how does tapestry work ?

[lou lou]

I dont want to sound thick not very good when it comes to technology but how does tapestry work I would really like to go to online for learning journals but confused about it I have a kindle fire tablet which I would use to take the photos can I use this ? and how is it stored and can I store it on my tablet any info would be good thanks

[blue bear]

Not used tapestry. I tried orbit and mega minder which. Will be similar.
For these you login online,you setup your children's invite parents to join. You take photo on your tablet phone or whatever devise you are using.
You press on add observation, write what happened, link to child and add photo,then you make links to development matter,coel, ecat.. Complete observation. Parents can access and see observations you have added within Minutes.
The observations add up to. A learning journal,some sites have tracking, planning some don't.

[hectors house]

I use Tapestry, as Blue Bear says all the on-line systems are similar. I use my digital camera (but other childminders use phones or i-pads or other tablets), take a photo, log onto Tapestry, go to add observation, download or upload (never know which is which) my photo or video, write up the observation, link it to EYFS statements, COEL, Leuven Scales (how engaged child was in activity) or ECAT statements - you can choose which ones you want to use. Add it to the journal, parents get an e-mail or text letting them know observation had been added.

Earlier this evening I was updating journals with yesterdays observations and photos, I received a notification that a parent had added a reply to an observation I had only posted 10 mins before - how is that for "working in partnership with parents"!

Once you have added photos to Tapestry you can (if you want) delete from your tablet, the on-line information is kept securely by Tapestry (it's not in a cloud), if you want you can download the journals to PDF and save on a memory stick - this is what I did before my Ofsted inspection, just in case my internet went down and I would have had nothing to show her. This is also what you do when a child leaves your setting. Many Nurseries are using Tapestry and it's been extended to be used in Reception and now also Year 1 in schools.

[bunyip]

Dunno. But the mums love all the personalised cross-stitch towels I do for the mindees.