PDA

View Full Version : Interesting Article



Schnakes
16-06-2009, 01:11 PM
Saw this in the Guardian today.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jun/16/early-years-childminders?showallcomments=true

Funny...I was reading through the article nodding my head and then when I got to the comments at the bottom of the page I was like...:panic:

Kind of confused me a bit cos while I think a lot of the work we do IS too much, if we dont do it then people dont recognise us as the proffessionals that we are? Or are we??? I dunno! Its put my head in a spin...chicken or egg, etc!!

What do you think?

Sx

nemo97
16-06-2009, 01:30 PM
To be honest I dont think that we are seen or treated as
professionals anyway :angry:

Pipsqueak
16-06-2009, 01:32 PM
To be honest I dont think that we are seen or treated as
professionals anyway :angry:

Its slowly changing though and I think so much of it is down to us - the individual and as a whole to ensure that we come across as professional and expect the respect as well.

Schnakes
16-06-2009, 01:34 PM
Heh, true enough!!!

I dont feel very proffessional today...two screaming babies and a toddler who ripped her brand new dress while were out climbing trees this morning. Not had a good day so far, hopefully everyone will have cheered up after their nap/Ive had my break!

Sx

Schnakes
16-06-2009, 01:40 PM
ensure that we come across as professional and expect the respect as well.

That is true actually....that is very true....when I have new people here they are always really suprised, they say stuff like "ooh, it looks like a nursery in here" etc..Im like ...yeeeah, this is a proffessional childcare setting, not a doss house!!

The thing I like about the EYFS is that it does help me to structure myself more I think, rather than bunbling along like I was before, hoping I was doing everything right. I also like the fact that it is accross the board.

I dont like the nights sat up till 10pm doing paperwork. I also dont like the way that I feel that everything I do with the kids has to have a purpose rather than just doing it because its fun. Like this morning we went for a walk through the woods....okay, of course I can tie it into lots of different areas of L&D but why cant it just be us climbing trees, looking at bugs and having fun? Or worse still!! On my birthday I took the kids into town and let them choose a new toy each and then we went to burger king for lunch. And I still feel guilty about it a month on!!!

Sx

Pipsqueak
16-06-2009, 01:42 PM
I have actually emailed the editor as I am soooooo sick of all the negativity about EYFS.

Schnakes
16-06-2009, 01:49 PM
What did you say?

Sx

Pipsqueak
16-06-2009, 01:53 PM
What did you say?

Sx

Just told them that whilst the childminder featured does have her issues with EYFS there are plenty more childminders out there who are working well with EYFS and are actually enjoying it - and we seem to get ignored. Due to media hype and various campaigns EYFS has been mis-understood as well.
Also pointed out the inaccuracy that c/ms don't use the profile and that many of the ELG's are NOT as contentious as the ones they have quoted and many of them have been about for years.

Minstrel
16-06-2009, 02:04 PM
The Cm mentioned at the top of this article I think is the same lady whose husband came on the forum to 'air his views' shall we say, about her applying for exemption and his thoughts on those who liked EYFS for its professional look. :rolleyes:

Pipsqueak
16-06-2009, 02:15 PM
The Cm mentioned at the top of this article I think is the same lady whose husband came on the forum to 'air his views' shall we say, about her applying for exemption and his thoughts on those who liked EYFS for its professional look. :rolleyes:

Yes you are right Minstrel and I still have respect for this lady for sticking by her principles and I admire that her husband supports her in the way that he does.
I just happen to disagree with the constant negativity about this and the way c/m's are constantly portrayed. Not all of us think like this.
Ok 4000 childminders have left the profession but WHY? Surely not ALL of them are purely because of the EYFS. What about all the newly reg'ing minders coming through the system.
Parents will read this article and it will again create widespread hoo haa won't it - no wonder so many parents are in a panic about their children being assessed but that is not part of our job remit - we go nowhere near the Profile in the majority of instances.;)

RainbowMum
16-06-2009, 03:15 PM
I think too many people think the eyfs is about teaching - it is much more about awareness of child development and knowing what you can do to help the natural progression of child development. No where in the eyfs does it say we have to teach our charges to read etc! The assessments they mention are the done in the childs final year of eyfs and will normally be done by the reception teacher.

I too think the eyfs is a positive thing, it does not have to entail endless hours of paperwork! I got good with outstanding elements in my inspection and I do not have loads of planning paperwork.

If I get time I shall go back to the article later and post a comment!