Too Many Observations

[Guest]

My early years advisor visited today, and it seems I'm doing too many detailed observations.

She said my planned activities, 2 or 3 a day were ok, but the observations were way too detailed, and it only really needs to say who had particular wow moments, something really amazing, or those that didn't get it or were struggling with a particular skill. And it can also be done on the weekly evaluation sheet.

Also talked about rolling snack, which we don't do. Seems it's ok to have group snack if you can justify it, the same for free flow outdoors.

Confesed I hadn't looked at the SEF and she said it wasn't a problem, as it was my choice.

 

I'm certainly going to cut down on my paper work::1a

[Cait]

It's certainly easier if you do! Use post its and stick them on the walls or wherever. with notes of comments or things from the children. (it's upside down, that rainbow) date and name. At the end of the session stick them in the learning journey for the child and write them up at the end of the week or whenever - BIG O apparently love post its as they show things in progress and 'being done'

[mundia]

Hi jmb. I would agree, you dont need to record everything or you'll lose the will to live. Wow moments are he 'oout of the norm' events, these can be displayed and discussed at planning.

 

Im not sure Id qute agree with the SEF advice though. Yes it isnt statutory but we have had some OFSTEDs in our LA where the lack of it has been specifically mentioned, and you would need to show how you evaluate your practice if you are not doing it. Have you made a decison not to do the SEF or is it just that you havent got round to it yet?

 

I am finding that althugh its a lot of work and looks very scary it also really makes you realise what good practice you do have and helps yo identify where you need to go next.

[hali]

we still do group snack too - Mrs O was fine with it

[Guest]

I think I'll look into it mundia, but probably won't be until the Easter holidays when I have a bit more time.

It's just there's so much else to do somehow, and I'm not one of those organised people I'm afraid, although with less observations to do, I won't know what to do with myself,

[Guest]

I was just wondering, if you shouldn't be doing observations apart from wow moments and when a child is struggling, if there was any guidance on what you should be using to evidence progress against developmental matters, or did she say not to bother with that either??

[Guest]

I think the thing was I was writing observations for all the children, even if they had already achieved the skill we were working towards.

The example she gave me was, when we did a cutting activity, write down the ones that couldn't, the ones that were ok, and the ones that were really good, and then I'd know who wanted more practise in that area, but not write it in so much detail. If that makes sense!

So I guess that would give progress over time.

Not making that very clear am I??

[Cait]

we still do group snack too - Mrs O was fine with it

 

 

Hmm, are you lost Hali?

[Marion]

I was just wondering, if you shouldn't be doing observations apart from wow moments and when a child is struggling, if there was any guidance on what you should be using to evidence progress against developmental matters, or did she say not to bother with that either??

 

Professional judgement??

[Beau]

If you get to know the children well, then there are some things you just know without question and it is a pointless exercise to arrange an observation of this. Sometimes there are things which you are uncertain about and you may engineer their play so that you can observe something in particular. Other than that I would just note those wow moments unless you have concerns.

 

Observations should be there to inform our practice - not as a weight around our necks!!

[Guest]

It's certainly easier if you do! Use post its and stick them on the walls or wherever. with notes of comments or things from the children. (it's upside down, that rainbow) date and name. At the end of the session stick them in the learning journey for the child and write them up at the end of the week or whenever - BIG O apparently love post its as they show things in progress and 'being done'

the more i read the more confused i get!!!! our AT said not to use post its any more!!! wedo a planned holistic ob pre child each week and have a seperate sheet for spontanious obs/significant events, although i must amit we do use post its then rewrite them onto sheets later, which is piontless and time consuming!! AT is driving me mad!!!

[Guest]

Instead of post its we use sticky labels then they can be stuck anywhere.