Learning Stories
A learning story is a method of observing children that aims to highlight a specific or important moment for a child. A learning story could be anything as long as it is significant for the child you are observing. In our Observing, Recording, and Assessing class we discussed the importance of learning stories and how they help to paint a picture of a situation in a childcare setting for educators, families and children alike. “Dr. Margaret Carr popularized significant research and reflection regarding this approach.” (Observing Young Children, pg. 222) A learning story should focus on something that the child has learned, a new skill that has been developed. It could be that they have shown improvement in their collaborative work, their reasoning, or perhaps demonstrated creativity. The story should involve a combination of pictures and words to tell the story of the child’s experience. This combination of mediums to tell the story really makes sense when you think about it. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It is one thing to have a written observation of a child, but to have pictures to help aid the story of a child’s experience is very beneficial especially to a parent. It helps to bring the parents into the world that their child lives in while they are away and gain an understanding of how their child is growing and developing. The actual writing of the learning story comes after the experience. It is one way in which a learning story is useful because it allows the observer to be involved in the child’s experience and catch as many details as they can without the distraction of writing down their assessment. Like all stories the point of a learning story is to be able to take away some kind of lesson or knowledge to go forward. The purpose is to be able to build upon the skills that the child is developing. To be able to proved the child with more support, and resources to develop the skill that we observe. “Sharing stories is a natural experience that can be easily communicated by children, families, and/or educators,thus enabling the building of responsive and inclusive relationships between all involved. (Observing Young Children, pg. 222) Overall a learning story is important because it aids all those involved in n the child’s life nurture and guide that child towards developing their skills, and understanding how to improve their learning.
Here is an example of a learning story!
