IndexIntroductionConclusionWorks CitedFor this article, I observed a 12-month-old infant for one hour each week over a period of 6 weeks using the Tavistock method of infant observation. The first observation occurred on Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 11:00 to 12:00. For confidentiality reasons, I chose a pseudonym like Baby Zee. Baby Zee lives with both biological parents and three older brothers. She is the youngest of four children and the only girl in the family. His siblings range in age from 5 to 8 years old. Baby Zee is of African descent but was born in the United Kingdom. The ethnicity that Baby Zee's mother identified her as is Black British African. The language spoken at home is English and Twi (Ghanaian language). Both of little Zee's parents are from Ghana, West Africa. I was introduced to the Baby's Zee family through a friend. Before we made arrangements to meet face-to-face, I spoke to his mother on the phone, drafted a consent form, and a letter from the university. Which I emailed to both parents to explain the purposes of the observation, to help them understand and also inform them of their right to privacy. After a few days, Baby Zee's mother contacted me and agreed for observations to take place every Thursday between 11:00 and 12:00. Baby Zee is a healthy baby girl with no health problems. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay IntroductionFor this article, I will use Schon's reflection-on-action model to critically analyze the knowledge gained and the impact on my future practice and the meaning of observation in social work practice. Reflection on action involves thinking about how to develop the practice after the event. “We reflect on action, looking back on what we did to discover how our knowing-in-action may have contributed to an unexpected outcome.” To make sense of what was observed over the 6 weeks, I will also focus on child development, exploring attachment, communication, emotional and cognitive development, play and personality. Throughout the essay I refer to what has been observed to support or question psychoanalytic theories and concepts. Observation is the act of closely observing/monitoring something or someone. In social work practice, observation provides insight into significant things that could easily be overlooked or hidden during assessments/conversations. Fawcett and Watson (2016) suggest that “we can learn a lot from our observations, but we must accept that what we see is only the tip of the iceberg.” The observation provided the opportunity to learn about the different ways children communicate. Before that, my hypothesis was that children only start communicating from the moment they start using words (verbal communication). But this has been refuted. Example related to observing the first baby, through sounds such as cooing, facial expressions, eye contact and pointing, Baby Zee was able to communicate her needs and desires. Furthermore, throughout the observation period, I noticed that when Baby Zee did something wrong, her mother shook her head. To symbolize "No" or "Stop". Baby Zee would smile and stop even if she tried to repeat the same actions later. Baby Zee interpreted the head movement as "No." These early communication skills provide a solid foundation for language development and understanding social behavior. According to Vygotsky, “When a child plays, he is in constant dialogue with himself or with others. I linked thisto Piaget's theory of cognitive development. At 12 months Baby Zee is currently in the sensorimotor stage. According to Piaget, a child's level of intellectual processing is simply Sudbery's organized pattern of behavior in response to a particular object or experience. Fawcett and Watson (2016) further suggest that observation provides a rewarding opportunity to discover the subtle and fascinating ways in which people communicate verbally and non-verbally. At first observation, I arrived home at 11 o'clock. Baby Zee and her mother met me downstairs where my mother introduced me to Baby Zee. Mom jokingly asked Baby Zee to say hi and say hello. Baby Zee looked at me very strangely and did not respond to her mother. He maintained direct eye contact with me as I followed them into their apartment. While observing the baby, the mother often leaves the room, leaving us alone for a few minutes. Baby Zee continued to stare/watch me for a few minutes, but continued to play independently with her toy. When the mother would enter the room again. Little Zee looked very happy and excited to see her again. I connected Baby Zee's actions to Ainsworth's strange stranger situation/anxiety. Ainsworth explained this as an indication of how comfortably and effectively a child uses a caregiver as a secure base at home. Howe (2011) suggested that attachment systems are used to monitor the environment for danger and threats and this is reflected in Baby Zee's energy and behavior. Although Baby Zee's behavior changed when she was left alone with me due to her attachment level with her mother. He was still able to cope and continue to play independently. Howe (2011) also states that children feel more confident and secure knowing that a responsive attachment figure will be there in times of need. But by the end of the 6 weeks of observation, Baby