Child Study Project

By Jordan Coldren
27 April 2021
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Child Portfolio
Written Summary:
Throughout the past 10 weeks I have observed Z. Z has showed improvement in many
areas. NAECY standard 1. A says as teachers we should understand the development of children
from birth to age eight across social and emotional, physical, cognitive, and linguistic domains.
In the next few sections I will be discussion exactly how Z has improved, what she excelled at,
and what she may need to work on. The first domain I will discuss is Z’s physical development.
Throughout the 10-week period Z showed many gross motor skills right away. For
example, during movement and music Z followed along to the moves of the video fairly
accurately. She not only followed the dance moves, but she also sang along and stayed in her area
of space. She did not get into other children’s space and even moved away whenever they got
into Z’s. When the children started learning new dances, she picked up on the moves quickly, and
again with accuracy.

Z also showed grossed motor skills by skipping down the hallway and doing cartwheels
outside. It is important for children Z age to have balance and strength, and Z exhibited those
behaviors. She showed was able to skip down the hall twenty feet without missing a step and
falling over. She exhibited strength by doing multiple cartwheels outside. She did not always land
her cartwheels, but she did not give up and kept trying. She also exhibited strength and balance by
climbing on the equipment outside. She was able to pull herself up, climb on the equipment and
swung herself on the bars of the play bus. Her ability to do that shows her coordination and helps
her muscles develop.
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Z also showed fine motor skills with her use of a pencil and her drawing abilities. When
learning about the number six, Z was able to follow the directions on the page. She used a pencil
to trace 6 and then write it on her own. She was also able to trace the word six and then write it on
her own. She also drew a picture of her whole family on the back. She included arms, legs, body,
eyes, and even a smiling mouth. She sized up her family meaning mom and dad were pictured as
big, her and brother were pictured as smaller. She never struggled with holding the paper and
worked slow, trying to get the letters right. Her ability to write helps her fine motor muscles build
and strengthen. It is important for Z to write and hold a pencil properly because it could interfere
with her development of her handwriting skills which can also make her writing skills frustrating
to her.
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At the beginning of the 10-week observation Z struggled to use her scissors. She
was able to hold her pencil, color fairly accurately, but struggled to hold her scissors
properly. She wrestled to hold the paper and cut at the same time. Below I took pictures of
her different works and they show her struggle with her scissors but her ability to color
and use a pencil correctly. When I talked to Z about how cool her project looked, she
informed me she had trouble with her scissors but was working on it. By the end of the
10-week period Z was able to not only hold the paper and cut, but she also could cut on
the line with little effort. Her ability to now hold her scissors shows her improvement in
her fine motor development.
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Z physical development was already strong when I started observing her and got better
as the 10-weeks went on. Now I will move on to Z social and emotional development. Z
followed the rules and went along with whatever was going on that day. When she got in
trouble for not following directions, she did not show she was upset. She did not often get in
trouble, and she sat quietly and listened to directions. Z understood the rules (social norms) of
the classroom and followed them. For example, when the children sat down for snack, Z used
appropriate table manners (something everyone was working on) and knew to ask for help when
she could not get her yogurt open. Z always said please and thank you appropriately and asked
nicely when she wanted something. Z also knew to sit quietly when teacher would read a story
and to clean up her toys when done playing. She did not make a fuss about it and helped other
children clean up their toys. Z did not become distracted by the other kids when they did not
follow directions. Her ability to follow directions and control her moods is a big part of social
and emotional development. She can self- regulate and understood what emotions she was
feeling.
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I did notice that Z did not actively seek out the attention of the other children when I first started
observing her. She followed directions and when the other children talked to each other and partnered
up, Z sat quietly and did her own thing. I noticed she did not get along with the other children her age,
meaning she did not seek their approval or attention. However, when partnered up by the teacher she
did talk and play with the children. She was able to settle any disputed going on between them and
manage interpersonal conflicts. For example, the girls were mad at each other and a few had wronged
Z. They asked Z if she forgave them. Z said, “yes I forgive you and I’m sorry too.” After that one of
the girls invited Z to play with her. They later built a block triangle tower together. As the weeks
progressed Z did start to play with the other children but still not outright seek their attention. Z and
another student were put in a center together. They built a tower and the one student pushed it down
and Z yelled the child’s name, while the other child laughed. She built it again and this time she
pushed it down, and then she started laughing with the other child. They turned it into a game and took
turns pushing the tower down. Not only did Z manage her emotions but they turned the problem into a
game and took turns playing. By the end of the 10 weeks Z was more active with the other children
and wanted to play with them but was still not engaging with them as much as the other children tried
to engage with her.
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The next domain to go over is Z’s communication and language. When I first talked to Z she
was able to communicate her thoughts and I understood everything she said. She told me stories
about her family and was able to answer all my questions I asked her. For example, Z woke up from
a nap sad. I asked her why and she told me how she misses her owl (stuffed animal). I asked her
why she missed it and she told me she hugs it when she gets sad, and she sleeps with it at night. She
said her owl “helps her be happy when she cries.” I asked, “who got your owl for you?” She
responded, “I had my owl since I was a baby, and it was in my crib.” I told her she will get to see
her owl whenever she gets home and to make sure she gives it a big hug. She said, “yes I will.
Mommy and Daddy let me take it with me in the car.” Her responses made sense and she was even
able to expand upon her comments. She did not get distracted during out conversation. Z also could
follow directions when asked. For example, she and her classmates played Simon says and she
followed the directions. She did not get out right away and was not tricked. She was able to listen to
the teacher’s directions and communications. Later when going back to their classroom the teacher
gave out a set of directions “Go down the hall quietly, find your seats, print your name on your
paper.” Once again Z was able to listen and follow all of the teacher’s directions. Throughout the
10-weeks Z communication was strong and fluent. She never struggled to understand directions or
struggle with what she wanted to communicate.
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Z showed many language skills. For example, when we read the story references earlier
physical development, she was able to read the book by herself. She did not need my assistance.
She knew that deer, dog, donut, duck, and dolphin started with the letter D. She also knew what
sound the letter D made. Z showed language skills by her ability to spell words and sound out
letters. When playing a word game, she was able to spell different words without any trouble. I
gave her pictures of an object and she had to find the letters to spell the word. She put the letters
in the correct order without any help. Once the word was spelled, I went over with her again
what the individual letter were and the sounds they made. For example, when she spelled for
word moon, she put the letters in correct order and knew what sounds M, O, and N made. Z
also showed language skills by her ability to rhyme words. Her class did a worksheet which
gave a picture and she had to find what picture rhymed with the other picture. Z knew that log
rhymed with dog, and she knew many of the other pictures. Z also told me her parents read to
her all the time. Reading to a child increases their language skills and future reading abilities. I
asked if she liked to read books and she said she loved it when her mommy and daddy read to
her. Z’s abilities were excelled when I first started observing her, so I saw no improvement
throughout the ten weeks. In the future I think she should be challenged with harder words to
rhyme and spell.

