Guest Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Hello I went back to start year 2 of my foundation degree today and my whole table has come away totally depressed. Can I have your thoughts please - I am studying FD in childhood studies and this year we have been split into early years and school groups. I am completing "Intergrated Early Learning, development and care". All was well until we discussed planning and were told prepare your medium term plan - "put a lot of time in now" for example on the topic of ourselves and then no work next year it's all done for you..... I am going to admit I was quiet for 30 seconds before I interrupted and went on about planning for indiviual needs, childrens interests, continuous provision, eyfs. To say It was pointless was understatement of the week - I used example of how a new child had been observed pouring paint out, putting hands in gloop and exploring with her hands. So this week we have put builders tray out with paint and add different textures in and how she is exploring this. The answer well that would be in medium term plan - but how would I know she was going to do that last year. I hadn't even met her. I went on a course being run by early excellence in huddersfield on Tues (day 1 of 3) it was fab and I was inspired and believe in their methods. But what do I do know? I am really concerned I am going to be expected to produce medium term plans again to use year in year out. But what can I do? any ideas - so far I am planning to take all my notes from early excellence with next week. But fear I will be seen as trouble.
meridian Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Tess It seems to me that your college lecturers need updating on the new requirements under the eyfs! Do they not know that we are now follwing individual children's interests and the old 'topic' medium term planning has been thrown in the shredder (where it should have gone long, long ago!). I am manager of a high/scope setting and we not been doing topic since we followed the h/s curriculum and have been planning from observing children during child initiated play to plan for small group time activities for some time now. We plan on a weekly basis not for a six week or term block (or may even throw the plans out for that particular day and go with something completely different).
HappyMaz Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Tess How sad that you should come away so demotivated. You are obviously right - we should all be planning from children's interests and not according to the fact that it is the Spring term in year three of our cycle! That said, I understand and fully support the fact that each group will be at a different place here - some still rely on topics whilst others have made the transition to fully child-led planning. And most people are probably somewhere in between. However, as a student you have the right to access high quality teaching and learning - and clearly something has gone wrong here. However I can understand your reticence to be too vocal in your class discussions: I am that student who challenges and asks questions and it can be wearing both for me and my teachers! However, I would say that you should pluck up all your courage and go with what you know to be true: anything less would make any work you do in class worthless! What a pointless exercise - doing a medium or long term plan that will not be used in your setting. Your tutors are teaching a degree course and they should expect challenging debate in the classroom - when I was teaching I often said things to students to promote disscussion (I've been known to ask students why they put cars out for girls to play with ). However it does seem that in this case you are being taught methods which are now out of favour to say the least! The skill is to raise these issues in ways that challenge but don't alienate your tutors (and when you've learned that skill perhas you can help me!) Can you go in and say you've been reviewing your notes from last week, and are having trouble reconciling what you have written with what you know about the EYFS? I would hope that your tutors would know you well enough to respect your opinion - especially if you have your EYFS paperwork to back up what you say! If lots of you feel the same way, then there is safety in numbers - ask them for support if you need it. One thing I am puzzled about though: is your Foundation degree sector endorsed (ie is there govt funding available for students to do it?). If so, the syllabus must have been agreed - and I would have thought that anomalies like this would have been picked up at this stage. Are you doing an assignment about planning, Tess? If not, then you can listen to what they say and then go your own sweet way - however if you're writing an assignment that your tutors will mark then you may have problems if they still don't see things your way! I'll be interested to hear from any other Foundation degree students (or lecturers) to see what their views are! Good luck Maz
Sue R Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 Well. well, well! Totally with everything Maz has said - and very well put, too young lady! Tess, I really feel for you - to be told to do something so blatantly wrong is galling to say the very least! I would certainly do what Maz has suggested, and definitely go armed with notes - probably with EYFS doc as well. Very good luck and PLEASE let us know what happens. Is there someone to whom you can complain about course standards? Maz - I'm with the OU, and so far all tutors have been bang up to date and in fact latest has mentioned several times that some of the materials are due for updating, so by all means point out discrepancies in assignments - proof of your currency! Sue
HappyMaz Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 Totally with everything Maz has said - and very well put, too young lady! High paise indeed! Just another thought Tess - arm them with probably the best evidence they need: www.foundation-stage.info Maz
Andreamay Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 (edited) what a wonderful opportunity to write an excellent assignment.!!Your intoduction looking at planning systems etc (obviously taking care you stick to the assignment requirements) You write about planning (medium term) what ever way they want it. Then being careful not to personalize it you write about current policy and prinicples using the eyfs and qoueting (sp)early years educators. 'It could be said .......' rather then i think! Your conclusion could be sum it all up. If it comes back negative you ask for a second opinion. Andrea Edited October 4, 2008 by Andreamay
hali Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 oh dear thats very sad - excellent advice given - just wanted to wish you luck
Guest Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 hello tess. i know where you coming from. im also doing my foundation degree. i have been given my assignment of producing a range of plans and planning. most of the girls in my class are producing long term, short term and medium term planning. in our setting we plan from the childs intrest, what we observe we will go from there.... we plan week from week, have a debrief on what we observed and what to provid the next week. we dont have topics as i work at the children centre and i only see some of the children once a week for 2 hours. just wanted to know if you record your findings on an individual learning plan? (ive not seen one before and was just curious really) all the best
Sue R Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 We develop individual learning plans in conjunction with child's parents/carers, at the six monthly consultation evenings (Daycare). Parents are given report plus latest few obs a week prior, so they come in with ideas, then we look at last time's plan and adjust to suit the last six months experiences and perceived next steps. We are considering a pre-evening chat with the children about how they feel in the Nursery. Sue
Guest Wolfie Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 We are considering a pre-evening chat with the children about how they feel in the Nursery. Sue That sounds like a great idea, really taking on board the EYFS principle about involving and consulting children in decisions that affect them and listening to "the voice of the child"- go for it!
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