How Many Assessed Focussed Activities?

[Guest]

As above - just wondering how many assessed focussed activities other Nursery teachers do each day? At the moment one adult does a focus activity whilst the other keeps their 'head up' (only 2 members of staff). One new focus each day and we try to get all children to take part in activity. Not sure if it really works or would it be better to have one focus a week with a different group each day or just lessen the focussed activities each week. One inside one outside?? Arghhh don't know need some advice!!

xx

[Andreamay]

Hi

How many children do you have?

Very difficult with only 2 staff isnt it?

We have an adult led focussed activity each day but we have 3 staff to 18 children.

The adult led may be in the craft area,messy play role play area or construction depending on what the impact of the adult is really.

I am trying to get way from this however and have an adult in each area as we will go up to 22 and 4 staff after easter.The idea is the staff will beable to observe and decide where in the area the adult led is needed if at all. It may be they see an opportunity to suggest little johnny writes a parking ticket while playing outside for instance or a group is gently persuaded to include a child in their play.Or if a child talks about a bridge while playing with the cars a suggestion to bring the big blocks to the area to build a bridge.Rather than a member of staff sat there waiting for the children to come to them.

An adult in the craft area is usually needed though especially with the little ones to help with hand washing,and apron tying etc

[Guest]

Hi I know it becomes quite mind boggling what is right or wrong. We have 2 TD activities (assessed)+1 teacher diredcted for 3 days (all activities are taken from the children's interests)which allows the 3 groups to rotate. We then have TD cooking on Friday with 2 TI activities running alongside -using water or sand etc to 'cook' or mix with and on thursday we do a focused writedance which is continued throughout the week. However remember we are assessing all the time even in our minds!

[Guest]

We have only 2 members of staff to 24 children so it is really tough. I never feel that Im doing it right! At the moment I do one focussed activity a day - covering each area of learning throughout the week. Not sure whether it would be better to plan for less focus activities so that I don't feel so rushed to get the children through! Too often it feels like a conveyor belt!

Do you then look at your assessments/observations from these activties and then use them to plan for the next day? Next week?

[Guest]

smypathise with you! We have 3 staff to 34 children and I know how you feel. I am getting better at going with their needs and responses rather than getting them all through becoming my main objective.

Depending on how an activity went down, I will change it and have a different one related to same objective.

We always have 1 staff as play partner/ float to keep an eye on things generally and observe C.I. activites. We have 4 areas in the Nursery and each one needs supervising as they are 4 seperate rooms. Don't ask me how we work that one out! Lots of NVQ students.

[Guest]

Im guessing when you say foussed activity 0 you mean an activity for all the children to take part in?

well i do 2 a week

 

 

Im a childminder and some of the children cme every day and the others oly come 2 days a week

[Guest]

I know exactly what you mean. I am in a Foundation unit,looking at having 23/24 children in the Summer term (6 of whom are reception age. The morning is when these older children have to receive most of their maths and literacy inputs and practice as they move into a ks1 room in the afternoon where they do topic work and p.e and music e.t.c. They still do mainly literacy and numeracy in the mornings in there.There are only two of us in Foundation and it means that My T.A will be overseeing 18 younger children (and it is 3 year old heavy!)inside and out while I am trying to sort out the reception who are supposedly doing more directed activities as the year goes along and who should be focusing for longer. I don't think my head can see any problems She just says that we are within 1-13 so that's ok. The 3 year olds need a lot more support and constantly my work is interrupted for aprons problems and accidents. I am increasingly finding it more difficult to find time for any observations. I Keep records for all children. Records on other children throughout the school are all shared between two teachers, as they job share and so they have a maximum of 12 children. I am fed up with my room looking a shambles and all the good practice that was happening going to pot because we cannot sustain it.

When I started 3 years ago I had a lot of support from parents who wanted to see what happenedin the room. I think the word got round that it was fine and parents were satisfied, so that has dwindled away.

We start next year with 17, so it will be just as bad as the year goes on.

So My older ones get 2 focused activities every morning and my younger ones get a rhyme or story or P.S.H.E every day and other areas are covered in 1 or 2 directed activities every week where I look at activities that will things that adress lots of things at once say making some flowes of different sizes , mixing creative and maths e.t.c.

sorry for the rant but don't know what the answer is.