All Things CLASS

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello all,

Question: For infant, if the infants are placed to sleep in the cribs, pack-n-play, but they are still awake, do you continue observing them or do you stop? Do you stop assessing when all the infants in the room are placed in cribs, even if, again, they are clearly awake? By clearly awake, I mean their eyes are wide open, they continue to try to sit up and/or stand up, but are laid back down by the teachers. Do you assess while a child is on the teacher's lap as she rocks him to sleep, but he is awake with his eyes wide open, occasionally struggling to get out of the teacher's arms or do you consider that child asleep? I understand a blank stare or fluttering eyes, or lying very quietly would be considered about to go to sleep, and that child would not be observed anymore, but what about the infants who clearly are not tired and not ready to go to sleep, but the teachers are insisting it is naptime. How is that handled? 

I will gladly accept all guidance, thank you in advance. 

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Thank you for your question! Here's guidance based on CLASS® Infant observation protocols:

• Continue observing awake infants: If infants are in cribs, pack-n-plays, or on a teacher's lap but still clearly awake (eyes open, moving, attempting to sit/stand), continue observing teacher-child interactions. Observation does not stop simply because they are in a sleep environment. CLASS observations are about capturing authentic teacher-child interactions, not the child's sleep state. If a child is awake and interacting (even minimally) while the teacher is guiding them to sleep, you continue to observe those interactions.

• Stop only when asleep or disengaged: Once an infant shows clear signs of sleep (relaxed body, eyes closed or fluttering, lying quietly) or is no longer interacting, you may end observation.

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Liz Savage
Sr Marketing Manager, Community and Events
Teachstone
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-18-2025 15:08
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Infants put down for nap

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello all,

Question: For infant, if the infants are placed to sleep in the cribs, pack-n-play, but they are still awake, do you continue observing them or do you stop? Do you stop assessing when all the infants in the room are placed in cribs, even if, again, they are clearly awake? By clearly awake, I mean their eyes are wide open, they continue to try to sit up and/or stand up, but are laid back down by the teachers. Do you assess while a child is on the teacher's lap as she rocks him to sleep, but he is awake with his eyes wide open, occasionally struggling to get out of the teacher's arms or do you consider that child asleep? I understand a blank stare or fluttering eyes, or lying very quietly would be considered about to go to sleep, and that child would not be observed anymore, but what about the infants who clearly are not tired and not ready to go to sleep, but the teachers are insisting it is naptime. How is that handled? 

I will gladly accept all guidance, thank you in advance. 

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