Questions.....pls dont judge

[lorettacritchet]

The following questions are probably going to make people judge on how bad a childminder I am!

Firstly, am I wrong to name a daily diary for the kids. I usually just initial it on the outside? should i just not? I know I should know this but I am just quering what others do.

Secondly, does anyone ever have problems with planning weekly themes. I generally use to base this on what children are showing interest in i.e. dinosaurs etc but over the last few months at least, the children are just quite happy to free play so i just do my lj's and observations and I can't seem to or know the right way to "come over/influence" them to get into the themes. There are weeks I am just stumped what to plan. I will be getting a network co ordinator in to help me but its' so hard to plan for such a range of babies to 6 years old!

[mum2two]

My daily diaries had the child's photo, name & DOB on it. (now do them online)

As for planning - I'm rubbish.... :blush: Tried weekly planning, but ended up going with the kids and the weather etc, and missing half of what I'd planned.

I'm attempting a new strategy now - so we'll see if I can finally conquer planning!! :rolleyes:

Everyone does it differently, and what works for one minder might not work for you. If you're new, then just play around, if it doesn't work - try something else.

It's all part of self-reflecting, and lots of things to then evaluate in our SEF. :thumbsup:

xx

[butterfly]

Themes are basically pointless for children under 3 as they don't really understand. You'd be better off having a rota of main activities (one for each week) eg playdough, painting, messy play etc. Then the children would have a range of free play and experiences offered to them.

I'm not really sure what you mean with the daily diaries. All my children have their own daily diary which have their name and photo on them.

[rosebud]

I don't do themes unless its to support children who are already attending nursery / pre-school in which case I will plan some activities and obtain resources to support the themes they are learning about in their other setting. This tends to support their current interests and to build on what they know. I do know other childminders who do themes and this works for them but doesn't for me - just do what feels right to you. As long as the resources / activities you provide support children's current interests and try to extend this in some way then you are doing fine.

Not sure what you mean about naming daily diaries. Do you mean putting the childs name on the front? If so then I don't see a problem with this as the diary is only for the parent and child to view anyway.

[Bridey]

These aren't bad questions at all so please don't worry!

All my diaries/learning journeys bear the name of the child they are for but if any other children mentioned (eg in an observation where the children are interacting) I would use initials only.

Secondly themes aren't an actual requirement. They are something that work well with older children but are difficult with younger ones and babies. Just do what you are doing and plan your activities based on what you have observed. It all sounds fantastic to me. I know some minders do themes but I think many would struggle to think of a new one every week.

[lorettacritchet]

When I say daily dairies, its the books we are meant to keep for under 3 year olds.
What other strategies are there to work on children's interests etc...??? A childminder I know who has outstanding has themes already for the whole year which she just keeps using...it's not fair?:( so for those who don't plan, how do you show ofsted that you are working to progress the children?

[butterfly]

I write next steps on each child's observations which becomes their personal planning - I don't rewrite this just show Ofsted it's there.

I have a weekly activity (this week it's coloured sand in a mirrored tray) but I don't write this down. My photo observations will show what i've done.

[uf353432]

I use photo's of the child if its a home diary (babies to show routines) Learning jounals have childs 1st name and my logo on.

Planning - well 3 years on and i'm still getting to grips with it. The way I work right now is have a monthly plan - which is idea's of activities and themes linked to special events that month like celebrations etc. I also have a weekly plan which is linked to each EY child and I plan something for them based on obs and next steps. But planning should be very fluid and alot of next steps are instant - so child is playing with small world characters, we might develop that by getting the play tray out with the resources to make a small world landscape and bring the small world characters into it, then we might add water to the landscape, then we might put food colouring in the water etc...... all with the child leading the play. The child might love the activity so much we might plan for the next day to leave it out for him to return to and then consider how we might develop the play again. But the next day the child isn't interested instead its a sunny day and he wants to go to the park - so then you scrub your plan and go to the park and then look for new opportunities to develop the play he gets into there.

[mum2two]

I've just noticed you are pre-reg. Once you get going, it just seems to start making sense.

I really struggled at first reading the EYFS, and what we were meant to do. It really worried me.

