FAQ for Students (Level I Observations)

• I would like to do observations at the CCF. How do I get started?
   Student observations at CCF are allowed only for students who are fulfilling a class requirement.  Therefore, your class instructor must initiate the request for observations by completing the Faculty On-Site Observation Request Form (Level I), and submitting it to Dr. Haylee DeLuca Bishop, the University Liaison to the Center for Children and Families.
• My instructor has made a request and is requiring an observation. What should I do next?
  You should work with your instructor to schedule a time and date to do your observation.
• Can I schedule an appointment to observe at CCF on my own?
  No.  The Center does not have the personnel to schedule individual students. You will sign up for a time and date to observe at CCF with your instructor, who will then forward the schedule to CCF prior to your observation. Please do NOT contact the center directly, except for emergencies.  Please note that students who are not scheduled will be turned away.
• Are there any forms that I need to bring with me to my observation?
  Yes!  Students need to bring a signed copy of the Student On-Site Observation Requirements Form.  Students who do not have this form with them will not be allowed to observe.  In addition, if students are observing without being accompanied by their instructor, students should also bring a copy of the approved and signed Faculty On-Site Observation Request Form (Level I).
• When are observations permitted?
  Observations are permitted Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.  This is the optimal time for students to observe children in the classroom.  After this time, children are having lunch, napping, or scattered around on playgrounds.  On a case-by-case basis, some observations may be permitted after 11:30 a.m.
• How many students are permitted to observe at one time at CCF?
  CCF prefers that no more than 10 students be in the Center at any one time to observe.  In addition, no more than 3 students should observe in a given classroom at one time. 
• Are there any other instructions that I should know?

  Yes!  Please be aware that you are in a facility that deals with young children, and your conduct should reflect this.   You will need to read, and comply with all of the requirements given in the Student On-Site Observation Requirements Form.

  Please refrain from commenting on children or teachers while on the premises.  Please keep your voice low.  There should be no profanity, inappropriate slogans on t-shirts, no cell phone usage, no food or drink, and no smoking anywhere on the CCF campus. 

  You should also bring earphones (such as iPod earphones), since earphones are limited at the center.  Also, please do not sit too close to the one-way observation glass, and keep your noise and movements to a minimum so as not to disrupt the typical flow and behavior of the class.

• Can I take any pictures or recordings?
  No!  To protect the confidentiality of the children, no recordings or photographs of any kind can be taken.
• Can I use the real name of children or teachers in any reports or papers?
  No!  To protect the confidentiality of the children, you may not use the real names of any children or teachers.
• Can they ask me to leave the premises?
  Yes!  Any employee of the CCF can ask anyone who does not adhere to the requirements to leave the facility.
• Where can students park while visiting the center?
  Students and faculty are not allowed to park at the Center, since spaces are limited and a special permit is needed.  Students may park at Parking Lot K (next to the Sprinter station), or any of the parking lots around University Village.  It is a short walk from there to the CCF.
• Why are there so many requirements for observing at the CCF?
  We very much want to encourage students and faculty to use the CCF for observations, and believe that it provides a wonderful and unique opportunity for students to observe children in their “natural habitat.”  We want to make this process as easy as possible.  However, our primary responsibility is to protect the welfare of the children who are enrolled at the Center.  We feel that these requirements will help to ensure that these children are protected. 
• If I have other questions, who should I contact?
  For questions regarding observation procedures, contact Dr. Haylee DeLuca Bishop, University Liaison to the Center for Children and Families.  For questions regarding the center itself, contact the Director of the Center for Children and Families.