Documentation has a range of purposes. Through observing and then taking note of children’s ideas, theories and strategies, we are then able to document what is happening in our settings. There are many ways of documenting, but they all serve similar purposes:
- To communicate with others (parents, colleagues, the children themselves, the community)
- To act as a tool to assist us with reflecting together about what children are doing, why, and how they are demonstrating their ideas and thinking.
- To help us to make decisions about what to do next.
Our framework tells us that ‘….through documentation, educators are making learning visible….’ However, many educators find it challenging to find the time to take notes for documentation, and none of us want to be taken away from our work with children in order to do so. Sketch notebooks can provide a solution to this challenge.
Framework Principles & Practices utilized in the program: observation, reflective practice, documentation
Objectives:
- Educators will find time to write ‘raw’ documentation, on the spot in the classroom
- Educators will use the sketch notebook as a tool for dialogue with colleagues, and as a base for more formal documentation if needed
- Educators will base their responses to children on what is recorded in their sketch notebook, therefore engaging in responsive practices
Strategies:
- Educators make very brief notes and/or sketches, in rough form, as they engage with or observe children
- Educators share these notes with colleagues, or share a sketch notebook where everyone contributes
- After some dialogue, educators make decisions about ‘what to next.’
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Develop the habit of writing notes alongside children at play
- Use these notes/sketches for decision-making
- Meet the guidelines for documentation from the N.S. Framework
- List 4 ways in which sketch-noting can benefit play-based and inquiry-based practices
