Teacher Materials for Documentation

In the field of early childhood education, the term documentation is used in two ways. First, documentation is the act of collecting and sharing evidence of growth in children’s knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions (i.e., documenting children’s learning). Second, the materials that are shared as evidence also are referred to as documentation. This entry examines documentation practices and strategies for effective documentation. It further outlines why documentation is an effective way to collect evidence of children’s development over time, the importance of displaying documentation, and best practices in documentation.