Running Record Essay

Writing a running record requires the educator to act like a video camera, recording all significant behaviors and interactions as they happen. A running record are very detailed descriptions of an event or behavior which is recorded as it happens. They are recorded in present tense and provide step by step commentary of what is observed. They can be very helpful for closely analyzing interactions or a child's progress at acquiring particular skill/learning. The key objective is to be very detailed and factual about what you see, recording things that at the time may seem meaningless, but could later help an observer breakdown or better understand the learning that is occurring. A running record involves writing down everything that is happening, in the order that it happens. Observers limit the amount of editing they do as they record. Instead, the idea is to record as much raw data as possible. Using this rather open-ended method means that educators can gather a lot of information in a relatively short period of time.
An anecdotal record is like a short story that educators use to record a significant incident that they have observed. An anecdotal record is an observational method used frequently in classroom or learning settings in which the observer summarizes a single developmental incident after the event has occurred. Written from memory, the anecdotal record documents a student's growth and trends. Anecdotal records are easy to use and quick to write. Anecdotal records allow educators to record qualitative information, like details about a child’s specific behavior or the conversation between two children. These details can help educators plan activities, experiences and interventions. Because they can be written after the fact, without having to stop to write down their