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Mouse
12-11-2009, 06:06 PM
Does anyone one have any links to good websites that talk about schemas?

I have searched on here, but the links that people have given before don't appear to be working.

Thank you!

sarah707
12-11-2009, 06:22 PM
I love schemas! :jump for joy:

Oh you are right my favourite Exeter site has gone! :(

Try searching for Penn Green...

And there is some information here :D

http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=357248

Pipsqueak
12-11-2009, 06:27 PM
There is a great book called Again Again by Chris Athey (I think) - fairly cheap on Amazon

schemas fascinate me

David Sheppard
12-11-2009, 06:51 PM
A couple of excellent books to consider:


Threads of Thinking - Cathy Nutbrown


Extending Thought in Young Children - Chris Athey

(Again, Again!: Understanding Schemas in Young Children is edited by Sally Featherstone)

angeldelight
12-11-2009, 06:52 PM
Does anyone one have any links to good websites that talk about schemas?

I have searched on here, but the links that people have given before don't appear to be working.

Thank you!

I have an excellent document but do not have time to look for it now

Give me a reminder by pm and I will sort it out for you

Angel xx

miss mopple
12-11-2009, 06:54 PM
Sarahs e book on schemas is fab :thumbsup:

Threads of thinking is fascinating stuff too

jumpinjen
12-11-2009, 06:55 PM
I'm reading the nutbrown book right now (well not while I'm typing but you know what I mean!)... it is really understandable and a great read.... it's totally transformed the way I look at my mindees and the way i plan for them... loving schemas too Sarah!!

jenni ;)

ORKSIE
12-11-2009, 06:56 PM
I have asked if we can have a talk on schemas at one of our network meetings:)

sarah707
12-11-2009, 06:58 PM
Sarahs e book on schemas is fab :thumbsup:



Awww thank you!

I'm pretty hopeless at blowing my own trumpet aren't I? :o

I had such fun researching for it, schemas really fascinate me! :D

David Sheppard
12-11-2009, 07:03 PM
Whilst I was researching for my EYPS I noted that the literature on schemas had a couple of glaring omissions from my own observations. Whilst enclosure, vertical, horizontal, trajectory and the like were clearly identifiable there are two that I have added to the list:


Schema Neutral - this covers the child that does NOT currently clearly display any form of repeating behaviour patterns.


Chaotic Schema - this is the child who has a compulsion to empty everything out of a box, pull all of the books from the shelf, mix everything into a complete mess - but then has no interest in playing with the toys or container. It seems to be the action of creating chaos that is the driving force for their behaviour pattern.

Regards

David

TheBTeam
12-11-2009, 07:14 PM
good idea for some training, i have never really thought that i have worked well with schemas, (i think i do it but have never really named what i do iyswim, it is just the way i have worked automatically, not thought about formalising it)

We have a network meeting in a couple of weeks and are lacking in training so might suggest this!

thank you

sarah707
12-11-2009, 07:14 PM
W

Chaotic Schema - this is the child who has a compulsion to empty everything out of a box, pull all of the books from the shelf, mix everything into a complete mess - but then has no interest in playing with the toys or container. It seems to be the action of creating chaos that is the driving force for their behaviour pattern.

Regards

David

The 'scattering schema' is relatively well researched... there is some information about it here -

http://www.thecedarsnursery.co.uk/schemas.html

I believe it is linked closely to a disconnecting schema.

I have never heard it called 'chaotic' before though - is that your name for it David or something else I need to research?

Here is some more information I remembered...

http://susan.sean.geek.nz/Schemas%20in%20Areas%20of%20Play.pdf

:D

little miss chatterbox
12-11-2009, 07:20 PM
I'm quite interested in this thread too! I have only recently come accross schemas when I was doing my nvq.

I have a child who keeps lining things up which I think is some kind of schema but I'm not sure!!!! maybe i should buy sarahs e book!

sarah707
12-11-2009, 07:28 PM
I'm quite interested in this thread too! I have only recently come accross schemas when I was doing my nvq.

I have a child who keeps lining things up which I think is some kind of schema but I'm not sure!!!! maybe i should buy sarahs e book!

Lining things up is a sign of a trajectory schema.

A trajectory schema means that the child likes things in straight lines...

So he might walk up and down the garden pushing a trolley, enjoy water play (water dripping through a wheel etc), put sand through a sieve, use chalk to draw lines on the patio or easel, do paintings in lines, have a fascination with firefighters and their ladders, throw things up in the air (or at people)...

Am I describing him?

Not all children show schemas as David says... and some have more than one going on at a time :D

David Sheppard
12-11-2009, 07:34 PM
The 'scattering schema' is relatively well researched... there is some information about it here -

http://www.thecedarsnursery.co.uk/schemas.html

I believe it is linked closely to a disconnecting schema.

I have never heard it called 'chaotic' before though - is that your name for it David or something else I need to research?

