Getting more organised....

[venus89]

... With more work starting in september I need to get more organised. I'm lucky that I already do the EYFS stuff - the observations and the Daily Diary etc etc. But the way I do it now is a little long winded and - to be honest - slightly dull. So....

I plan to scrap my current observation sheets, which are basically a grid which I write in, in favour of a scrapbook (like the ones they suggest in the EYFS leaflet they sent out a couple of weeks ago. I finally read it today!!). Then I can do a bit of writing, and stick photos and pictures etc in and then give it to them as a leaving present. I figure that will make it more anecdotal and interesting than my current writing stuff down (I do take photos at the moment but they all go into my daily diary).

The daily diary is the next thing. Basically, i print out an A4 sheet that has, again, a box style - who came, what we did, problems, observations etc. Again, it's boring. I'm getting bored writing it! So I need to jazz that up a bit. find I write a ist of what we did but there's no life in it. How do you guys do yours?

Also, I got my questionairres back from the parents who were all lovely and positive about what I do (:D ). I have an inkling I ought to do some kind of feedback form for myself just to show that I read what they said and that I am working on what they say. Would you feed back to parents too? Perhaps in the newsletter?

I know I had another question too but can't for the life of me remember what it was..... :blush:

[sarah707]

You sound like you have it all under control ... the main things, I think, with observing eyfs are -
1. to link the child's obs back to the learning and development goals so you can see what is going on, how the child learns, what is not happening as quickly as the eyfs suggests (and why), pick up issues etc;
2. show you are using the obs to plan for the future...
So long as you do that, then any method of recording that works for you is good.

For your daily diary, how about a list like you're doing of essential information, but in a much more easy to write up format eg..

arrival time -
snack - food & drink -
lunch - food & drink -
nappies - normal / problem
sleep time -
departure time -
need to speak to parents - yes / no
That sort of thing, simple to record and not taking you long...

Then concentrate on writing up one wow moment per child per day or so? Parents would enjoy reading it and it would feed back into your obs / assessment / planning cycle and parents would begin to get the idea of how it works.

As for using parents feedback, yes I use that when I am putting together my own self reflection stuff ... what they say are my strengths, then how I am going to move myself forward ... maybe by reading a book, going on a course, looking something up on the internet, changing my recording formats, looking at my meds policy etc.

Hope this helps! :D

[Monkey1]

I need to re design all mine too now!:(

[childminder54]

... With more work starting in september I need to get more organised. I'm lucky that I already do the EYFS stuff - the observations and the Daily Diary etc etc. But the way I do it now is a little long winded and - to be honest - slightly dull. So....

I plan to scrap my current observation sheets, which are basically a grid which I write in, in favour of a scrapbook (like the ones they suggest in the EYFS leaflet they sent out a couple of weeks ago. I finally read it today!!). Then I can do a bit of writing, and stick photos and pictures etc in and then give it to them as a leaving present. I figure that will make it more anecdotal and interesting than my current writing stuff down (I do take photos at the moment but they all go into my daily diary).

The daily diary is the next thing. Basically, i print out an A4 sheet that has, again, a box style - who came, what we did, problems, observations etc. Again, it's boring. I'm getting bored writing it! So I need to jazz that up a bit. find I write a ist of what we did but there's no life in it. How do you guys do yours?

Also, I got my questionairres back from the parents who were all lovely and positive about what I do (:D ). I have an inkling I ought to do some kind of feedback form for myself just to show that I read what they said and that I am working on what they say. Would you feed back to parents too? Perhaps in the newsletter?

I know I had another question too but can't for the life of me remember what it was..... :blush:
you will have to show use your new work..

veronicaxx

[hello kitty]

I'm also trying to get the format right for me. I've got obs sheets and planning sheets which I am going to bind, then I've got a scrap book for photos and pieces of their work. I've also got A4 ring binders but don't think I need these now - can't remember what I was going to put in them anyway!!! I'm also using trackers which I know Ofsted don't like but it points me in the right direction.:blush:

[miffy]

I haven't even looked at this yet but like some of your ideas - thanks

Miffy xx

[venus89]

You guys are so good at making me feel better about what I'm doing :D