Once you get going though, like I said, you just find what works for you.

You will just need to make observations of the children, and then I link it to the EYFS. From this observation you would make a next step, therefore showing your planning of how you are going to move the child forward.

You then work to achieve this, and at some point in the future, there will be another observation with the new progression.

I cannot think of a good example... Ermmm - like child A trying to put his shoes on. Note as an ob, link into area & age, and create a next step as allow time for A to be able to do it indepently. Then in a months time, a new ob - 'A can put his shoes on all by himself!'

I know - rubbish example - but hope you get the idea.... :p

xx

[rosebud]

My observations and planned next steps demonstrate how I help move children on to the next stage in their development.

For example today I wrote: "M (9 mnths) enjoyed exploring the treasure basket, she was particularly interested in the noises things made and in banging objects together". Next steps: "Provide musical instruments for M to explore a range of sounds".

Tomorrow I will provide the musical instruments and will extend M's learning by modelling how they can make different noises if used in different ways.

I'm not sure if that makes sense but just wanted to show how it can be quite simple. Themes have their place and can be useful in group settings and when used to support childrens' learning in other settings but are not essential.

[BucksCM]

Just reading this thread and wishing that i has put names on the daily diaries! Have a new 9mo (about 7weeksnow) started a diary the same as the other 18mo that I have...just got a call from one of the mums telling me that I'd put the wrong diary in the bag!:eek:

[singingcactus]

If using themes helps you get started with a planning system, then that is definitely the way to go. You'll probably end up not using a whole lot of it, but it will help you ease into the whole planning lark.
To be fair, whatever method you use for your planning, you'll find you'll not use all of it anyway.
The good thing about themes is that it helps YOU think about all aspects of the child development in a different way, and it will give you a good supply of future activities on hand for when the kiddies do have an interest in that specific theme.
Themes are definitely a good place to start your thinking, as long as you don't get too disheartened when all is not used - this time.
As for naming the child's daily diary, yeah, you should - in my opinion.

[loocyloo]

my daily diaries are named and i use all the childrens names when i am writing about their day ..such as 'fred & sue had lots of fun splashing each other with water from the water tray'

i do a monthly theme, with each of the (currently) 6 areas listed with ideas of activities. i know that i probably won't cover most of them! this month i'm 'doing' mini beasts, so i'll be putting the plastic bugs ( urgh! ) in some compost, and probably adding sand/leaves/grass/twigs etc as the days go by. today we went for a walk and looked for bugs. i've got the magnifying glasses out and books/pictures about mini-beasts. the magnifying glasses and bugpots will probably migrate to the compost and bugs! i bought a new puzzle the other week which is a lift out insect puzzle, but you use a magnetic 'net' like a fishing rod! also put out the other magnetic puzzles i have. last week my LOs got very into a bumble bee rhyme and we made some bees which are now on my window and they are delighted and we say the rhyme LOTS !!!

but that is about as much as i will do! my LO are all 2 and currently all have their own things they are doing, but all will be entranced by most of the activities as they 'come across them'. i never do 'now we are all going to do this or that' (apart from maybe a story time to quieten down;) )

[lorettacritchet]

Oh no, I am not pre-reg I have been minding since 2010. I have been trying to follow a weekly theme or activity and finding it difficult but even a monthly one I think I would be pushed to do calculating what to do over the full month unless it was something like christmas!

I am very strict with noting all observations and doing learning journeys, those I am fine with and know I could at least show ofsted something. Its the weekly or even the monthly theme I am stumped with to cover all the aspects. I understand everything, everyone is doing with their planning but still can't get my head around it in a way. With my observations i do try to do follow up steps if there are some and do them separately on diff days and noting them down etc but even a monthly theme is stumping me...i got complete brain block.

I am like someone else on here, I left kids free play and guide them to advance them i.e. someone played with a doctor kit yesterday, so we expanded it to dressing each other up and learning parts of the kit. thats my observation and following next steps all in one!

[Milli147]

I'm sure I'm being thick, but please don't shoot me I'm having a bit of a week....

why would you not write the child's name on the diary?