Zee had become familiar with me and would often smile even trying to interact with me through play, which I resisted. Play is essential for child development. It plays an essential role in cognitive, social, emotional and physical well-being. On the third and fourth watch, I became particularly interested in the way Baby Zee plays. I noticed that he alternated between playing with the remote control (he pressed buttons as if he wanted to change channels) and a miniature kitchen set in the living room. She seemed very happy and confused about what she was doing. He was making lots of noises and giggling to himself. Bandura (1977 cited in Davenport 1992 p164) states that children will observe and imitate adults and turn what they observe into play. Then I started to think about whether Baby Zee's method of playing was due to what she had observed her parents and older siblings doing. I noticed Baby Zee's mother playfully interacting with her. He would take the remote control, hide it under a blanket and ask where it is. Baby Zee will try to retrieve the remote control from under the blanket. This refers to Piaget's object permanence. The idea that objects still exist, even when you can't see them. I also noticed that her mother feeds her every time. He made a prayer gesture with his hand and I observed that Baby Zee imitated that gesture too. I linked these two behaviors to Bandura's (1977) observational learning or social learning theory. Social learning theory focuses on learning that occurs within a social context. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory criticized Piaget for only basing a child's cognitive development primarily on biology. But rather the parents and those who take care of themplay a crucial role in cognitive development. Vygotsky suggested that caregivers can help the child achieve higher cognitive levels by providing support and guidance. Secondly, social learning theory, just because Baby Zee imitated her mother's actions by praying does not mean she has a full understanding of what she is doing. His action is strengthened only by what he sees at a particular moment. If taken out of that environment, she does not have the cognitive ability to retain this information to perform it without adult support. Finally, during observation 6, Baby Zee's father returned home early to work. I saw Baby Zee's behavior change when she noticed her father. She quickly runs into his arms. I noticed Baby Zee interacting with her father for the first time. She observed that her father was playful and affectionate towards her. Baby Zee also seemed very happy and started playing. This then led me to think that Babysee has a great attachment to disturbing his parents. According to the Clarks, this means that babies not only need their mother, but can become attached to multiple people. Children need responsive caregivers who can respond to their needs. Learning achieved through observation and presentation. Initially, the idea of ​​observing a complete stranger seemed daunting to me as I felt like an intruder. During the observation I often found myself reflecting on and comparing my childhood. According to Hingley-Jones et al (2016, p.255) “countertransference invites students to develop their sensitivity to the emotional dynamics they encounter”. Secondly, I felt that my experience of being a woman of African descent and knowledge of the culture played a significant role in this observation. It was evident that I was projecting elements and characteristics of my childhood onto this child. Through this experience I learned the importance of approaching an observation with a clear and open mind, without bringing my personal beliefs or biases into my practice. I believe observation and reflection skills are vital in the education and development of students. Domain 6 of the PCF also emphasizes the importance of students being able to reflect critically. As stated by Fawcett and Watson (2016), students can learn through observation how to put anti-discrimination principles into practice, how power structures and hierarchies work, and, most importantly, how relatively powerless children are in society. Observation also provides an opportunity for social workers to notice whether a child is being harmed or concerned about his or her development. Butler (2015) also states that, in practice, observers respond intuitively to physical harm, intervening correctly if something is likely to cause immediate injury to a child, such as a child catching their fingers in a toy. Conclusion As I reflected on the various days of observation, I discovered that there were days when I felt under-stimulated and nervous. Other days I felt very excited and couldn't wait to leave the following week anticipating how it would develop from then on. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay I did not perform as well as I had hoped during the presentation. The reason is that I had allowed my nerves to get the better of me. Due to nerves I couldn't remember all the things I had prepared to say. I was very disappointed with my performance and, if given another chance, I would have read and researched more about observation and presentation skills. I have received positive feedback on the delivery and how I started, but halfway through I have, 115-132.