Includiing Children In The Process

[Guest]

Hi all

 

I'm thinking of including my class more in the assessment process next year. Would like to hear their thoughts on how they think they are doing, what they think they would like to be better at etc.

 

Also thought it would be great to get their take on my observartion photos and ask them what they would like to go in their 'learning journey' books.

 

Does anyone already do this? How do you organise it? How often does it happen?

 

Thank you

[Guest budgie1]

Hi

I would be interested in other peoples replies too. We tried this year to include children in their assessments. I tried asking all the children individually what they enjoyed doing, what they thought they were really good at, what had they learnt since starting school, what did they find difficult etc. The children mostly found it really hard to answer, even though we had spent a couple of circle times talking about it. It took ages to get through the whole class and i was disappointed with the results as most children didnt really know what to say and were looking for promts from me. I found I got the best conversations in small group discussions but even then most children would copy what someone else had already said!

I send home forms for the parents to fill in each term (about how they feel their child is doing and for other information about the child eg learning to swim, riding bike, joining clubs etc) So I decided to ask parents to talk to their child and ask the same sorts of questions that I had asked but we didnt get many back and the ones we did had "reading , writing, maths" on them which I think were probably prompts from the parents. Cant think what else to do. Any ideas gratefully received!

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply budgie1

 

Sounds like it could be quite time consuming then? Though I have to say if you are thinking about doing it again this year you must feel its worthwhile!

 

I haven't tried it before, this is my first year in Reception but I know that some of my class this year would have found it a bit difficult. Others of course would have loved the chance to talk about themselves!!

 

I think I'm going to take a focus group each week and chat to them. I'd just love it if they would say things such as, well I'd really like to be able to cut my toe nails....!!!

 

Look forward to the challenge, maybe we could compare notes from September?

 

[emmajess]

There's some stuff in the SEAL booklet 'Going for Goals' that sets this whole idea up over a term with lots of different circle times etc. Don't know if that might help at all?

 

At the moment my head wants me to get children to do self-assessment traffic lights on each of their focus activities - have they understood the session's learning? Don't personally feel this is really appropriate in reception - can't children just learn something, assimilate something and enjoy it without having to articulate exactly what they have learnt and how well they feel they have learnt it? I feel that this process is a whole other thing for them to learn and think about in a focus session that you really don't want to go on forever, that detracts from the learning they've just learnt! (If you see what I mean!)

 

Does anyone else have children recording their self-assessment successfully in this way or another?

[Guest]

Thanks emmajess, I had forgotten about the SEAL stuff. Will have a look at that this week.

 

I used to do traffic lights with my Y2/3 class only for key activities though and I would say that its probably better left there! I do sometimes get my reception children to put a or face on their whiteboard at the end of a carpet session. Tend to set it up as 'did you do well'? or ' Did you like that'?

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have been giving my class (R and a few Y1s) a planning sheet each Monday morning. After I have told them what 'specifics' we will have out (such as what will be in Tuff Spot), they draw in the boxes on their sheet 4 things they want to do during the week (and label at this time of year). They can choose anything within reason, one girl planned to make daisy chains last week! The aim was partly to focus them when they were choosing, as some tend to choose the same things all the time. Most are now pretty good at remembering to check their sheets during the week (they are up on wall), to see which they still need to do - others need constant reminders to actually do what they have planned! They colour each picture once they have done it.

 

At the end of the week they write something on their sheet linked to what they have been doing, such as "I liked playing in the sand." or "I made a lorry with the Lego." Sheets then go home and there is also a space for parents to comment - some don't come back, but the ones that do show that parents have been able to talk to children about what they have been doing - the other reason for trying out the planning sheets was to give parents some prompts as children always go home saying 'I don't know' when asked what they have done at school. One parent used to correct all her child's spellings though - argh!!!!!!

 

Anyway, we have been doing this for about 6 weeks and the children like doing their planning. I'm not sure how it would feed into the Learning Journey thing (see my thread about not having a clue about all that!!!) - if parents were expected to send them back, they could be included in journeys I suppose.

 

x

[Guest]

Well - that was quite essay-like wasn't it?!

[Guest]

Very interesting idea-what about the children who are not able to 'record' on their planning sheet?

[Guest]

I haven't had to cross that bridge yet, Biccy, as I only introduced the sheets about 6 weeks ago - when one or two label their planned activities, as long as I can decipher their labels that's fine, if not, I annotate it in pencil (only so I know what it is they want to do - for when they have forgotten!)

 

For September, once children have settled and are aware of what we have, etc, I am assuming they will draw what it is they want to do and we will label the pictures for them. As they build up their phonic knowledge, they will begin to write their own labels/comments. Of course, all that might well be wishful thinking!!

[Guest]

I haven't had to cross that bridge yet, Biccy, as I only introduced the sheets about 6 weeks ago - when one or two label their planned activities, as long as I can decipher their label that's fine, if not, I annotate it in pencil (only so I know what it is they want to do - for when they have forgotten!)

 

For September, once children have settled and are aware of wat we have, etc, I am assuming they will draw what it is they want to do and we will label the pictures for them. As they build up their phonic knowledge, they will begin to write their own labels/comments. Of course, all that might well be wishful thinking!!

 

see this link:

http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/highscop...scope_plan.html

a few ideas for verbal planning and recall. Might be of use to you.

This is quite a useful document too - can't remember where I got it - probably somewhere on the forum here. If so, apologies to whoever submitted it!

Progression_of_skills_in_Y1_and_2_pdr.doc

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have been giving my class (R and a few Y1s) a planning sheet each Monday morning. After I have told them what 'specifics' we will have out (such as what will be in Tuff Spot), they draw in the boxes on their sheet 4 things they want to do during the week (and label at this time of year). They can choose anything within reason, one girl planned to make daisy chains last week! The aim was partly to focus them when they were choosing, as some tend to choose the same things all the time. Most are now pretty good at remembering to check their sheets during the week (they are up on wall), to see which they still need to do - others need constant reminders to actually do what they have planned! They colour each picture once they have done it.

 

x

 

 

This sounds really really good, are the children able to think of things to do each week? Do you use these sheets to inform your planning?

 

I'm really interested in this idea... wonder if I can tone it down for nursery?

 

xx

[Guest]

sorry about adding that blast from the past in the middle of a new topic, i just got a bit excited about it!! xx

[Guest]

Hi Murgaburga,

 

One or two children tend to plan the same things each week, although I do encourage them to think about all the things we have! On the other hand, some children plan really interesting things like making daisy chains!

 

I don't consciously use them to inform planning - though I probably should do (!) and will hopefully develop this in September, though it does inform planning in some ways, as we have out what the children have planned/chosen. Hope that makes sense!

 

I'm sure it could work in nursery - maybe you could do it in groups to start with?

[emmajess]

Who uses Mindstretchers Talking and Thinking floorbooks? Should I buy one? Is it really great as a planning method that really involves the children?