Danielle Vachon

Focused Observation
Preschoolers from Diverse Sociocultural Backgrounds
Kindergarten Screening

EDUC 942
April 13, 2015

FOCUS OF OBSERVATION:
Kindergarten Screening can be a scary time for both the parent and child.
The school I work at takes two days to screen the incoming Kindergartners for the
fall. The topic I chose to focus on was social patterns during the screening. I
decided to focus on social patterns because during this process the teachers look at
how the children play with the toys provided, who they play with, and how they
handle situations in a classroom environment. I thought that observing the
preschoolers during this process would be perfect for this paper.
CHILD SELECTION:
I selected the incoming Kindergartners to do my observation on because it
is always interesting to see how they act in a new environment. You can see which
ones are natural leaders, shy, outgoing, loud, scared, naughty, etc. I also wanted to
find out if kids from one preschool acted differently than kids who went to another
preschool or home setting. I did my observation during the free choice time at the
end of the screenings. During this time the kindergartners are given free range to
the classrooms. All of the areas of the room are open for play such as; the writing
center, the lego tables, coloring area, the block area, the home center, etc. This is
when the teachers observe to see how each child acts in the classroom. They look
to see which kids get along and work cooperatively and which kids should not be
placed in the same room. I knew I wanted to use the screening for my observation
because I could gather tons of information on the topic in just two days.
METHOD SELECTION:

During the screenings we use a formal assessment called the Brigance. This
allows us to see their development in fine motor, gross motor, alphabet recognition
and sounds, rote counting, sorting shapes, etc. The informal assessments that I
used to gather my information were observation, interviewing certain groups of
children, and a rating scale of behaviors. I used a 1-4 rating scale, a 4 meaning the
child was very well behaved, polite, worked well with others, and respected the
classroom and a 1 meaning the child was disruptive, did not work well in a group,
and did not respect the classroom. To document my observation I used a list with
each childs name on it with a space to write comments on and the behavior
number. I used those informal assessments because they are quick and easy to
keep track of. It is hard to watch a group of children and have to be constantly
writing things down. I found that my list was really helpful because I could
quickly jot down the behavior number and if the child had a behavior that really
stood out I could record it next to their name. I found that my list also helped me
easily compare the behaviors and actions of all of the children. I was able to see
how many 1s or 4s I observed. This ended up helping the teachers as well
because they were able to use my behavior system for placing students in
classrooms for the fall.
RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL RESEARCHER:
The Ethical Code of Conduct helped me understand and practice
responsible observation by reminding me that the child always come first, one
shall not harm children. The Code of Conduct states that we should not participate

in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, or

dangerous. During my observation I tried to be almost invisible at times and just
sat in the corner of the room. I felt that this would be the least disruptive and I
would get more accurate results if I didnt make the children feel uncomfortable or
feel like they are being watched. The Code of Conduct states We shall not
participate in practices that discriminate against children. I tried to make my
observation as fair as possible. I purposely did not look at where the children were
coming from (preschool program, day care, home) until after I wrote down my
data. I felt that this would make my rating scale and notes more accurate and I
wouldnt have any preconceived notions about children. As I stated above, The
Ethical Code of Conduct really helped me in remembering the child comes first. I
had to take into consideration that they were all in a new environment that they
were not used to so some of their behaviors or actions might not have been a true
depiction of who they are.
FINDINGS-PHENOMENON:
During my observation I learned a lot about childrens behaviors. When it
came time for free choice time every child migrated towards children they were
familiar with. This did not come as a surprise to me because that is natural human
nature. The first thing I examined was the gender differences. One thing that I did
find through my observation was that more boys had 1s than girls. According to
Childs Trend Data Bank, male kindergarteners are somewhat less likely to
exhibit positive social behaviors upon entry to kindergarten (79 percent) than

