Role Observation Sheet · PDF · 7 pages

The same child, two different people A tool for observing a child in four contexts and finding where their best self appears

There's a girl who, at lunchtime, gives the orders, answers back and flares up if anyone disputes her seat. That same girl, in before-school care, helps out, speaks kindly and looks after the little ones. Both are true. This sheet helps you understand why — and make use of it.

  • ✓ The observation grid, ready to print and fill in
  • ✓ What to look for in each context — and what never to write down
  • ✓ How to read the result: the three possible scenarios
  • ✓ What to do next — with the exact words that work
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Recognise this?

If this has happened to you, this sheet is for you

In a team meeting you describe a child, and a colleague describes someone completely different. And you've both seen them accurately.

You call the family and they say "they don't do that at home". And they're right — but that doesn't mean the school is exaggerating.

There's a child who is impossible at lunchtime, and someone tells you that at another point in the day they're the most helpful of all. And you don't know what to do with that information.

You know that child has something good inside, but you can't get it to show up where it's needed most.

The problem isn't that the child is inconsistent.
It's that their behaviour responds to the role left open to them in each group.

What you'll find inside

Seven pages. A tool to fill in, not a text to read.

With the research behind it explained without jargon, and a grid you can use as soon as Monday.

1
The case that explains it all
The girl who gives the orders at lunchtime and looks after the little ones in before-school care. Why it isn't a mask or an inconsistency, but a different social calculation in each place.
2
What the research says
The behavioural signature (Shoda, Mischel & Wright: 53 children, 167 hours of observation each), Hawley's resource control theory and the value of mixed-age play. Explained briefly and without jargon.
3
The observation grid
Four contexts — before-school care, lunchtime, playground and structured activity — by four questions. Ready to print. With the only rule that matters: write down what you see, not what you interpret.
4
How to read what you've written down
The three possible scenarios and the golden sign: the context where they don't compete. Plus an uncomfortable warning about how your own context shapes the way you see.
5
What to do with the result
Four steps, starting with the one almost nobody takes: feeding it back to the child with concrete evidence, not with advice. And why you should never begin in the place where things are at their worst.
Who's behind this

This sheet came from watching playgrounds and school dining halls, not from a manual.

We're Anayda and Sergi, the team behind Rolin — a values-learning method for children aged 8 to 12, based on role-playing. Years of experience in school settings and school dining halls, training in conflict management, and supporting families and education teams.

After the sheet, you'll also receive our full professional guide, with the pedagogical framework and the debrief technique step by step. Free of charge and with no commitment.

"

The useful question isn't "what is this child like?". The useful question is "when are they each of these things?".

— From the sheet

Before you download it

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free? Is there any small print?
Yes, completely free. We only ask for your email so we can send it to you. After that, you'll also receive the full professional guide and a couple more emails with useful content. If they're not for you, you can unsubscribe with one click.
Who exactly is it for?
For anyone who sees children aged 8 to 12 in more than one context: lunchtime supervisors and coordinators, teachers and form tutors, after-school teams, psychologists and educational specialists. It's also useful for families, although they only see one context — the sheet explains what they can do in that case.
How much time does it take?
Reading it, a quarter of an hour. Using it, 10 minutes of observation per context on three different days. You don't need to take time away from anything: you fill it in while doing your usual work.
What if I only see the child in one context?
Then the sheet is even more useful, but filled in by several people together. Whoever runs before-school care sees a different child from whoever runs lunchtime, and neither of them is wrong. That's exactly its value: it puts both halves on the table.
What if I want to talk about how Rolin would fit in my school or organisation?
Reply to the first email you receive and tell us about it. We don't have a sales team — we write personally and adapt each implementation to its context. If Rolin isn't the right fit, we'll tell you.
For professionals

Download it today.
You can start observing on Monday.

Print the grid, choose a child and watch them for 10 minutes in each context. What you find will surprise you — and it will give you something concrete to say to them.

Download it free
In under 5 minutes.

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