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This report describes a program designed to promote the use of recorded observations in Child Development Associate (CDA) advisors' assessments of interns in early childhood education at a southwestern community college. Sixty-one advisors participated in the program, which consisted of a series of five staff development meetings, formulation of a new lesson plan to be included in pre-service orientation, and revision of a segment of the advisor handbook. Surveys of advisors' experience with competency-based assessment, review of advisors' reports, and an on-going Context Input Process Product (CIPP) evaluation were used in formulating the training program. Results of the program indicated that the advisors increased their use of competency-based recorded observation in meetings with interns and participated enthusiastically in the staff development meetings, and that the design of the meetings successfully promoted reflective discussion among participants. The program also prompted discussion among participants over whether the purpose of recorded observations was to provide encouragement or assess competence. Six appendixes contain the CDA advisor survey instrument as well as samples of program materials. Contains 31 references. (ME)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert