The Art of Awareness: How Observation Can Transform Your Teaching

by Deb Curtis, Margie Carter

Observing children closely provides a new way of thinking about learning and teaching, a way of making children visible as they are, not just as we want them to be. Featuring nine Observation Study Sessions, this book offers ideas, activities, and experiences, as opposed to just a set of checklists and facts to learn. Chapters cover observing seven different aspects of children's lives as well as tips for gathering and preparing documentation. A full-color insert provides examples of documentation.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach child development courses and I used this book for a course of Observation and Assessment of Young Children. I thought the authors did a fantastic job on portraying children as capable and competent learners.

[Candice Cleniuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a really wonderful book for anyone working with children. Especially if you are interested in emergent curriculum. I will be referring to this book often when I need inspiration, ideas, or quotes.

[Andrea Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually took Curtis and Carters "art of awareness" two day long training with the book. Amazing experience!

[Thea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the newest version which has a deeper dive into equity and social justice in ece and includes a greater diversity of boices and perspectives. Great text for starting tp examine the what and why of documentation in early childhood. I use a number of exercises, reflective questions, and learning stories to dialogue and reflection among students in my ece classes.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each chapter filled my soul on how to wonder about and with children. I appreciated the documentation shared was of ways to be curious about all behaviours including those that at first glance appear difficult, and how we as the adults can use a different lens to shift our perspective.

[Andrea Cleland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of concrete ideas for your own meditations and reflections, as well as activities for young children

[Alexandria Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me that time spent sitting and observing is not time wasted. It helped me to slow down and make my time with children count for something,