I have their name, dob and photo on the front and it's full of their name and that of other children in the diary entries....is that bad?

Parents have to sign to say that photos showing other children or mentions of other children in the diary are confidential and must not be shared, and that they understand another childs' photos may also contain their child, and they are happy with this. If a parent refused any of this I'd have to ensure that their child was not shown or mentioned, but this has never happened. They understand that the other children are an important part of their time here and its nice for them to see and understand the relationships they have.
Sorry, I think I've gone off track :blush: Just ignore me, tired and rambling!

[uf353432]

I'm sure I'm being thick, but please don't shoot me I'm having a bit of a week....

why would you not write the child's name on the diary?

I have their name, dob and photo on the front and it's full of their name and that of other children in the diary entries....is that bad?




I think you need to consider confidentiality in all area's of practice. So if you have your diaries out a casual observer 'could' see alot of info about a child - for example a full name and photo and date of birth is probably more that you need to show and if you 'lost' the diary a 3rd party would have access to more information with those 3 peices of information together than they actually need and they could 'use' that information if they had the wherewithall. I only use first names with or without a photograph - as a precaution and it is considered good practice.

[lorettacritchet]

I agree. Its part of the safeguarding policy surely?

I password lock all my files in case laptop gets stolen and only mention full names etc on there. Diaries I was a little sceptical about.
some of my parents don't agree with photos being taken so I can't keep them for them.


I think you need to consider confidentiality in all area's of practice. So if you have your diaries out a casual observer 'could' see alot of info about a child - for example a full name and photo and date of birth is probably more that you need to show and if you 'lost' the diary a 3rd party would have access to more information with those 3 peices of information together than they actually need and they could 'use' that information if they had the wherewithall. I only use first names with or without a photograph - as a precaution and it is considered good practice.

[lorettacritchet]

How does everyone prove to ofsted that you are actually doing specifici activities with the children to help forward their skills/learning? if they don't do planning?

also am i right in thinking its from 8 years you don't need to do observations or is it earlier


speaking of security, how does everyone file away files from children who have left? do you still leave in a file or keep a labelled plastic sleeve?

thanks

[Rubybubbles]

you don't have to do obs from Year 1 at school (before then, they are in EYFS age group)

I do written planning, but on a very simple weekly sheet and often I just write it on as we carry out the activity. I used to do a childminders diary and thinking of going back to this as was easier

[uf353432]

How does everyone prove to ofsted that you are actually doing specifici activities with the children to help forward their skills/learning? if they don't do planning?

also am i right in thinking its from 8 years you don't need to do observations or is it earlier


speaking of security, how does everyone file away files from children who have left? do you still leave in a file or keep a labelled plastic sleeve?

thanks

without written evidence it is certainly harder to prove, but you can talk through examples with the inspector and use photo's from learning journals. Written planning is best practice and it also free's you from the inspector at inspection time because you can leave them with your folders of evidence and then go and get on and play etc.

Obs finish the 31st Aug after their 5th birthday - so including their whole reception year - though you'll find that if you are just doing after school this will be pared down significantly.

I keep mine in sealed envelopes and in a box file out of sight.

[Milli147]

I think you need to consider confidentiality in all area's of practice. So if you have your diaries out a casual observer 'could' see alot of info about a child - for example a full name and photo and date of birth is probably more that you need to show and if you 'lost' the diary a 3rd party would have access to more information with those 3 peices of information together than they actually need and they could 'use' that information if they had the wherewithall. I only use first names with or without a photograph - as a precaution and it is considered good practice.

Ok, thats helpful, thanks. I only use first names, not surnames btw. Mrs O saw all the diaries and didn't comment on it, but I will remove the dobs from the cover sheet to be on the safe side.
The diaries are for the parents use only, they bring them in the morning and I complete it and return it, so the only person who could lose it is them.

[lorettacritchet]

I do have loads of written evidence, keeping a tracker of all observations over years/months, weekly observations including next steps and dates achieved.....including learning journeys.

written planning is what i am stumped with - how do you decide what subject and when? once you have done a subject on what the children are interested in i.e. dinosaurs or even if there are no steps, what do you do then?

is everyone's daily activities decided on last minute???


without written evidence it is certainly harder to prove, but you can talk through examples with the inspector and use photo's from learning journals. Written planning is best practice and it also free's you from the inspector at inspection time because you can leave them with your folders of evidence and then go and get on and play etc.