The final domain I looked at was Z’s cognitive ability. As said in the earlier section Z
knew how to spell and rhyme words. Z is also good at counting. Multiple times I recorded her
counting. She could count to thirty. As the weeks went on Z was also able to add. During
outside time the children kept finding millipedes. Z went around and looked for them. I said
we should play a game and count how many millipedes we can find. Z went around and found
many millipedes and was able to add them up. We had six millipedes counted when she found
three more. I asked her what six plus three equal and she was able to add them up on her
fingers. She told me it equaled nine and then we celebrated. Not only did Z find sixteen
millipedes but she also added and could spot the tiny black bugs on black top. Future actions
to explore would be how much can Z add and whether she can subtract.
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Some other cognitive abilities Z had was her ability to know different colors, and remember and recite
the lessons she has learned. On multiple occasions Z was able to tell me different colors. Her class did a craft
using plastic eggs and paint. They painted a picture using half of the plastic eggs. Not only did Z line up all of
her circles in rows and columns, but she also matched up the colors. I asked her which colors where which
and she could identify all of them. She even got excited and told me “and you are wearing a blue shirt!” Not
only did Z know her colors but she also could remember her lessons. In one of the centers, I asked what she
was playing with. She told me she was looking at the bug stuff they learned about. I started asking her about
the equipment she learned about. She knew the tools that were used to catch the bugs, where they stored
them, and why they looked at bugs. I asked her what magnifying glass was and she told me she did not know
the name but knew it was used to make the bugs look bigger. I asked if her teacher taught them anything else
and she named a few of the bugs. She then played by herself and played “scientist.” She would pick up a
plastic bug, put it in the bug carrier, put the magnifying glass up to her eye, look at it, and then put the bug
back in the basket. She took the lessons she learned and applied it to her play.
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In conclusion, Z demonstrated growth in the domains of physical, cognitive,

