Guest Wolfie Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 That's not fair, I've only just got in...didn't even get a sip!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 no nor me, i must have her triplet!!! more hassel than thier worth these students!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 In my view students are in the setting to learn about, and participate in as much as possible, all aspects of the job requirements. With the childs needs as paramount I have assessed individual students and when appropriate have encouraged them, under supervision to participate in nappy changing. I've had a mixed bag in my 20 yrs experience. One student was so good that I asked social services ( the then registering body) to consider lowering the required age of 18 yrs ( at that time) to be able to employ her (aged 17 yrs) as full time, deputy supervisor, this was agreed and she went on to become a teacher. I've had others who have lasted a mere day or even a single session, reasons given, work too hard, children too noisy etc. I had one student who was a trainee nurse , who had just recently miscarried, being with children became extremely upsetting for her, she didn't feel able to talk to her tutor about her reasons for not wanting such a placement and couldn't see how it was relevant to her studies as she wanted to work with geriatrics. It was only through my intervention that her placement was changed. Now when I am contacted about student placements I make it a requirement that the student phones me to introduce themselves and request an initial visit / mini interview. At this point either of us can say we do not want to continue with the arrangement. For those who then are placed with us I have a student induction which is carried out over the first two days. The student is then expected to 'shadow' a member of staff, if long term placement this staff member changes after a set period of time. My expectations are made very clear from the outset. I also gauge what the students expectations are regarding her studies and what the students idea of what childcare work is about. Having this system has greatly improved student experiences. On the other side of the coin I have been a tutor with the job of finding work placements for students and have found this at times quite difficult. Some settings are dead against having students, for reasons already posted. Other settings have been in effect 'blacklisted' by the college for not supporting students or providing poor practice. I would hope that every student is given a chance, it is not their fault the behaviour of previous students. Systems do need to improve to ensure appropriate students are placed in settings and definately careers guidance officers need to be fully aware of the depth of work involved in the Early Years profession. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I feel its important to be realistic with students.If they are not suitable for working with young children its best to be honest.They could be wasting their time (and mine) when they could be doing something more suitable for their future. Todays student isn't looking promising Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenaWaterworth Posted November 12, 2007 Author Share Posted November 12, 2007 I think cache maybe to blame too. They have brought in lower and lower levels of qualifications, thus attracting students who may think it's an easy ride. Very few employers out there I imagine, will take on people who are qualified at a foundation level. Basically, some of them cannot write a sentence. I read an activity plan where it stated, "what will your role be during activity?" Student wrote, i quote, "watch em." It's just plain scary!! I appreciate not everyone is going to be fantastic at paperwork, but make up for it when they are with the children, but in my opinion, that is even slipping away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie-pops Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Peggy is right about placement co-ordinators struggling to find places. I know a girl who has this job as part of her role working with young students - who tend to be school leavers with no academic qualifications and little direction. Sometimes you can accept a student because you want to give them the chance to prove themselves; however this only usually works if they genuinely want to work with children - quite often they don't!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I'e just had a thought, we all work with/alongside multi-agencies, maybe we need to find time ( I know, time is precious) to organise a meeting with careers advisors/school student placement person's etc and let them know exactly the person spec required of suitable students. I would think this time would be well spent in terms of not wasting settings and students and schools time placing students who are not appropriatte. I know that some people don't know what they want to do as a career, and the work experience is all part of this decision process but maybe the setting posing a preliminary questionairre such as " are you prepared to do.........?", you will be expected to work toward achieving....." etc etc. worth a thought eh?? Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Our latest student rang me to thank me for offering her a placement (which was a lot easier for her to do because I was her Brownie Guider when she was 7!), and we had a full and frank conversation about what she could expect to get involved with, what hours she'd be working (and the fact that I didn't expect to see her belly button piercing during session time!!). I suppose it also helps to know that I'll be on the 'phone to her mum if she gives me any trouble, too! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Do you allow your students to prepare snacks? I am advising the settings i support not to allow allow student to prepare or serve any food including snacks if they dont have a food hygiene certificate. Im not sure if this is an absolute must but for good practice i felt i needed to bring it to their attention, need i say they werent too happy as this was one task they didnt mind handing over to students!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 That would be a shame as our current student is Sikh and we have asked her to make chappitis with the children for snack next week as part of our Guru Nanak celebrations.She's also bringing some items for a display to talk about.She wouldn't be alone as I would be supporting her but my chappati making leaves something to be desired.It would be a shame to miss this sort of opportunity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Do you allow your students to prepare snacks? I am advising the settings i support not to allow allow student to prepare or serve any food including snacks if they dont have a food hygiene certificate. Im not sure if this is an absolute must but for good practice i felt i needed to bring it to their attention, need i say they werent too happy as this was one task they didnt mind handing over to students!!! I queried this with our local authority - who said that so long as someone has an up to date food handling certificate and the setting can demonstrate that good practice with regard to preparing and serving snacks is embedded in our routines, not everyone in the group has to go and do the training. So long as all the hygiene rules and regulations are adhered to I don't see why students shouldn't prepare snack for the children - with the appropriate supervision/support of a suitable person. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 supervision/support of a suitable person. not sure I'm suitable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 hmmmm, all our children help prepare te snacks, do they need a certificate too? Sensible head on now.... I think as Maz say's as long as policy is adhered to and supervised then preparing snacks is just as important as any other early years activity. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 The food hygiene certificate should be held by the person in charge - not everyone who prepares snack needs to have one. The important thing is that procedures are in place and that these are explained to the student clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 I liked your comment about the children having food hygiene certificates Peggy it made me chuckle, and it does make perfect sense, i mean how far do you really have to go!!!! We have just been told to advise settings that all staff members preparing food/snacks should have their certificate because our advice aims to support best practice, but i just wanted to check that it wasnt set in stone. I think in our role where we are advising people we tend to be very careful about what we say and would rather give advice that would cover practitioners rather than leave them open to any criticism. Thanks for all your replies, i will put these points forward to my team and hope it makes perfect sense to them. Paula x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 . not sure I'm suitable With a name like biccy? You're surely a natural Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 One thing I found out during my food hygiene course was that pre-school settings need to be registered as a food business - even if they only open a packet of biscuits and make some squash! Environmental health officers should then visit you to make sure everything is ok... Must remember to register. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 I am so angry.... like I said in my previous post we have 4 students......one in particular has been 'a pain' if not for a better word. She only has to do 2 days with us a week and a block week every now and then. She started of quite good, used her initiative and interacted well with the children.......1 week later things started to go pear shape & I just got this feeling she was going to be a problem. She never turned up for one week and I didn't get a phone call from her...so I rang the college to tell them to be told that she hadn't informed them either and they would contact her They also said and I quote "we have had concerns about ......... so we will get her in for an emergency meeting", "thank you for letting us know". Had a call from .......to ask if she could pop in to do some observations which she needed to get done I thought how cheeky...can't come in to do her 2 days but can pop in when it suits she didn't turn up anyway!!!!She turned up last week mon, tues, wed & thurs.....no show friday. Should have been in today...no...and tomorrow, who knows??? I'm getting very and am thinking about calling the college again and telling them that we don't want her anymore. Is this a bit harsh???? We always make students welcome and do everything we can to help them with there course and I feel we are being treated unfairly. The more I think about it or write here I can feel I'm very more & more annoyed. mrsb Just thought I would update you on this student......we had no show end of last week and her 2 days this week. I rang the college to inform them and they said they would get back to me. Today had phone call from them to tell me she had been in for a meeting with her tutor and she has been withdrawn from the course!!! They were very apologetic (?sp) and hoped this wouldn't jeopardise future student placements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaryEMac Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I'd just like to add that I get annoyed when we have no contact from our students tutors. This year we had a student doing a Btech childcare course at our local college and I had no contact from her tutor at all. This girl was with us from Jan to June and was brilliant and decided to stay after she had completed her hours because she was learning far more from us than she was at college. We also had 3 students on work experience from 2 of our local secondary schools, two of them had a visit from their form teacher and the other teacher just phoned on the last day of placement to say that she couldn't make it but how was L doing. This student actually only chose us because she lived at the end of the road, her niece was coming to us and at that time we only worked mornings !! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I'd just like to add that I get annoyed when we have no contact from our students tutors. This year we had a student doing a Btech childcare course at our local college and I had no contact from her tutor at all. This girl was with us from Jan to June and was brilliant and decided to stay after she had completed her hours because she was learning far more from us than she was at college. We also had 3 students on work experience from 2 of our local secondary schools, two of them had a visit from their form teacher and the other teacher just phoned on the last day of placement to say that she couldn't make it but how was L doing. This student actually only chose us because she lived at the end of the road, her niece was coming to us and at that time we only worked mornings !! Mary I personally think that there is no excuse for tutors / form teachers who do not follow up on their students progress. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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