Week by Week: Plans for Documenting Children's Development

Nilsen's WEEK BY WEEK: PLANS FOR DOCUMENTING CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT, 8th Edition, provides an overview of accepted observation and recording methods, including examples and guidance about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Each chapter summarizes a developmental domain to focus your observation skills as you practice a specific recording method. These are integrated into a concrete, systematic plan for recording each child's development in all developmental areas -- a plan that can be extended over 40 weeks while in practicum, field experiences or your own classroom. It provides numerous practical observation forms and integrates NAEYC standards and Developmentally Appropriate Practices and learning objectives. Real-life anecdotes, practical tips, forms with clear instructions and step-by-step guidelines make this a valuable resource for teachers in training and practicing professionals.

Barbara Ann Nilsen taught in the early childhood classroom and then in the college classroom and online as professor and chair of the Teacher Education and Early Childhood Department at SUNY Broome Community College in Binghamton, New York. She retired in 2006. In addition, she was the grant director of a statewide online course collaborative and the Early Learning Opportunities federal project for Building Brighter Futures for Broome. Nilsen has been active in local, state and national early childhood professional development initiatives such as New York State Career Pathways, New York State Children's Program Administrator Infant/Toddler, Family Child Care Credentials and NAEYC'S Early Childhood Associate Degree Program Accreditation project. She is the co-author, with Virginia Albertalli, of AN INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING AND TEACHING: INFANTS THROUGH SIXTH GRADE and the author of the OBSERVATION AND ASSESSMENT PROFESSIONAL ENHANCEMENT text. She received her EdD in early and middle childhood from Nova University (now called Nova Southeastern University) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.