social/emotional, and language and communication. As the weeks progressed so did Z’s
abilities. NAECY standard 1. B states that teachers need to “understand and value each
child as an individual with unique development variations, experiences, strengths,
interests, abilities, challenges, approaches to learning, and with the capacity to make
choices.” I believe I have observed that with Z in my time spent with her. Z has well
developed abilities and her parents working with her at home has strengthened her
learning. Z says her parents count with her and read her books. Z also talked about the
other relations she has with her family and how they play with her. Z’s family structure
helps her learning and gives her the confidence in her learning. The friendship Z has with
the other students also impacts her learning. I noticed when she was more active with the
other children, the more confident she was. Z had demonstrated many strengths
throughout my observations like her ability to read, count, and handle her emotions.

Assessment Results:
I used many different assessments during my observation. I used running records,
anecdotal records, work samples, pictures of child play, a play matrix, and a final assessment or
60-month questionnaires the center provided. It is important to use multiple forms of assessment
to get a full picture of the child. By using different assessments teachers can observe what a child
can and cannot do and change teaching strategies based on their results. It also gives more
evidence about how a child is learning and growing. It can be used in their portfolio and to
provide evidence when reporting to parents/guardians. I used running records during centers and
outside time when I knew we would be moving around the building in a fast pace. I used
anecdotal records after an important event (i.e. Z playing a word game, and counting the
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millipedes). I could focus more on what the observation meant later on when I had more time to
think about it. I was able to see Z’s skills in her literacy and math. I took photo samples to
connect what I wrote down and then link them in the different areas of development. I used work
samples to show Z’s work and see her development. The work samples I took of Z showed her
fine motor skills, math, and literacy abilities. I could see how well she colored, used a pencil, and
her improvement with scissors. I used a play matrix to see how Z played and the types of play
she participated in the most. Z preferred associative and parallel play. She liked to play by
herself and do her own thing. The last assessment I used was an “Ages and Stages
Questionnaires” that was provided to me by the center I was at. It questioned Z’s
communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social. The results
showed that Z’s development is on schedule and she scored high in gross motor and problem
solving. It is important to make appropriate assessments to get accurate results. If our
assessments are not developmentally appropriate for the student, we cannot see how much they
have grown and improved.

Parent Communication Plan:

From my ten-week observation I have learned that Z is a smart and happy child. She can
read, write, color, count, and has many gross motor skills.

 Z’s physical development is on schedule with her age group. She is able to skip,
jump, color, cut, and use a pencil. Her writing is legible, and she has improved on
her ability to use scissors. It is important for Z to have fine motor skills (the
ability to write, hold a pencil, and use her hands) so she can hold a pencil and
wright legibly. Writing, coloring, and using scissors build the muscles in her hand
and strengthens the skills she will need throughout her life. It is important for Z to
have developed gross motor skills (coordination, strength, using the whole body)
because her muscles are growing and developing every day. Coordination is
important for everyday moving like walking, running, etc. Z has shown to have
gross motor skills by her ability to skip, run around the playground, and play on
the playground equipment.
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Z’s literacy and language skills appear advance for her age because she can read a
text without help. She was able to spells simple words and talk about what she
was reading. The pictures above not only show her fine motor skills (cutting and
coloring). She also read the book independently. She can also spell words. We
played a word game, where I showed her an object and she spelled out the word.
She spelled all the words I gave her correctly and when asked what the letters
were and what sounds they made she again answered correctly. Z can also rhyme.
When given a worksheet to do as a class that matched up words that rhymed, Z
was able to match the pictures up. She even worked ahead and answered a few of
the question. It is important for children her age to be able to read and rhyme and
Z is able to do both with little trouble.

 Z also has well developed communications skills. When told directions she
follows the directions. Z played Simon says and was able to follow along. She did
not get out right away and knew not to follow when the teacher did not say
“Simon says...” Z could also communicate her thoughts and ideas. If I asked Z
anything about her life, she was able to answer and respond. For example, I asked
about her brother. She told me his name, how old her was, how he liked to play
with his toys, and how she loved to play with him. She told me stories about her
family going on fishing trips and
different relationships in her
family. I could always understand
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her, and she does not have speech impairments. Here are the notes I took of her
playing Simon says and following teacher’s directions. It is important for Z to
have good communications skills so she can be understood and follow directions.

