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View Full Version : LEARNING JOURNALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



mummyme
22-03-2011, 09:19 PM
Right.....I have posted on here about this before and was told that what I was doing was fine. I am still getting to grips with doing learning journals. I feel that I know what I am doing :eek: but how do people lay theres out. I was writing a section each day on what activities we have done, writing in brackets next to each activity, what areas of learning it links to and also any observations that day and any future plans that I could put into place following on from what we have done.

I feel that each day I am waffling on so would bullet points be ok? Also, are we supposed to fill learning journals in EACH day???? So many questions - sorry!!!!!:panic:

Is this ok?

Playmate
22-03-2011, 09:29 PM
I don't write in my LJ's daily they are just updated as and when there is any development. Our EY consultant told us yesterday 4- 6 weekly obs and any photos in between.

mummyme
22-03-2011, 09:38 PM
Thanks for such a quick response. I do a quick note each day at the mo. I've not printed any of it off yet so perhaps I'll be able to condense it down at some point. A work in progress!

sarah707
22-03-2011, 09:40 PM
I write in the children's daily diaries each day.

LJs weekly like Playmate. I jot things down as they happen and write them up when I have time.

Some days lots happens and other days nothing much. I don't feel the need to justify every minute I spend with children...

Sometimes we are too busy playing and I do have a life in the evenings.

Hth :D

wellybelly
22-03-2011, 09:48 PM
I dont do mine daily... way to much paper work.

My Learning Journeys are layed out like this.

A lever arch file with 5 dividers

Title page with photo of child

Divider 1: Parents Information - A bit about the EYFS, a form for parents to fill out for what their child is up to at home, a spidergram of the childs ever changing interests.

Divider 2: Communication with other settings (if the child goes to a nursery / preschool as well as my setting) - copies of their planning for the child, their newsletters and any communication they share with me

Divider 3: Planning - Planning for the child starting the most recent. I cross reference my observtaions to my planning so parents / development officers / ofsted can see it's a cycle process.

Divider 4: Assessment - Copy of Development Matters (available on here in free downloads) I highlight and date a development matters when I link it to the observtaions. I also use it for planning what next for the child.

Divider 5: Observtaions - photo obs, written obs, written statements and evidence of mark making / crafts. I link all obs to development matters (for assessment) and plan next steps and cross reference to planning.

I aim to do atleast 1 ob per child a week and it soon mounts up. Hope that helps x

mummyme
22-03-2011, 09:49 PM
Thanks for the response Sarah. I have been doing it daily just to get it written down I think, it then gives me something to work from I guess. I am now thinking i am spending too much time. Just want to get it right I think as I am very new to all this. WIth observations, can it be just a note at the end of a paragraph as I said e.g. 'Observed that X is starting to show signs of walking'. is that enough? :panic:

sarah707
22-03-2011, 10:00 PM
Thanks for the response Sarah. I have been doing it daily just to get it written down I think, it then gives me something to work from I guess. I am now thinking i am spending too much time. Just want to get it right I think as I am very new to all this. WIth observations, can it be just a note at the end of a paragraph as I said e.g. 'Observed that X is starting to show signs of walking'. is that enough? :panic:

The vast majority of observations are brief snatches of information taken from a moment in time.

X smelled the playdough and said 'Ahhh' with a smile on his face.

X repeated 'fee, fi, fo, fum' as we read the story. He got the words in the right order

X played with another child using the puppets. He was very animated as they put on a show (see photo).

You can do longer ones every so often if there is something you want to focus on of course, but mostly it's about seeing what the child is doing / saying and what the child enjoys etc.

hth :D

dollydally
22-03-2011, 10:08 PM
I did some training on Saturday with with regards to the observations/planning etc. We asked the question of whether we are supposed to do 'long' observations every so often and we were told no. Only if you want more detail about something, e.g if you are bothered about something a child is or isn't doing, otherwise short post it note sized obs are fine. Cleared up an awful lot for me.

mummyme
22-03-2011, 10:15 PM
Thanks all. So, so, helpful. Where would we be without this site?!? x:clapping: