Guest Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 I am taking over the nursery at our school in sept. I am trying to decide my first topic and how to go about planning. Do i use the new framework? I am thinking or doing People who help us, does this sound ok for autumn term. Do I do a mind map of the different areas of learning? Any ideas would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 hi meadows and welcome, thanks for your first post and congratulations on making it so soon after joining! However, you will if you search further see that lots of people in nurseries are doing away with the topic style of planning and working more by following the children's interests very closely. You may like to start by looking at SueR's blog "motivational planning". If you wish to start with a topic such as the one you describe, do not be afraid to adapt it to meet the children's interests as you all get to know one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Hi meadows and welcome to the forum - you've come to the right place for friendly advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hi Meadows and welcome. You say you are taking over the nursery so I presume there is an existing teacher in there? To be honest if there is existing practice and unless its recently been criticised or is an area of school development, then Id initially stick with whatever planning format is already theres, taking suggestions form the outgoing teacher. In other words, if it 'isnt broke don't fix it' You wil find it quite different from teaching elsewhere in the school and there will be enough to contend with getting used to new ways of doing things. Also remember you support staff especially if they are very experienced as changes in routines and planning should be discussed with them so that you start with a team building spirit and they dont feel that you've just come in with a new broom so to speak (this happened in our nursery this year where there had been a very stable staff for a long time and a new teacher came in and wanted to change absolutely everything in a month without stopping to consider the effect it had on the very very experienced staff in there.) I wouldn't use the new framework just yet, you have time to get used to that before 2008. I would think about induction first and foremost, how are you going to settle the children in? Is there a policy on this or has this process already been agreed? (eg start dates assigning key workers, home visits). This is such an essential part of the beginning of the year and we invest heavily in getting it right for the children. When you are ready to think about planning there are lots of samples here and loads of ideas which Im sure will help. Let us know how its going.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Very good advice from Mundia. You want to get off to a good start with your staff and if they are good then they are pure gold from a new teachers point of view. Have a look at what is in place and go with that for a while, as you will get a feel of the place and what is working well. You will probably be exhausted the first few weeks, meeting new children and parents and settling them in, getting to grips with child observations etc, so any major changes will stress everyone out. Concentrate on the children. As you get to know your staff, environment and routines you will all be talking about this at planning meetings, and it may well be that things will evolve, as you all identify the strengths and weaknesses in the setting. One of the wonderful things about the FS is working together as a team, and all having ideas and supporting each other. There are lots of planning resources in the Resource Library on here and, as mentioned before, Sue R's article on Motivational Planning is really interesting, but don't try too much too soon. As a new practitioner I would find out what ususally happens in the first half-term and go along with some of that until I found my feet. Planning from children's interests is really excellent practice, but children do need to be introduced to knew learning and ideas, especially if they are from backgrounds where they don't have the opportunity to widen their experiences, and their knowledge of the world is very limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 How exciting for you - I bet your brain is whirling!!?? Welcome to the fourm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Just as a matter of interest meadows, which age group are you with at the moment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hi and welcome to the forum. As Susan points out many people are abandoning topics and during training last week we were told that topics aren't suitable for the EYFS framework. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 I am teaching year one at the moment. i returned from maternity leave in march. before taking 8 months maternity i taught year 2 for two years and Reception for three years before that. The foundation curriculum is all new to me. I have two great nursery nurses with years of experience and we had a successful OFSTED last week. So the advice about 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' has made me feel alot better.. i'm going to let them guide me the few weeks while i find my feet and get used to the routines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Sorry Meadows missed your first post and wanted to welcome you so welcome!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 hello and welcome - good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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