Making Learning Visible

What's In This Kit?
This training kit helps teachers take a deeper look at the role of observation and documentation to inform teaching practices, curriculum planning, and to make learning visible. Teachers learn how to research and explore the theories, thoughts, ideas, and emotions of children through the cycle of observation and documentation. Teachers will develop strategies to formulate research questions, gather data through observation and documentation, and analyze the data to inform practice. Teachers will also learn how to share their data through a documentation panel. Documentation is a powerful tool to make learning visible to the untrained eye.

• Expected training outcomes and learning objectives
• Training research, models, benchmarks
• Preparation and implementation steps
• Handouts
• The article "Making Learning Visible" by Margie Carter
• References and resources
• Training Certificate for Learner — Certificate of Attendance and Participation

Who's the Target Audience?
The target audiences for this training kit are beginning and intermediate Learners who are working with children who are at least two years old. This kit is designed to help participants use mealtime as an ideal opportunity for observation of children's growth and development.

Teacher Skill Level

beginning intermediate advanced

Children's Age Level

infants toddlers preschoolers school-agers birth to 8

Kit Timeline:
Preparation time for this kit is estimated at 1.5 hours. Implementation and actual training time is 5.0 hours, which includes 1.5 hours of Face-to-Face Training and 3.5 hours of Independent Study, and an Applied Activity Project.

Training Outcomes:

• Teachers will analyze and refine their approach to observation and documentation.
• Teachers will formulate research questions to be answered through observation and documentation.
• Teachers will implement the practice of an intentional planning cycle as they use documentation to inform practice.
• Teachers will explore the techniques used in developing documentation panels to share with parents, children, and teachers.

These training outcomes address the following American Standards:

• The curriculum guides teachers to plan for children's engagement in play that is integrated into classroom topics of study. (2.A.12)
Teaching staff encourage and recognize children's work and accomplishments. (1.B.04)The curriculum guides teachers' development and intentional implementation of learning opportunities consistent with the program's goals and objectives. (2.A.03)Curriculum goals and objectives guide teachers' ongoing assessment of children's progress. (2.A.05)The curriculum guides teachers to integrate assessment information with curriculum goals to support individualized learning. (2.A.06)The arrangement of the classroom encourages children to become engaged and promotes child-centered learning experiences. (D8)

Note: Downloadable PDFs are only available for download in pdf format. Directions for downloading follow immediately after purchase.