supervising teacher. She gave me some suggestions about how to take
corresponding actions according to each child’s temperament. She also talked
with me about my expression way to children. She said that infants were too
young to understand complicated language and asked me to make what I said as
simple as possible. So I need do more work on these two aspects in the field
placement of next semester.
Recording guidance information in reflective guidance logs is not only a
simple documentation process, but also a reflection process. This assignment
made me think more about my practice. I believe my guidance strategies will be
more and more efficient through such a learning process.
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Bibliography
1. Class notes
2. Marian, Marion. Guidance of Young Children . Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2010.
112-142
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