Running Records/Chronologs
This last type of observation will be a bit different from the last three. You will be doing running records or chronologs on student’s behaviors. A running record gives a minute by minute description of what goes on in a setting with a specific child or group of children (See examples).You select a setting where you are interested in seeing what a student does and what the circumstances are that surround the behaviors. You might know what behavior you want to observe, such as off task. In this case you would watch the student when he was in a situation where he was often off task. You would record exactly what was occurring and what the child and those around him, including the adults, did. You get a very rich picture of what behaviors the child exhibits and what the antecedents and consequences are to those behaviors. Or you may be doing the observation to see why the teacher is so upset with this child and you have no idea what specific behaviors the child exhibits. Again you get a rich picture of how the child behaves and what occurs around those behaviors. You might do this type of running record before you do one of the others you have learned (frequency, duration, interval) as it would give you some specific behaviors to then go in and measure.
A chronology is actually a running record with the times listed down the left hand side of the recording sheet (see examples). You might use a chronolog if you are interested in knowing how long certain behaviors last.
Chronolog/Running Record
Name__________________________________Date and Time__________
Person Observed______________________Place Observed_____________
|
Time |
Observation |
Comments |
|
Write exact times things happen. |
Write only what you see. Make no assumptions about what is in a person's mind or what they are thinking. Write just the facts. |
Write what you feel is going on or ideas about why
something is happening. |
Example of a Chronolog
Name:_____________Age:______________________Date:_______________________
Observer:_______________Place__________________Time:________________________
|
Time |
Observation |
Comments |
|
8:30:00 8:31:00 8:32:00
8:32:30
8:33:30
8:35:00
8:38:00 8:38:30 8:39:00
8:41:30
8:46:00 8:46:30
8:49:30
8:50:00
8:53:00
|
Took attendance Lunch selection Teacher directed students to prepare for spelling assignment Student questioned teacher about water and ice cube project Teacher gave directions to class about spelling decode assignment Teacher showed example on how to decode words and letters Class on their own to complete assignment Student to teacher question (2x) One student arrives late Student asks to sharpen pencil Student to teacher questions (2x) Student to teacher question Teacher to student (special instructions for late arrival) Student to teacher questions Student to teacher question Student to teacher questions (2x) – Student completes assignment – teacher directs to count tadpoles Student to teacher question Teacher to class basic directions about art project when finished with spelling decode Student to teacher question Student to teacher question. Teacher gives 2 minute time warning for spelling Teacher gives instruction to stop spelling and start art project work Teacher
issues art project materials |
Non-instruction Non-instruction Discussion teacher directed
Non-instruction
Discussion teacher directed
Helped with assignment
Non instruction Helped with assignment Non-instruction Non-instruction Helped with assignment
Discussion teacher directed
Helped with assignment Helped with assignment Discussion teacher directed
Discussion teacher directed
Helped with assignment Helped with assignment
Discussion teacher directed
Distributes materials |
Example of a Running Record
Child's Name___Katy___Age____4____Date__2/9_______
Observer Rob_______Place_S. Nursery School__Time 9:00-10:00
|
Observations |
Comments
on what you saw |
|
Katy is playing by herself with plastic blocks, making guns; she walk into other room; "Lisa, would you play with me? I'm tired of playing by myself." They walk into other room to slide and climbing area. K: "I am Wonder Woman." L:; "So am I." K: " No, there is only one Wonder Woman. You are Robin." L: "Robin needs a Batman because Batman and Robin are friends." All this takes place under the slide and climber. Lisa shoots block gun which Katy has given to her. Katy falls on floor. L: (to teacher) "We're playing Superfriends and Wonder Woman keeps falling down." K: Opens eyes, gets up, and says: "Let's get out our batmobile and go help the world. She runs to other room and back, making noises like a car. L: "Wonder Woman is died. She fell out of the car. She falls down. K: "It's only a game, wake up. Lisa you be Wonder Woman. I'll be___." L: "Let's play house now." Katy begins sliding down the slide. K: "We have a lot of Superfriends to do." She says this while sliding. "Robin is coming after you!" she shouts to Lisa, running from the slide and into the other room. Lisa has gone into the housekeeping area and says to Katy: "Katy, here is your doll's dress." (Lost yesterday). John joins the girls. L: "I'm Wonder Woman." K: "I'm Robin." J: "I'm Batrman. Where is the Batmobile?" K:
"It's in here." They run into the other room and Katy points
under the slide telling John what the Batmobile can do. They all run to
the other room and back again. Then Katy says: "John we are not
playing Superfriends any more." |
Clips blocks together to make gun; then copies it to make one for Lisa. Cleverly done. Intricate. Shows creativity. (Does teacher allow guns?)
Seems to be the leader here as in other activities I have observed. Lisa is the friend she most often plays with.
Katy switches roles here. She shows good concentration and spends much time on one play episode.
She can distingush reality from fantasy.
Shows good large motor coordination. Spends much time every day like this running and skipping around room. Seems to know she is good at this and spends a lot of time doing it
Seems to be more comfortable playing with only one child at a time.
|
When you write up your observations this time, you
will only give me the observation chart and a description of what you observed
and what you learned about the child. You may still note some antecedents
and consequences to behaviors or you may decide some behaviors need more
systematic observations. Your discussion of your results is what will be
important. Do not just turn in the observation chart without the
discussion.