Documentation Examples > Examples of documentation to aid teachers' own reflections

For the first two months of his participation in Even Start, 16-month-old Harold cried almost constantly during the time when he was in the Infant-Toddler classroom. This was Harold's first experience separating from his mother and he was having difficulty. During these first months, the teachers worked hard to comfort Harold. We picked him up and held him, tried to engage him in play and to develop an interest in toys and the other children, with little success. The only time Harold would stop crying briefly, was when he was pushed in the stroller outside. In mid-November, the teachers stopped putting Harold in the stroller and he began walking outside with the other children.

Harold started to pay more attention to what the other children were doing but did not get involved with them yet. He watched them climb, run, jump, and slide. Perhaps it was being outside, and the added vigilance this required of all the teachers to focus on the group rather than primarily Harold that helped to turn his focus from the adults to the other children in the group.

Harold noticed that the other children were interested in birds and planes that flew by. As they pointed up and yelled, "Bird!" and "Airplane!" Harold joined in their enthusiastic responses to the objects in the sky. "Oh, oh!" he exclaimed while pointing up and toddling behind his classmates who were following the flight of the birds and planes.

As a way of supporting Harold's separation from mom, the teachers moved these interests from the outside into the classroom when it was time for his mother to leave. As mama said goodbye, the teachers lifted Harold to the window to look outside. He noticed the birds, the blowing leaves, the cars and dogs by pointing and exclaiming, "Oh, oh!" Harold's interest in the outdoors drew the other children to the window. Gradually, as the other children's interest shifted to indoor activities, Harold's did too. He continued to cry off and on, but less forcefully than before.

Around this time, the teachers stopped directing so much attention to Harold's crying. Rather than hold him and make continued efforts to engage him, the teachers put him down and allowed him to cry. It was at this point that the other children started to pay more attention to Harold and make efforts to engage him in their play.

For example, a child would bring him a ball, hand him some play dough or bring him a slice of the pretend pizza they were making in the kitchen. They were trying to include him in their play.

Within a week, Harold only cried briefly when mama left and within two weeks he stopped crying altogether. It seems as though his interest in the other children and their efforts at including him in their play, gave him the strength to stand on his own two feet away from mama.

Perhaps his need to cry lessened as he recognized that he was okay on his own and had the group to help take care of him.