Here is some more information I remembered...

http://susan.sean.geek.nz/Schemas%20in%20Areas%20of%20Play.pdf

:D

Hi,

Yes this is my own descriptive term. I'm sure you could easily combine the idea of scattering and chaotic, except, I always interpreted the scattering schema as the child who wants to do just that - scatter everything around - yes the child ends up with a mess but the emphasis is on creating movement albeit fairly randomly.

The chaotic state is just to 'dump' the contents and do nothing with it - not scatter it in other words. Tip out the box and move off to something else. Pull all the books into a pile but not want to stand on them, sit in amongst them and spread them out. I could not, in my own view, consider this the same action which is why I coined the phrase chaotic schema. It is as if the child has only a need to 'not have order' and that is all. I have seen this behaviour pattern in two of the children in our care.

I am very familiar with the links you showed - they are great sources of information.

I'd love to read your thoughts.

Regards

David

jumpinjen
12-11-2009, 07:41 PM
One of the children that i care for was described by her parents as chaotic at home, she dumps and empties and pulls things off and throws things to the floor then leaves them.... but at my house she is calm and focussed and shows incredible attention span and problem solving abilities!

According to other theorists, all children have a need for order... perhaps the chaotic behaviour you describe is them looking for a way to express themself, or they have found a way to express themself and need appropriate materials to do it with such as baskets of wool balls and socks to tip out rather than heavy items, or maybe it is the sound of things dropping that the child is attracted to?

jenni

The Juggler
13-11-2009, 07:45 AM
A couple of excellent books to consider:


Threads of Thinking - Cathy Nutbrown


Extending Thought in Young Children - Chris Athey

(Again, Again!: Understanding Schemas in Young Children is edited by Sally Featherstone)

beat me to it David, the threads of thinking book is lovely! I'm researching schemas for my reserach project this year and Sue Robson is my tutor!!!:eek: She's an author of books about children' thinking.....very exciting...

Pipsqueak
13-11-2009, 08:01 AM
A couple of excellent books to consider:


Threads of Thinking - Cathy Nutbrown


Extending Thought in Young Children - Chris Athey

(Again, Again!: Understanding Schemas in Young Children is edited by Sally Featherstone)

Thanks for the Again Again info - for the life of me I couldn't remember who it was and I have currently lent my book out!
Threads and Extending Thought books are really good:thumbsup:

Pudding Girl
13-11-2009, 08:11 AM
Chaotic Schema - this is the child who has a compulsion to empty everything out of a box, pull all of the books from the shelf, mix everything into a complete mess - but then has no interest in playing with the toys or container. It seems to be the action of creating chaos that is the driving force for their behaviour pattern.

Regards

David

ha I have one in this right now, it's flipping exhausting tidying up afterwards!! I embarrassed myself at a training course last year as they were on about schemas and it's not a term that anyone had ever used before in any of the cm training things, felt really stupid in front of all the NNEBS who did know, didn't help to show that CMs are professionals too :blush:

I too have asked for training on it, nothing's come up in the last year though :rolleyes:

going to be getting all the books recommended and training myself!!

David Sheppard
13-11-2009, 09:32 AM
I should have also suggested that pretty much anything written by Jennie Lindon in her early years books as she is a real authority on the subject of Schemas and Play Patterns. :clapping:

I attended a workshop delivered by her to Hampshire's EYP's and left with plenty to think about. :thumbsup:

A cautionary word of warning to everyone though, schemas are just another tool in the arsenal of best practice childcare and the current 'fad'. When you read some of the literature you can easily be led into thinking that they are be all and end all of children's behaviour. You can easily become swept up in the task of searching for the child's current play patterns (schemas) rather than the far more important activity of actually just attending to the child and allowing them the freedom to explore their world as they choose. Like everything else it is maintaining a sense of proportion and not falling into the trap of 'Schemas' are the solution to 'Life, the Universe and Everything'!

Regards

David

terrydoo73
13-11-2009, 12:04 PM
Whilst I was researching for my EYPS I noted that the literature on schemas had a couple of glaring omissions from my own observations. Whilst enclosure, vertical, horizontal, trajectory and the like were clearly identifiable there are two that I have added to the list:


Schema Neutral - this covers the child that does NOT currently clearly display any form of repeating behaviour patterns.


Chaotic Schema - this is the child who has a compulsion to empty everything out of a box, pull all of the books from the shelf, mix everything into a complete mess - but then has no interest in playing with the toys or container. It seems to be the action of creating chaos that is the driving force for their behaviour pattern.

Regards

David

Now this last scheme interests me - how young can a child be with this one - I have twins aged 18 months who are only interested in bringing every toy out of boxes and off shelves but not in actually playing with them. I would be interested in learning more about this one!

jumpinjen
16-11-2009, 05:33 PM
Hi sarah,

I'm still enjoying reading about schemas.... do you have details of any more links about scattering and disconnecting schemas please?

Thanks, jenni:)

nannymcflea
17-11-2009, 02:09 PM
Have just ordered one of Sarahs ebooks. Looking forward to doing some more reading about this. Have a few at nursery that I'd like to try ideas out on.:thumbsup: