NAEYC Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning

Introduction
I choose MR who is currently a 4-year-old boy in a 4-5-year-old preschool classroom.

This is MRs first year in an educational setting as well as a day care setting. The classroom is a

part of an elementary school with a room that is donated to Head Start. MR is one of the

youngest children in the classroom. He is also the youngest child in his home. He lives in a

Hispanic house hold with grandparents, mom, aunt, cousin, and dad. I observed MR during free

choice time through lunch all the way through dismissal time for two days.

1 Childs characteristics

He is the seconded smallest child in the class by height and weight. He is 37inches tall

and weighs about 29 pounds. That places him in the 25 percentile for both his height and weight

according the CDCs growth chart (Clinical Growth). He has brown hair and eyes and wears

glasses. MR is on an IEP for speech along with some cognitive deficits. MR did not appear to

talk to many of his peers or staff in the classroom. MR tended to do a lot of solitary play during

socialization times in the classroom. While observing MR he played by himself at the Lego table

and when a child would come and try to play at the table he put his left hand on the other childs

forearm. The child went and told a teacher what MR did and MR said I playing there! When

MR did speak it was quiet and one must be close to his face in order to hear.

2 Childs interests

MR spent 40-60 minutes at the Lego table over the two days I observed him. MR

constructed a car at the Lego table and then continued to build stacks of Legos on the blue Lego

table pad. When MR had the freedom to choose where to play I saw him go to Legos first every

time. MR also participated in an outdoor obstacle course activity for 30 minutes. MR ran around

the playground following his classmates and would say You!. The final place that MR would
play at the most was playdough. He went there the least out of the three but spent a little more

than 15 minutes there both days. He molded a big ball of playdough and said For you Ms.

Alegradra!

3 Childs need

MRs needs as a 4-year-old boy are met. As I was watching MR in his classroom

environment and from what I saw the teachers worked with him, talked to him, supported him,

and encouraged him. A teacher sat with MR for almost 30 minutes and worked with him. The

teachers told MR You can do this; you can make a car all on your own. Lets see what youll

need. Also, while I was observing MR a dentist came in to check all the childrens dental health.

According to her MR is cavity free and has good oral hygiene. MR was also allowed to take a

nap during choice time. MR walked in slowly through the gates in the morning with droopy eyes

and the mother had said that he was up very early today and went to bed late. The teacher told

the mother that she would keep an eye on him. During choice time MR went over and sat on the

floor with the teacher he spent a lot of time with. The teacher asked him MR do you want to

take a nap in the quite area? and he shook his head that indicated yes. MR laid down for 15

minutes then got up and ran to the dramatic play area with a smile on his face.

4 - Childs interactions with peers, environment and adults

I watched as MR interacted with peers. While watching him I saw him put his hands on 4

other children. MR uses his hands to push a child out of the chair that he had been sitting in.

Then he put his hand on a childs wrist as the child was reaching into the Lego box.

In the classroom MR ran from the carpet to the Lego table. MR doesnt talk very much to

teachers. Throughout my observation MR kept to himself for most of the time. He didnt interact

with other children with the exception of outdoor play. On the second of March I watched as a
child came to MR and said Lets play! and MR shook his head signifying he did not want to

play and continued playing. When watching MR in the classroom environment I noticed that he

MR was very close to one of the teachers in the class. I observed MR pass two teachers while he

walked across the room and asked the teacher that was on the opposite side of the room We

play? and she agreed. I witnessed that he went to her for answers to questions and to play. Also,

whenever any other teacher would try to talk to him about his behavior he would sit quietly and

look away from the teacher unless it was the one who he went to the most.

5 Childs learning strengths and limitations

MRs strengths are that he is able to play and be engaged for long periods of times when

the activity is interesting for him. While observing MR on March 1, 2017, I saw him play from

9:50 am until 10:30am at the Lego table. He sat and built using the Legos while looking up at a

guide card every couple of minutes. MRs limitation is mainly surround by speech. MR is a dual

language learner, has low vocabulary, and has a lisp. After MR played with the Legos he came

over to me and said Ms. Alegradra look. I responded by saying MR thats great! What did you

build? and he said Ahh car!. When I asked him how he built it he answered by pointing to the

Legos. Later during my observation around 11:15, I saw a teacher tried and talk to MR about

keeping his hands to himself and he had one worded responses or none at all to the what the

teacher was asking. MR looked in the opposite direction of the teacher who was talking to him.

MR said hand in lap in a gentle whisper.

 References

Clinical Growth Charts. (2009, August 04). Retrieved from

https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm