'what Have You Done Today?' 'nothing!'

[Guest]

Hi all,

It's been ages since i lasted posted - i haven't been able to access internet at home and i've really missed checking in seeing what everyone is upto etc..

At school we often have parents concerned as when they ask their child what they have done at school their response is usually nothing or i dont know. We want a way of letting parents know what we have been doing so they can discuss it with their children. We thought about sending out a summary sheet of what we were intending to do - each activity etc.. on monday so parents could discuss it with their child throughout the week and maybe sending home phots on a Friday - although their maybe time and cost issues with this.

I was wondering if anyone would be able to share what they do.

Many Thanks

Lola.

[Guest]

Hi Lola

Nice to see you back with us.

We have a whiteboard which changes weekly/daily. I write on what activities will be taking place all week plus the colour, number and shape of the week. I then also add activities for each day. Perhaps you could use a whiteboard to let parents/carers know what you have done that day. You could also display photos to compliment this rather than sending them home as that would be quite costly.

I suppose it depends really on how many children you have and how much money to be able to do this-even sending home a summary sheet would be expensive over the year if you have quite a few children. You could perhaps do this though for those children whose parents don't bring them or pick up.

Linda

[Guest]

Hi,

My school has a fantastic website (I would say that- I'm ICT coordinator!!). I update it regularly (but not weekly!) with photos of what we have been doing, documents which I think parents will find useful, as well as links to websites that will be able to support the pupils in their learning. It's a fantastic way of letting parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles as well as prospective parents see what we are up to and is a real selling point to the school.

 

Obviously this is something that we can't do by yourself. But it's well worth looking into as a whole school. Our website is maintained by a company called Primary Site.

 

Beth

[Posy]

'Ask me about ...' stickers for individuals. For example: 'Ask me about what I found in the sand today' or 'Ask me about the story I enjoyed today'

We also have photos of different activities, plus brief explanations of the activity and some of the learning that the children are experiencing

Posy

[Guest Wolfie]

Welcome to the forum bethie...did you think you'd creep in unnoticed???!

[Guest whizzbang]

I send a weekly newsletter home, will try and upload one for you.

It lets parents know what we have done, what we will be doing and importantly for me what i am begging for!

It has been really well received.

M x

12.10.doc

[Guest]

Wasn't trying to creep in unnoticed. I can't believe how fab this site is! I only came on here really quick and have been here for an hour and a half. So much for analysing my data this evening!

Thanks for the welcome.

 

Beth

[hali]

Gosh i struggle to do a newsletter each term never mind each week - well done

[Guest]

I found this poem but don't know the origin. I have searched the web for an author but no luck. I have it up in my classroom for all my parents to see. I think it is lovely. Also when talking to parents I remind them what we do when we come home from work, the last thing you really want to talk about is what you have done that day! We send home our topic web and a letter detailing what we will be covering.

Hope this is helpful

 

Nothing_poem.doc

[Guest]

I do a sheet on the wall which is changed each week, we also have a range of photos and pictures which we put up to show parents which physical, messy, etc items we have today - so anyone who can't read can see what we're doing.

 

These just go onto a small board entitled 'today we have'...

 

Hope that helps, - love the Website idea though!

Abby

[Guest]

I also have a wall display with photos and quotes/comments made by the children, we call it our Learning Journey wall. There I display our topic web and other info such as links to Every Child Matters. Parent love looking at the wall, especially in the morning when waiting for me to arrive in class.

Munch

[Lucie]

Perhaps if uve got time u could do the whiteboard, at the end of the day with all children remindng you of what they have done. That way they get a quick reminder of the fun they have had, and might still have it in mind when their parents see the board and ask them about it?

 

lucie x

[Guest]

That's a really good idea Lucie-think I will do that myself. Thank you.

Linda

[Guest tinkerbell]

What brilliant ideas!

I like the weekly newsletter, we do a school newsletter and I send home a half termly letter.We also have a website with pictures of what has been happening.I also do abig book of photos A3 size and add to each week so at the end of half term it is a very good record of the whole shaboodle.The children take turns in taking it home and an empty exercise book is popped in for parent comments.

