Church Children Observation

My observation took place at Covenant Church. While doing the observation I began to observe a group of preschoolers ranging the ages of 8 – 12 months. There were only nine children in the class. The classroom had a very diverse composition in its environment.
As soon as you walk in the preschool area there must be check-in the section set for the children while entering. The building was extremely well maintained. The hallways, furnishings, indoor play areas, and equipment were kept in good repair with safe intentions. The indoor play area was developmentally appropriate which was of safekeeping and matching to the children’s age levels.
Following the developmental checklist that lists indirect and direct guidelines, I noted the supervision of the children. The positive actions from the teachers supported a happy learning experience, applied problem-solving, and decision-making that lead to better performance. This dynamic improved the social environment that helped each student achieve their own set of goals. Within the 2 hours were some direct and indirect guidance. The centers routine achieved their learning goals, safety in the children’s environment as well as the transitioning of the classes.
My observation was short. In the classroom I was in, I notice how small the children were. I counted nine students in total. Five were girls and four were boys. I sat in the back of the classroom and watched how they were interacting with a painting activity associated with their teacher and assistant teacher. There were positive relationships between the teacher and the children. The room is well-equipped, with enough materials and toys as well as the communication that occurred throughout the day. In my first hour, I decided to observe inside the classroom. The classroom was painted a light beige color and sponge painted beige over top. The tables and chairs were seated equally and separated off as they should be.
For instance, the teacher used direct guidance by interacting with the children at eye level while quickly responding when a child was crying. Developing the physical environment during play, emphasizing on class rules, and program content were examples of direct guidance I observed during this hour. Observing how the children were influenced by their school’s environment from their classroom physical surroundings were guidance’s gestures I encountered as well. The preschool centers environment is safely secured with a locked gate that separated the outside door which leads to the younger children’s center that leads to the playground.
Decorated with colorful artwork from the preschool children, several chairs and tables were surrounding the area from the artwork located in each corner of the room. A miniature library with a small bookshelf and two little chairs were in the middle of the classroom. Three circle chairs and tables were separated to break the room apart according to the station it was needed for. The teacher’s office table and the children’s cots were located against the wall. The bathroom had a small sink station with a poster word wall for the children to see above. Across to the right was more cubby storage that entered in the center with a center rug across the floor. Across where the children’s names and pictures that go along. The classroom was painted a light color. The tables and chairs were seated equally and separated off as they should be.

References

• Covenant Church
• Healthy Children: Baby Development
• Yale Child Study Center: Developmental Milestones – 8 Months
• California Department of Social Services – Title 22 Regulations
• Tutor Extra: How Long Should a Child Go to Pre-school?