Sharing ideas for learning at home

[mumofone]

I understand we should be doing this but I just don't know how to do it without being preachy. I KNOW parents won't appreciate it but how do I tick this box for OFSTED?

[bunyip]

It can be as basic as sharing ideas and suggestions verbally with parents.

You could ensure the child is registered with your local library, keep a card (our libraries issues 2 cards: one standard-sized and one like a key fob), then take them to choose books (possibly on a subject you've been looking at) to take home and share with the parents.

I have 'home activity' suggestion sheets bound into daily diaries. The ideas are culled from various books. The only real skill is in finding an activity to fit the child's current stage/'next steps'. There's space for parent feedback on the same sheet (which doubles as evidence of taking family's views into account) and the whole thing gets photocopied and stuck into the lo's learning journal. Books include (June Oberlander) Fun Start and the entire Continuum Publishing 100 ideas series.

I also has a few loan resources. This is often as simple as lending a suitable book, especially to deal with a current issue such as starting school, sleeping in their own bed, parental split-up, etc. I also have some other resources, as I'm lucky enough to be a member of a low-cost play forum/resource centre. A typical example is my 'telling the time' pack which has a couple of books, cards and clock jigsaws; dry-wipe board with clock face and digital template, etc.

PArents will vary widely in their approach to such 'toddler homework'. Some are very grateful and enthusiastic for more, whilst others are (understandably IMHO) rather resistant to what might be seen as early over-education intruding into the family home. Just go with the flow whilst encouaging parents to understand the support is there when needed.

Hope this helps. I'm sure other members will have other (and better) ideas than mine.

[sarah707]

We add something to our newsletter every month - what we are doing and ideas for things parents can do at home to continue their child's learning.

We have a book loan for pre-school children - they take a book home in a bag each week with a notebook to write and draw pictures.

We suggest songs to sing - dances to dance - recipes to make etc depending on what we are doing ... it's a constant process

[natlou82]

I'm going to follow this thread as I feel very similar to you mumofone. I feel I'm getting better at sharing what the children are learning here but feel preachy telling them what to do at home. I'm open to suggestions though :-)

[BallyH]

In their diary books I will write something like today we talked about time, watched a short video on youtube and read the story .......... which had a clock on it for the children to turn the hands as the story progressed. Then 'please discuss at home'. Some parents do and will write comments some don't.

Parents may also mention on drop off things like at home a child is pretending to brush their teeth at night so spontaneous planning that day would be about the importance of teeth cleaning, again a video on youtube - a tooth fairy video, (mine are very big on watching youtube videos) and I would write this in their diary books with again 'please discuss at home' or would enclose a tooth cleaning star chart to follow. Some parents would follow it others not.

For me, these are examples that it works both ways, ideas for learning, individual and group, from me and a parent and I would quote examples like this in my sef.

[bunyip]

I'm going to follow this thread as I feel very similar to you mumofone. I feel I'm getting better at sharing what the children are learning here but feel preachy telling them what to do at home. I'm open to suggestions though :-)

I very much agree with this. Ofsted love what I'm doing with the home activities, and I'm ok with lending resources, but I do feel uncomfortable with the "preachy"-ness of "toddler homework".

I feel we're being expected to push a government agenda for over-education at too early an age. This is just one more "brick in the wall" when it comes to making parents feel they can't be trusted with their own children and need "professionals" and "experts" to intervene in their family lives.

[hulahoops]

I send things home but as a toy that they have enjoyed playing with 'to show daddy', a book we have read so we can share it with parents at bed time and show parents actions. Also if I go on holiday or at weekends I sometimes send a doll home so the lo can look after it. I often get pictures of the doll in the bath with lo or in the swings at the park - it's lovely.
At Xmas I made a santa advent calendar where each day the lo cuts off a piece of Santa's beard, I sent that home with a pair of scissors so they could do it at home and practice scissor skills. I've sent home playdough mats with numbers and pictures on so the lo can show mummy and daddy how clever they are by making 5 snakes or whatever.
I send whatsapps of nursery rhymes from you tube that we have been singing in case the parents want to learn it. This started because the parents wanted to know the sleeping bunnies songs.
We will be planting sunflower seeds soon and I'll send each lo a pot home and ask them to update me with pictures of how they are growing. I've done this with a few things, one parent thought it was hysterical when they sent me a picture of a pot of soil tipped over because the cat had knocked it off the table!
I find its a case if gauging each set of parents and how much they want to participate. Some do and some don't and it's just adapting to them really.

[hulahoops]

I think the main focus should be on 'involving the parents in the children's learning '. Maybe if you've made cakes that the children have liked send the recipe home. When we were doing the grufallo I sent the recipe for grufallo crumble. I'll also print activity sheets out but not always get round to doing it so the parents can do it at home with the Los if they want.
I have a whatsapp group with the parents and I'll send things like theatre shows that are on and say 'we've been reading the book of this show, don't know if you fancy taking your little ones'.
Tbh, I think we do all this sort of thing without realising and when we try to do something specifically to show ofsted how we work with parents, we over think things and dry up@

[FloraDora]

I am similar to others, signposting them to theatre, walks etc..linked with what their child is interested in.
One parent was having sleep issues with LO and if I read anything interesting around this subject I linked them in. I have a child now with an allergy so his parents and I share internet info around this. Recipes are shared - both ways - a nanny sent in a lemon drizzle cake that was delicious so my DH and a LO wrote her a letter asking for the recipe, it is now part of his baking repertoire.
Books and toys go back and forth.

My parents are all in education also one is a reception teacher and one an early years local education authority advisor so I have no real need to encourage educationally linked things as the parents are all on the ball anyway.....we communicate general educational documents continuously between each other and they often ask me if I have done any research on something that has been recently published - the white paper for instance last week!! I have written my review on it for my consultancy group so I shared it for no charge with them.

Our half termly meet to look at children's progress and next steps is also a good way to share info....my parents also share obs throughout the term via my online system, adding their obs to their child's learning journey.

I don't consider any of what I do preaching, it's just chit chat really between people who have a common interest.

[Simona]

I understand we should be doing this but I just don't know how to do it without being preachy. I KNOW parents won't appreciate it but how do I tick this box for OFSTED?

If you look at the DfE's website you will find the 'Home Learning Environment' publication (HLE)

That will really help you to work and help parents and no need to be preachy or pushing learning or teaching or pushing DfE's agenda or aiming for school readiness although there is an element of that....but you share with parents.

It doesn't mean you give homework or worksheets which some nurseries do ...you just share ideas and resources...you may loan a book and ask children to bring their own to you....or similar.

As Flora Dora says we are not preaching ...we are supporting parents and sharing ideas for continuity

It is simply a way to engage and also respect what parents do at home...in return you will build up respect towards you.

HLE is not new...go back to the EPPE research in 2004 and you will find it there
All this you can evidence very well to Ofsted without excessive documentation....in your LJs with your input and the parents' too.