Help With Planning Am A Nqt In Reception

[Guest]

hi

 

I am a nqt in recpetion and have just started and have no other FS colleague. Am really worried as the school has a ofsted inspection due anytime...dont want to be ripped apart. I dont feel my CI activities are right as the children get bored quickly and things just springball. Do my CI activities have to be all literacy based if i am doing literacy in the morning or numeracy if doing numeracy after break. Need help please am really worried about all of this

 

thanks for all your help

Maariya

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I think I'm right in saying that Child Initiated is just that - initiated by the child. If we set things out for them then it becomes adult initiated. At the moment, if my TA and I have a group (for any activity, whether it's CLL based, Maths, KUW, etc) the others are allowed to choose from continuous provision in classroom. I have started doing challenges for them to complete if they want to, e.g. this week we had a sand challenge, a writing challenge, one for construction and one on computer. Those who completed all four in the week got a reward (a sticker....but they were really impressed!!) Thought it might encourage some chn to use other areas than they normally do - although presumably this then becomes adult initated?! I've confused myself now....sorry!!

 

purplemagic x

[Susan]

hi Maariya, dont worry too much. You seem to responding to what you see happening in your classroom.

As purplemagic says, if you have set up the activities in any way then they are adult initiated rather than child. You can extend the children by providing other resources for them to use in their play and by interacting with them. You do not have to have to children following literacy based or numeracy based activities following your input or while you are working with groups with this focus.

Perhaps you can model how to play some games etc to encourage your children to work more profitably on their own.

[Guest]

You are obviously doing well because as the others say, you are very in tune with what's going on in your area - and you would be surprise that some teachers just aren't!. For C.I. I find it works best if I put new things in unusual places e.g. wild animals in the sand or bears in the water and this then gives the children a stimulus to develop the C.I. creatively.

It's hard when you are working on your own- as I am too- and I have found the "Little BOoks"- Featherstone Publications give you some useful ideas for lots of different starting points. There are about 50 of them! so be selective!

Good luck Maariya.

[Aunt Sally]

I recently attended an excellent course and she said that CI play isn't a free for all and that practitioners are still in control. I was relieved to hear this because I think some practitioners could interpret CI as an easy opt out. I know in my class some children would do the same things every day if I wasn't creative and didn't arouse their curiosity. She said to map out the skills you want them to learn over a week/ term - mostly your CLL. Observe your areas that are popular, underused, badly used etc etc Note any emerging themes or ideas. Play with the children letting their themes take the lead. What can you do/provide to take this to a higher level? Can you provide a new piece of knowledge? Can you provide new vocabulary? Can you introduce demanding resources?She recommended the same as mozart and have unusual resources among the usual. If children are to initiate learning then you need to give them the stimili and support CI. She also emphasised that resources don't have to cost a fortune and to be creative. Another EYFS course I attended which I have taken on board said to plan in advance and build up themed boxes so that you were prepared to enrich children's play. Anyway just a little food for thought, I agree with other comments the fact that you are in tune with what's going on in your class speaks volumes!!!!! Do you have any EY advisors in your LA that could give you some pointers?

[kl33]

Hi I am exactly like you but I have 10 year ones.

 

What I do is take small groups and provide the children with continual provision and i also set challenges of the week to encourage children to try different areas.

 

Trust me i waist so much time doubting myself!

 

We are doing plants/puppets/instructions/ and in art we are making back drops for our puppet theatres. I have attached how i will use the outdoor area next week to try and make myself a little more clearer. I think just by providing different resources in different areas makes a big difference. Tell me what you think

 

Kl33

child_intitated.doc

[Guest]

hi, that is so good it mkaes sense to have challenges and by planning as you od you make sure that all areas of learning are included it is such a good grid, i might just use it for my outside, but challenges will be different becuase my topic this term is building and structures. I was wondering how u plan for your CI play inside, please could you fwd me your grid for that for me to have a look thnaks alot fr all your help it is making more sense now

maariya

[Guest]

hi, another question

 

do you use the same challenges outside as well as inside like the creative ones for example??

[kl33]

yes i do use the same challenges for inside but i will do an inside plan and send it to you tommrow Glad this is helping do you want me to send you my daily timetable?

 

Kate

[Guest]

yes please!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

k133 - this looks great. Any chance of putting things on here as I'm sure loads of us would be interested?

[kl33]

Thanks

 

Yes will do

 

Kl33

[Guest]

Hi, I'm new to Reception too and also find planning provision for C I quite a challenge sometimes. I love the outdoor plan and the challenge idea. I do it in a casual way, but I think the reward system will encourage children to diferent areas. I would agree that the Little Books are a good starting point for ideas. Good luck, it sounds like you're on the right track.

[kl33]

Hello all this is my Reception/Year 1 time table.

 

I will do the main starter and then everyone goes out side to do CI and I and the TA pull groups in to do their work.

 

Hope this helps too

class_1_timetable.doc

[Susan]

Hi Lilzy and welcome.

 

I think its more difficult when you have year1 in your class as well as reception but do remember that you and your TA can work with the children with their CI play too.

[Susan]

What happens on Thursday---is that your PPA / NQT time?