Anecdotal Records
Activity Observed Child #1: Jose Child #2: Dexcy Child #3: Cyriz Claire
Gabriel S. Domingo Mhelizza Habon F. Aquino
Observation #1 Drops ball pen Writes Places head
and book on constantly on hand
floor through the Chews on
Looks at child writing time erasure end of
Time observed: 5 sitting next to Twirls ball pen pencil
minutes him in fingers Raises hand
Looks at his Stares at for 1 minute,
seat mate’s overhead for then puts
paper 20 seconds hand down
Shakes ball Leans back in
pen chair
Turns ball pen
around in
hand
Observation #2 Sticks ball pen Stares at Rests head on
through teacher as she hand
Time observed: 5 notebook rings gives Begins writing
minutes Closes writing directions after 5
notebook Places head minutes of
during lesson on desk giving
Slouches in Sits up teacher’s
seat straight in her direction
Places head chair Twirls pencil in
on desk hand
Observation #3 Erases blank Places head
notebook page on desk again
Time observed: 5 Gets up to Flips through Stares out the
minutes sharpen pencil pages of window
Tells teacher notebook Puts erasure
that he needs Draws curved of pencil up to
to go to the lines in lips
comfort room notebook Talk to his
seat mates
Does not write
anything by
the end of the
lesson
Implications for Child #1: From these observations, one may conclude that this student
has trouble focusing his attention, or staying on task. He often is observed manipulating his
pencil or notebook. He also left his seat twice in a five minute time period. Because this
student needs to be manipulating or using his hands, I would allow this student to perform
more hands-on activities, rather than have him complete deskwork. Since he feels a need to
be up and around, I would also allow this student to take his work with him to a place in the
room of his choice, and let him stand up or move around while he works without disturbing
other students.
Implications for Child #2: This child appears to be able to focus her attention on a task
for only a few minutes, before she starts to manipulate her pencil, notebook, or anything on
her desk. The child wrote intently for about 3 minutes before she began to manipulate her
pencil in her hands. For this child, I would have her work on various tasks, but for a short
amount of time each. From observing her, I find that she can consistently work on one
project for only a few minutes. Therefore, I might place a timer on her desk, and ask that
she write for 4 minutes straight, and then she can go onto the next activity for a set
number of minutes. Gradually, I would increase the amount of time she needs to spend on
each activity. With this instructional implication, the child would not become bored or
disinterested in a task; rather, her interest would be piqued with a new activity every few
minutes.
Implication for Child #3: This child has been identified as having attention deficit
disorder. This child, in the past, had difficulties staying focused on tasks for longer than 15
minutes. Because this child has difficulty maintaining attention, I would have this child
perform each of his activities in 15 minute increments. I would have a timer set for 15
minutes sitting on my desk, and have him read independently for that allotted amount of
time, and then move on to other activities in short time increments. I would also have him
ask or write himself questions during his independent reading time. Asking questions after
every page while I read aloud, was an effective way for the child to stay focused on the
story. As I was modelling this “think aloud” process while reading to the students, the child
seemed to respond positively to this method. He seemed to enjoy that others in the class
were responding to his answers. In the future I will model think aloud strategies to this
child, and have him utilize these strategies independently in order to maintain his focus on
the task at hand.
