Preschool Child Observation Record

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Preschool Child Observation Record

• Developed by High/Scope
• The COR developmental assessment
• for ages 2 ½ -6

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Purposes for Assessment

• To determine the cognitive, linguistic, social,
  emotional, and physical development of children
• To identify childrens interests and learning
  styles
• To plan
• To meet the needs of individual children
• To determine progress
• To provide information to parents
• To provide self-insights

Early Childhood News January/February 2004
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What is the COR?

• The High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR) is
  an assessment instrument designed for use with
  children ages 2 ½ - 6 years old in an early
  childhood setting. After keeping anecdotal
  records of the childs behavior in regular
  program activities over several weeks or months,
  the observer completes a parent report form by
  noting behaviors that best characterizes the
  childs experiences in each of the six general
  curriculum areas.

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Six categories included in the COR

• Initiative
• Social Relations
• Creative Representation
• Music and Movement
• Language and Literacy
• Mathematics and Science

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32 COR Items

• Included within these categories are a total of
  32 preschool COR items. Five statements
  describing the childs level of behavior,
  numbered 1 to 5, are listed under each item.
  Based upon observations of the child, the
  observer chooses the statement under each item
  that best represents the highest level of
  behavior characteristic of the child.

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Initiative

• Making choices and plans
• Solving problems with materials
• Initiating play
• Taking care of personal needs

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Social Relations

• Relating to adults
• Relating to other children
• Resolving interpersonal conflict
• Understanding and expressing feelings

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Creative Representation

• Making and building models
• Drawing and painting pictures
• Pretending

9
Movement and Music

• Moving in various ways
• Moving with objects
• Feeling and expressing steady beat
• Moving to music
• Singing

10
Language and Literacy

• Listening to and understanding speech
• Using vocabulary
• Using complex patterns of speech
• Showing awareness of sounds in words
• Demonstrating knowledge about books
• Using letter names and sounds
• Reading
• Writing

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Mathematics and Science

• Sorting objects
• Identifying patterns
• Comparing properties
• Counting
• Identifying position and direction
• Identifying sequence, change, and causality
• Identifying materials and properties
• Identifying natural and living things

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Mathematical Language

• Logical and Mathematical knowledge is the least
  teachable knowledge there is. At least at the
  preschool level, this knowledge is inevitably
  mastered by normal young children as they work
  with objects in the physical world. However, the
  language for these basic concepts of logic and
  mathematics must be learned by children from
  adults or other children.
• High/Scope Educational Research Foundation 1992
  

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• Format for Anecdotes
• Date each anecdote
• Beginning - Identify when, where, and who
• Middle Describe what the child did and said,
  use quotes to document the childs language
• Ending When applicable, state the outcome

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• Objective Anecdotes
• Focus on what the child did and said
• Be factual
• Be specific
• Be Brief

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• Hints for taking Anecdotes
• Use abbreviations
• Write on sticky notes
• Share notes during post-lab (this helps motivate
  practicum students to help take notes)
• Save childrens dated art work
• Take pictures of what the child has built
• Cross-reference anecdotes
• Sort notes during non-busy times
• Focus on a COR category
• Do group observations focusing on several children

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Conclusion

• Why use observation rather than testing to
  assess children? As adults who work in early
  childhood programs, we know that children come to
  us with widely differing experiences, abilities,
  temperaments, and talents. In learning
  environments that nurture each childs unique
  pattern of strengths and abilities, children
  learn that they are capable and can be successful
  in present and future endeavors.
• The COR will help you identify the skills and
  strengths of each child this will allow you to
  plan and adjust your teaching materials,
  techniques, and activities to match the
  individual interests and developmental needs of
  the children.