Parental Contributions To Learning Journies

[Guest]

Hi all

 

I'm on my second placement for my eyps and I need to have more coontact with parents (whilst hopefully initiating a change )

 

The nursery is lovely but what I've noticed is parents wait in the foyer whilst their child is collected, the staff rotate the staff member on duty (lots of good relationships).

 

I am looking to create?? a sheet to go home along the lines of what have you done at the weekend. With a view to this being included in the child's learning journey. I'm not think of 1 every week, perhaps each child having 1 a term/half term.

 

I was going to send home a blank form together with a 'pretend' completed form to show how hopefully simple it is!!

 

The heading I thought of were: name, date, what I did this week end, space for photo or drawing by child.

(space for staff to add links to EYFS)

 

So ... what do you think and is there already one of these somewhere that I can adapt and make pretty

 

Thanks for your ideas.

[Cait]

We use little exercise books and we write in them and stick photos in and parents do the same. It works very well - of course some parents lose them, or don't bother, but these are only one or two. It would be nice to start something that children and families, and the setting can enjoy for years to come.

 

The label in the inside cover says "Please use this notebook to write about things that your child has been doing at home and about any achievements or milestones you have noticed. Your Key Person may use these notes in your child’s individual Development and Learning Record and they will almost certainly provide a good opportunity for discussion. It is also helpful if you note down things which may affect your child’s behaviour, for instance if you are decorating, or there is illness at home, or something exciting like a new baby in the family. You could also use it to let us know if your child will be absent for any reason, for example a doctor’s appointment, or to let us know of any concerns that you would like to have a confidential chat with a member of staff about."

[Guest]

Hi Cait

 

Thanks for replying, I was thinking of an A4 sheet that would just slide into the learning journey, then it wouldn't matter if anything got lost or not done. Am I on the wrong lines?

 

Thanks

Emerald

[Cait]

Well I wouldn't say you are on the wrong lines, every setting is different and you do what works for you. For me, a sheet given out every now and then might mean that some information from home would not get recorded. The notebook means that they have it there on hand for whenever something comes up. It forms a good two way communication between the families and the setting and also means that childminders can have some input too. We transfer usable information into the child's special file/learning story, with the note that 'mum reported that.....' so it hows we put the information they give us to good use

[hali]

we also use small a5 books that go home each week to record keycarers info on thier key children and for parents to comment or add things they would like the keycarer to know.

[HappyMaz]

we also use small a5 books that go home each week to record keycarers info on thier key children and for parents to comment or add things they would like the keycarer to know.

Sally Thomas would be proud!

[hali]

i know

[Cait]

Are we preferring KEY CARER now ladies? how about EDUPLAYTION instead of educare then!

[Cait]

OOh Emerald, I just thought, if you need to have contact with parents, why not invite them to 'stay and chat' sessions where they come in and look at the learning story/journey and also give you information about their child's development at home too. You could invite them to bring in some photographs from home to share with you as well as using the opportunity to show photographs you have of the child, and show how these connect with EYFS

[HappyMaz]

Are we preferring KEY CARER now ladies? how about EDUPLAYTION instead of educare then!

Eeeuchhhhh! Not for me, thanks!

[Cait]

Haha - it was said to me recently

[Guest]

Thanks Cait - I'll look into that.

[hali]

oww Cait i cant even say that

[Guest]

HI.

 

we have been thinking about this subject recently ourselves.

 

all of the parents come into the child's room at nursery, but invariably parents are evry busy and just want to drop and go. we have a really good rapport with most parents, but of course this is diificult to evidence when ofsted arrive. we have been thinking of ways that parents can contrinute without it being time consuming.

 

we have decided that each room (just inside their main door) will have a display board titled something along the lines of 'the children's interests at the moment are...'. this will be a board that is ever changing (well as frequently as interests change anyway). the key person will then place a small slip with the words (child's name) interest at nursery is water play (for example) and maybe a picture of them playing in water (the slip will be dated). we will then have in a clear wallet slips for the parents to fill in. these say ' at home we have noticed that (child's name) likes......., the parents then can tell us anything they like. on this slip is a section for the staff to repsond, so that the parents can be sure there message has been read. the parenst will then place their slip on the display board to... staff will use parental input then in the planning for the child. once the child's interest has been followed, the slips will be taken of the board and placed in the child's learning journey folder.

 

Dawn