Obs finish the 31st Aug after their 5th birthday - so including their whole reception year - though you'll find that if you are just doing after school this will be pared down significantly.

I keep mine in sealed envelopes and in a box file out of sight.

[butterfly]

I often decide on daily activities in the morning when the mindees arrive and i can gauge how they're feeling.

I often have a bit of an idea but i often change my mind!

[uf353432]

It depends on your children to be honest.

If you have a very young child who is just on the cusp of walking your planning might simply be 'opportunities to practise walking'

If you have a part time child who you only have one day a week - most of your planning will be done in action - in that you might plan for something in the afternoon based on something that happened in the morning so you don't miss the opportunity. 'Or' you might notice a gap in literacy or ICT and using his love of dinosaurs you might plan an activity the following week which involves dinosaur books or programs that involve dinosaurs on a computer etc. But with a week off - you may need to be prepared to drop any planning if his mood is off - or he now hates dinosaurs - he might now like whales - so you can do the same activity but with the different animal.

If you have a full time child - you can plan the next day for something they did the previous day and keep rolling through.

You planning might be life skills - buttons, zips, shoes, coats, toilet training etc.

Planning is guided from 3 knowledge streams (more if you work with other settings) the child, the parent and you - you listen to the child, listen to what the parent says child likes at home right now and look at what they are doing in your setting.

Erm........

essentially planning shouldn't be difficult -

i'll give you an example:

child J is 4 this month and comes to me 1 day a week.

6 weeks or so ago daddy took him to a tank museum and he loved it. In my setting and at mummies home he declared he wanted to be an army man when he grew up. He still loves dinosaurs and his favourite colour is Blue.

3 weeks or so ago mummy bought him an army hat - which he refused to take off even when he went to bed. Planning was teaching him about when and where army men wore their hats and when they didn't. He was also a little bit stroppy with the world and so we used army values to teach him about behaviour, following rules etc. Planning for next week was some army netting and some soldiers for small world.

2 weeks ago he asked me what camoulflage was - I explained it in relation to army men and the netting. The planning for the following week was camoulflage in relation to animals in nature using craft paper and animal cut outs i'd found.

1 weeks ago we did the animal camouflage and then did army face paints to make him camouflaged - the planning for this week was painting.

today he came in and he was reluctant to remove his new camoulflage coat - he didn't want to be seen. We talked about feelings and being safe to be seen right now. we did painting and did camoulflage effects using paper, glue and blue paint. He also played with dinosaurs and the camoulflage netting that was still floating around.

Its just keeping in touch with the childs interest and developing them in different areas of the EYFS. Not sure what we will do next week right now, but I dare say there will be camoulflage involved lol!

[fluff1975]

I do have loads of written evidence, keeping a tracker of all observations over years/months, weekly observations including next steps and dates achieved.....including learning journeys.

written planning is what i am stumped with - how do you decide what subject and when? once you have done a subject on what the children are interested in i.e. dinosaurs or even if there are no steps, what do you do then?

is everyone's daily activities decided on last minute???

It is in this house!! I've had to have a word with myself over planning as I kept going back to themes when they clearly weren't working. So, after much worrying, I now plan daily for each individual child.

Mostly its in my head, but I have a sheet on the wall in the kitchen with a column for each child (colour coded so no names on show) and I write a sentence or two each day about each child; what they can do, enjoy doing, are working towards or have asked to do, that sort of thing. Each morning I look at the list and put out activities that will move the children on, or that have been asked for. Done it for 2 weeks and it's making life so much easier. I'm still intending having some planned activities as well, but don't feel the pressure like I did! (Also they rarely stick to what I've planned from the day before!)

I take a lot of photographs too, so most of my observations are just pictures with a note on the bottom about next steps. Each child has a sheet full of stars in their LJ. I write in the stars when they do something worth writing about, for example first words, eating with a spoon or trying hard at something. Anything on paper has a space for parents comments.