female kindergartners (83 percent) (CTDB, 2005). The boys showed behaviors
such as arguing over a toy, shouting, crying, and some physical fighting. Another
thing I found while doing this observation was that the girls tended to be more shy
and play by themselves. If the girls did not know any children in their group they
would shy away from the other children and find a quiet activity by themselves.
However, the boys were very outgoing and made friends easier. If they did not
have a familiar face in their group then they would go over to a group of children
and join right in with their activity. The next thing I focused on was what the
children tended to play with. Before the process, I was thinking the girls would
play with the home center and coloring activities and the boys would play with the
legos and blocks. I ended up being wrong and found that it was a mix. It depended
on who the children were grouped with. If they knew other children in their group
then both genders tended to play the activity that their friends were playing
whether that be in the home center, legos, blocks, coloring, etc. The last thing I
looked at was how the children treated the classroom. This also ended up being a
mix between genders. I think the childrens previous preschool, daycare, or home
placement has a lot to do with this. If the children were taught to respect a
classroom or things at their house then they showed respect to our classroom. On
the other hand, the children who have never been in a school setting or taught to
be respectful did not show respect to the classroom. I found the childrens past
experiences to be really interesting and wanted to look into where they were
presently to further my understandings of their behavior.

FINDINGS: SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

After looking at where the children were currently placed, whether it be in a
preschool program, daycare, or home setting, their behavior made more sense to
me. I found that children in Kindergarten Readiness style Preschool classrooms
received many 4s on my behavior scale. They all shared, played quietly, were
respectful to other children and the classroom, and were used to classroom
routines. The children who were in daycare programs tended to receive more 1s
and 2s. I think that this happened because they are not used to school settings and
the situation could have been too stimulating for them. The children at daycare
exhibited behaviors of arguing, treating the classroom with disrespect, running
from one activity to the next, and disrupting other children. The children who
came from a home setting or no social interaction tended to be more quiet and kept
to themselves. It was hard to get them to engage with other children and open up.
According to Classroom Interpreters, children acquire language and vocabulary
during interactions with others. They learn how to argue, negotiate, and persuade.
They must learn to say things without hurting feelings. They must resolve
conflicts, apologize, and support (Classroom Interpreting, 2015). Because of this,
these children did a lot of observing as well, because they are not used to being in
a classroom setting or around peers. They received 2s or 3s because they had to
be redirected a few times. I then started to wonder if income level had to do with
what setting each of these incoming Kindergartners were at. Children from the
lowest income levels are the least likely to have quality social interactions upon

entrance to kindergarten. Only 71 percent of children in the bottom fifth of the

income distribution exhibited positive social behaviors often or very often with
their peers, compared with 81 percent in the second fifth, and 84 percent in the top
fifth of the income distribution (CTBD, 2005). I found this to be true with my
observation. The children who were at the daycare or had no schooling at all
tended to be of lower income. I also found that after the screenings when we
brought the children back to their parents there were different reactions from
parents. The parents whose children attend preschool programs were more
interested in how it went then the parents whose children attend daycare or have
no schooling. I feel that parent involvement can make a huge difference on childs
behavior. Whether they are from a higher income family or lower income, being
involved can alter a childs behavior. After making these connections, my number
behavior scale really came to life and I could pick out reasons as to why the
children scored in that way.
DAP:
If I was a lead Kindergarten teacher and I was doing these screenings, I
would be looking at both the academic and behavior skills in all of the children. I
would try to find a balanced classroom of all levels of children. I would want all of
the children in my class to feel that they are important and part of the classroom
community. I would have personalized learning for every learner in my room. This
would make it easier on all of the children in my class because they could learn at
their own rate and not feel as if their work is too easy or hard. I would develop a

strong relationship with all families and have active communication every week. I
would make a weekly newsletter that included pictures with descriptions of things
we are learning about in the classroom. I would also allow parents to come in and
volunteer when they are available. I feel that having a strong relationship with
families and making the child feel comfortable in my class are the two things that I
would take full advantage of.
CONCLUSION:
As stated above, Kindergarten is a scary thing for both parents and children.
It is a big step and they are entering a new type of environment. The social aspect
of Kindergarten is very stimulating because there are children coming from all
different programs and environments. After my observation I found that children
tend to play with others that they are familiar with. Looking at the behavior aspect
there are three things that I found to be factors; gender, current environment, and
parent involvement.

References
Fostering Peer Interaction. (2015). Classroom Interpreting. Retrieved from
http://www.classroominterpreting.org/Interpreters/children/Fostering/peerinteraction.
asp
Kindergarten Social Interaction Skills. (2005). Child Trends Data Bank. Retrieved
from http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=kindergartners-social-interaction-skills