How Do I Get The Balance Right?

[Guest]

Hi there

 

I wonder if anyone could give me some really useful advice regarding a very tricky issue which we have in my setting at the moment?

 

In our small pre-school ,struggling with very low numbers at the moment, we have one child (a very active boy) fast approaching 4 and the majority of the other children are 2 and a half and a few very young 3 year olds.

 

The eldest child is struggling to maintain himself, really missing all the children who left last term and not really finding anyone else to buddy up with. He is a real boys boy and although liking the company of the smallest children he is obviously finding it hard work. His speech is way in advance of the others.

 

We know he needs to be challenged but also need to maintain the balance with the 2 and a half year olds, who are struggling to concentrate on anything apart from washing their hands!!

 

Please help.

 

Shelley

[Rea]

Well I dont know about really useful advice but I've had some thoughts

Could you give him some jobs to do that are also a challenge?

Put him in charge of preparing the snack plates and cups. Ask him to record the other childrens achievments i.e. scoring goals, building towers, washing their hands! Fetch the story book, prepare the cushions, help you with the register. Some board games which need counting, positional skills, the younger ones wont do it but he will be able to with help. Guess who's coat is who's by size, colour, name label. Sort out the mark making equipment into groups, sharpen the pencils, help the younger ones with physical games, jumping, hopping, musical statues. Help make a display for the whole room, in charge of the colours, design, fixing it to the wall, collecting materials. Make the dough, 'read' to the others. Have you the staff available so he can have some 1:1 time doing more challenging things at your usual activities?

The little ones change so quickly that he might find a proper friend after christmas.

[Guest]

Well I dont know about really useful advice but I've had some thoughts

Could you give him some jobs to do that are also a challenge?

Put him in charge of preparing the snack plates and cups. Ask him to record the other childrens achievments i.e. scoring goals, building towers, washing their hands! Fetch the story book, prepare the cushions, help you with the register. Some board games which need counting, positional skills, the younger ones wont do it but he will be able to with help. Guess who's coat is who's by size, colour, name label. Sort out the mark making equipment into groups, sharpen the pencils, help the younger ones with physical games, jumping, hopping, musical statues. Help make a display for the whole room, in charge of the colours, design, fixing it to the wall, collecting materials. Make the dough, 'read' to the others. Have you the staff available so he can have some 1:1 time doing more challenging things at your usual activities?

The little ones change so quickly that he might find a proper friend after christmas.

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice, I thought I must have asked a really daft question, not to have received any replies!!

 

I will give all of your ideas a go, I am the assistant at our setting, doing my EYPS which can sometimes be awkward. I thought if I can go in armed with ideas then perhaps I can stop him always looking like the one who is misbehaving when he is in fact just bored.

 

After looking through the site I went in to a planning meeting today and have now initiated motivational planning in the pre-school. It looks so much more inspirational, I think previously planning had been such an issue that everyone had just given up.

 

Isn't this site great.

[Rea]

Wolfie and Sue R have mentioned on another thread about motivational planning that once its in place behaviour is better because the childrens real interests are being followed. So probably your little chap will change.

[Sue R]

Thanks, Rea,

 

Shelley, you should follow Rea's suggestions, they are great! And good luck with the planning change - it really does wonders. But then, I would say that, wouldn't I!!

 

Sue

[Guest]

Thanks Rea and Sue, sometimes you just need someone removed from the situation to give you the insight to sort out these problems.

 

And Sue, yes you should say how succesful your planning is because it makes an otherwise dreaded task seem really achievable for everyone. I have put off and put off getting involved with planning but now I think I would be happy to take it over for a while.

 

I have been lucky with the little one as he has been allowed to go in with Reception for 2 mornings a wk. You see there are some bonuses to being linked with a small village school.