“Thinking lens”: When we use a “thinking lens”, we are drawing on theories of how we learn by looking or observing. As lenses through which we observe, theories are selective in the sense that they permit us to see some things and not others. For instance, social learning theorists believe that when children observe individuals they admire acting in a particular manner, they are likely to imitate the behaviour. If behaviourism or social learning theory is the only lens through which we observe children, we might miss other possibilities for why they are acting in particular way.

Documentation panels: Documentation panels are a means of organizing the information collected through observations of the children—recordings, photos, artefacts, and samples of writing and drawing. Teachers analyse and reflect on this information and then relate it to theories (both established theories and their personal theories). The documentation panel is a visual and textual representation of elements of the children’s thought processes, learning, and ways of seeing and experiencing the world. The panel also contains teacher reflections and connections to theory. In this format, the documentation can be shared with the children and their families.