 

Does anyone do Learning journeys for each child,that go back and forh with school and parent comments??? I don't know how i would have the time to do one unless,some one produced a CD with empty format of all areas and objectives which we could drop photos into???

 

Tinkerbellx

[Posy]

Now I would pay for that Tinkerbell, struggling at the moment with very same formula!!

Posy

[Guest]

We do a termly newsletter plus a daily whiteboard, the whiteboard shows what 'spontaneous' activities engaged the children most, they also have access to lots more self selection areas. It also includes adult led ( either planned or adult spontaneous direction) .

 

see attached.

 

I take a photo each day which saves me from writing out retrospective plans.

 

Peggy

[Tigger]

Love the Newsletter.

 

We do a class diary each day, it is a mixture of photos, funny incidents, activites and examples of children's work. The children share it with their parents, enjoy looking through it themselves and is also invaluable 'evidence'.

 

Sharon

[Guest]

Love the Newsletter.

 

We do a class diary each day, it is a mixture of photos, funny incidents, activites and examples of children's work. The children share it with their parents, enjoy looking through it themselves and is also invaluable 'evidence'.

 

Sharon

 

Sharon, what you mean, do you do a diary each day for each child? or a whole class diary and then the children take turns to take it home?

 

thanks for sharing!

[Guest]

My goodness me where do you all get the extra time to do these things......????? I send a newsletter out each term which basic info on....a whiteboard goes outside to let parent know what we have planned in adult led activities or special events and a photo album of what we have been doing is always on display.

 

Once again it's that same old situation .....not enough hours in the dayto do everything you have planned in your head!!!

 

I try to emphasise the fact that if parents came in to spend a session with us they could see for themself what we do and get up to and even have fun themselves!!! recently had 2 dad helpers and both said they really enjoyed it, I wish more parents would come in....

[Tigger]

rcor,

 

We have one diary, the children don't take it home (although that is a thought?!) It is possibly the first thing the children and parents see as they walk in through the door with a sign saying please come and look in our diary to find out what we have got up to!

 

I encourage the children to share with their parents and particularly emphasise it to those parents, grandparents etc who don't often pick up or drop off.

 

Sharon

[Guest]

Hi

 

At the end of each day we do a recap, I say to the children what have we done today?

And they are always eager to tell me . Then I say don’t forget to tell mummy.

 

This normally works for me, give it a go!

 

Gill

[Guest colechin]

Hi everyone,

 

I do a 1/2 termly newsletter informing the parents of the topic we will be covering and any forthcoming events.

 

The staff send home at the end of each week a Nursery/Home Diary briefly informing the parents of what their child has done at nursery. Photo's are also enclosed in this book.

 

I also pin to the notice board our focused activity and extension work for one of the sstepping stones for that current week. This just shows the parents how we may observe the children meeting that stepping stone.

 

I also write each morning on a white board what the children will be doing during that mornings session. For example visiting the school hall, visiting the computer room etc etc, and at the end of the session quickly write what they actually did do.

 

We also have a book for each child which all observations, pieces of work and photos go in to each week. Parents are then invited to meet with their child's keyworker to go thru once a term.

 

Hope this helps.

[Guest]

I do a overiew of the year with areas of focus, main role-play, home/school projects that goes home at start of year, like everyone else i do photos, website, weekly newsletters where i tell paents to look out for for example the story of Rama and Sita, i also have a learning wall in the classroom but parents dont always get to see it. The biggest improvement some parents have said is if they say to their child what have you learnt? i prep parents into asking this and each day we review what we have learnt. I love the nothing poem i think me and the children might add some more lines at school tomorrow this could be sent out with the request that parents ask children what hey have learnt and i also love the sticker idea ask me about my junk model etc you lot amaze me some brilliant ideas.

[Guest]

I agree whiteboard are a fantastic things to use however its just making sure that you make the time to use it and display

[Guest]

Peggy

Really like the idea of the whiteboard and taking a photograph to avoid the necessity of writing up retrospective planning. That could really work for us! I'm off to e-mail my colleague right now!!!

[Guest]

If you take photos of your session on a digital camera you could do a slideshow of what we did today. Do this now and then -usually when we have something special to share.