Kathy Brodie: Learning Stories...using your obs for assessment

[Simona]

Very informative and different...shades of Reggio in there!

I have asked Kathy to do a little work on Learning Journals...her thoughts on them
she has just said it is on her list to do!
I will keep you posted when she does

Search: carr

[FloraDora]

Thank you Simona for this sign post.
I downloaded Margaret Carr's learning stories sample last year and thought it was a bit high brow, but have been recommended it now from other educationalists so I might revisit.

I have referred before to my professional development visit to Australia, learning stories were one of the positives we highlighted in our feedback presentations. I observed them being used in the Kindy class. It is interesting how this is now being highlighted again...Guy Claxton spoke about it too many years ago..

I follow a learning stories format in my daily diaries which I write mainly when the Lo's are asleep and then finish at the end of the day. I annotate with photos, some captioned and highlighted under area of learning and then cut and paste these observations into obs section, a little tweak on the grammar, then I highlight area of learning.
The parents like it as it is a story about their child's day, they like the narrative, to see how I arrive at an assessment in a particular area and my reflections on where we need to go next. Parents add their info, one writes it like a story like me, other adds linked obs from home. They both add photos. I use an online software programme that cannot be mentioned which parents can access on their phone, ipads, computers daily.

It does take time, for instance I need at least an hour to write 2 ( I am not a fast typer and like to think about the words I use) - plus photo upload and finish time at end of day - usually 30 mins, but can be longer. But then my assessment for learning is completed and continuaaly up to date. Occasionally I will complete a more focussed observation in an area that I am not sure of child's development. I also do a termly summary - in the form of a pen portrait with parents.
This system suits me as I am used to reflecting on my day and the developments that I have observed, staying late at school was part of my PPA and a necessity to ensure that I kept up with everything I have just transferred it to my new role. But I do not have young children to look after at the end of the day so I appreciate this may not be the best system if you have family commitments, though when my boys were young I used to do this work once they were in bed. I also have a very understanding DH who tidies everything away as I finish off at the end of the day, or uploads the photos for me if our day is longer than usual.

I have yet to be assessed by O so I can't feedback any quality assurance from that side.

Just a quick look around the research Kathy used has given me suggestions to improve this practise - thanks again for a great highlight!

[zanacal]

Fantastic, this is the kind of thing I was talking about, although I called it 'documentation' as I'd read about it when researching Reggio. I like the phrase Learning Story