 Z has developed social and emotional skills as well. At first Z did not want to interact and
play with the other children at the center. She preferred to play by herself and did not
actively engage with them. Over time she did engage with them more and played with
them when she was asked. Z was able to know her feelings and how to deal with them.
She woke up from a nap one day and she told me she was sad. I asked why and she told
me she missed her owl. When I asked about her owl she told me it “helps her be happy
when she cries.” I told her she will be able to see her owl when she gets home and to give
it a big hug. After our talk she told me she felt much better. Z knew how she felt and
could convey her feelings to me. She had self-control over here feelings and did not act
out. It is vital that children her age start to learn their feelings and know how to express
their feelings properly. Z is able to do both.
 Z also has grown cognitively and has strong cognitive abilities. One example of her
cognitive abilities is counting objects. I played a game with her and the class to count
how many millipedes we could find. Z was able to find many and she helped to count the
sixteen we found. At one point we found three millipedes and we had counted 6 already. I
asked what six plus three was and Z was able to add it up on her fingers by herself.
Addition will help her throughout her life and counting the sixteen millipedes showed her
counting skills. Another cognitive ability Z showed, was her ability to name more than
four colors. Her class did an art project using plastic eggs and paint. They painted with
the plastic eggs and Z not only knew the colors of the eggs but also the color of the paint.
Z could name the colors yellow, green, blue, pink, and purple. When I asked her about
other colors, she could name red, black, and white. Z could also spell her name, tell her
phone number, and can name all the letters of the alphabet. Z’s strong cognitive abilities
will help her further her schooling and she is on track. Below is
an example of the art Z and her classmates did. Not only did
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she put her circles in lines and columns, but she also put the colors in the same row.

Z has exhibited many strengths and relatively few weaknesses. One of Z strengths is her
ability to read and identify letter sounds. To strengthen this ability even further, have her read a
kindergarten grade book. Example of these would be “Go Dog Go” and “One Fish Two Fish Red
Fish Blue Fish,” by Dr. Suess. Another good book would be “Max Finds an Egg” by Ben
Clanton.

Another strength of Z is her fine motor skills. Z can use a pencil, cut paper, and color
well. A tool that would be useful is to color with her and have her practice drawing out pictures.
Let her imagination control her drawing and it will help her become more precise.

Z also excels at counting. A strategy to help increase this skill is to have her practice her
counting skills and have her count a high volume of objects. Try to get her to count higher than
20 objects. The higher she can count the more numbers she can learn. This is good for her
cognitive abilities.

A weakness Z shows is her social abilities. She does not actively seek out attention from
the other students, nor does she always engage in play with them. She prefers to play by herself.
One strategy to help her is to show her the differences between her and her other classmates. By
doing this she could become more interested in them and want to engage with them. A parent can
also encourage play between herself and her classmates. This will help her build relationships
with her peers which is important for her social and emotional development.

A few Questions:

 What would you like to see your child learn that she has not yet?
 What has surprised you the most about Z’s past year?
 What is something you expected your daughter to accomplish that she has not
yet?

Reflective Statement:
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I learned a lot from writing this case study. I realized how important it is to
observe children’s play so I can get an idea of their skills in a more natural environment. I knew
play was important, but I did not realize how a teacher can learn what a child knows from their
play. Something that was new to me was all the different types of observation tool. I learned it is
important to use as many as possible to make tracking a child progress easier. I actually did not
even think a teacher made observations about each student. I thought a teacher just monitored the
progress of their whole class. I now know how important it is to know every child and track their
progress.

I will remember a few things vividly. This thing I will always remember is how happy
the children where to see me. It was so special that I became another adult they trusted and
wanted to play with. Something else I will remember is how excited Z became whenever I would
play a game with her. I was able to push her learning, and she taught me a lot as well. I had some
real experience helping a child learn and I will never forget that.

Previous knowledge that was connected was how important play is. I learned in my other
classes about play, but seeing the children actually play and connect their play to real life opened
my eyes. I can apply everything I learn because I will be making observations in my professional
career. I got to see firsthand the differences in children’s skills across several domains (i.e.
cognitive, gross motor, fine motor, social/emotional, etc.,). I now know how important being
detailed in the observations are. When I first started, I was not as aware of all the different skills
that children exhibit, but as I practiced observing I began to notice all the different skills the
children where or where not exhibiting and could document them. I can also apply the different
types of observation materials to my professional career. I learned about running records,
anecdotal records, work sample, photo samples, and play matrix. I learned how each is important
and how to use them. This project taught me so much and gave me an inside look about what my
future job will look like.

Work Cited
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“Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.” NAECY, November
2019, https://www.naeyc.org/sites/.
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Notes