Cait Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 What a great idea - can i just ask - in the settings where 'wow' cards are used - how was this introduced to parents?? I posted my original note to parents in the thread above with the wow slips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icklehels Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I'm loving this, such a good idea to get parents more involved! I have a spare display board too - I will talk this through with my staff tomorrow at my room meeting, although I have talked to some of the girls already and they seem to think its good! thanks for this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 print a set of slips off to show them, and then you can either use those, or devise you own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamgirl Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I posted my original note to parents in the thread above with the wow slips hi. very interested in your idea. have downloaded your wow thing for parents but cant read any words. seems like lots of tgny black crosses. can read coloured words though. what do you write to parents? xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Bizarre - I'll re-upload it all brb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 ok, I've uploaded them as pdf as well as the original wow slips - let me know how you get on wow_wall.pdf wow.doc wow.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Hi I just want to say a big thankyou to everybody who gave ideas for this thread. I work in a creche and have adapted the idea to use in the creche. I have children who attend regular sessions they have a learing journal to record their acheviments but the children who attend occasionly dont have one. So we have created the Wow wall to capture their special acheviments when with us be it only for a short time. I have had a fab response from parents and the local early years rep. As we are only a creche Parents are amazed that we take the time to do learning journals and the Wow wall. So thanks again everybody . Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 WOW what a lovely idea. I am definatly going to use this in September. Thanks for the inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Cait I notice from your earlier replies that you use this in conjunction with a diary, I tried to introduce this in my setting last year and failed miserably. Can you explain what you do so I can try again armed with more info. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Well we had the notebooks first, parents love them and contribute to them quite a lot. We make an effort to write in them a minimum of once a week and we stick pictures in too. Children often take part in what we write and choose a picture to be stuck in. Getting the parents 'on side' is the main thing. I've attached the label that we stick in the front, but we explain to parents when they start and show them one from a child's bag (quick flick for confidentiality). We introduced the Wow! last year (after using the notebooks for about 10 years) as another tool for engaging parents. Most parents are really enthusiastic about it - I think there are only 2 parents who have never contributed - and we'll get 'em next year!! Because the wall is 'in their face' when they come in, and they get chance to read it all when they are waiting in the lobby at the end of the session, they contribute to it regularly. If you need more info, just PM me and I'll tell you specifics notebook_labels_portrait.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks Cait that's brill. I will take it to work tomorrow as we are having a staff meeting and see if I can encourage them to give it a try. The note is really useful and I will be in touch if I need anymore help. Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 we use little 6x4 notebooks from The Consortium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pamgreen Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 We use them and also give them to parents to use. These then come back to nursery it's a brilliant way of parents contributing to their child' records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 It certainly is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 We introduced the Wow! last year (after using the notebooks for about 10 years) as another tool for engaging parents. Was really interested in your labels Cait - but why do you ask parents not to let their children draw in the book? We get lots of emergent writing in ours - children often want to have their say in their books too! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Was really interested in your labels Cait - but why do you ask parents not to let their children draw in the book? We get lots of emergent writing in ours - children often want to have their say in their books too! Maz They have their own little books that we put pictures in and they can do what they like with that. I think it's important that children learn that not everything is theirs to do with as they wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I was thinking of doing some kind of parents' repsonse to targets. (Partly to try and simplify the very complicated target system I have inherited and that the rest of the school does). Someone told me they send out 6 cards with targets on and ask parents to send them back with comments on. I like the wow much better... Do you think I could combine them? I realise I've forgotten to have breakfast - perhaps that would help me think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 (edited) Haha - I have too, just had a cuppa and thought 'why's my tummy rumbling already?' Yes I'm sure you could combine the two are the six cards related to the six areas of learning? Edited July 24, 2009 by Cait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I think it's important that children learn that not everything is theirs to do with as they wish. Fair enough. I guess our philosophy is that the home/pre-school communication book is about them, and since our children's views about their day are being written about by the grown ups, it is only fair that they should be able to contribute to it either by 'writing' or drawing a picture of what they've done. We've noticed that children who rarely pick up a pencil to draw at nursery will do it at home in their book when mum or dad is writing in it - I especially loved the picture of me drawn by one of our little boys. I had no hair, for some reason! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 it is only fair that they should be able to contribute to it either by 'writing' or drawing a picture of what they've done. We've noticed that children who rarely pick up a pencil to draw at nursery will do it at home in their book when mum or dad is writing in it Maz This is why we give them their own notebook, they can then write at the same time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 This is why we give them their own notebook, they can then write at the same time Ah! Two books to make for each child, and two books to look at. There aren't enough hours in my day as it is! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 well not two books to make - they are just the consortium 6x4's and we only give children one who show an interest in having one - so last year there were 7 I think and this year - who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 So here they are anyway if they are of any use to anyone. The wow wall one is the note we sent home to parents with a wow slip paperclipped to it, the others are paperclipped together and live in the children's trays WoW! - bit delayed but thanks for these. I was just about to start a thread asking about opinions on parents suggestion boxes. A WOW box might be more productive and positive - could incorporate suggestions too. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Have also recently stumbled across this thread when trying to find ways to promote parent involvement - really grateful to Cait for super WOW templates and have had a good response from parents. I/m also keen to include a path for parent suggestions - unsure also whether WOW box could accomodate them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickylear Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 We also use a wow wall in our reception class as a result of this forum (thanks for that) Last year we used a rocket display with stars for parents to record their special moments. It seems however that the wow wall is more successful. I think that visually it works as an incentive for both children & parents to send in wow's throughout the year. I've already had to move our display onto a bigger wall & the kids are planning on filling it up by Christmas. Thanks Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thank you for WOW suggestions - I found these by accident when looking for inspiration for getting 'parent voice' for use as evidence for FSP. I an definitely going to introduce these in time for xmas holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Glad you like them - they really work well for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 What a fantastic thread. I tried using a WOW envelope last year but the parents never used it and it eventually got ripped down, I love the idea of displaying it on the wall and we can use it for some good positive praise for our more 'challenging' children too. Im making our WOW wall up for tomorrow Thanks for your templaits Cait x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickylear Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I've just sent up an email account for my class so that parents can email their wow's to me. I often have comments like 'I was going to write a wow but I didn't have one at home. I'll let you know how that works????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Just to let everyone know I gave out the vouchers and parent notice for our WOW wall yesterday and made up the wall in the middle of the room. Already we have had a fantastic response with around 4 coming in from parents, and staff using them too. I am encouraging parents to come into the room to help their pin the WOW vouchers on - out of interest how do you encourage / remind parents to take another voucher with them for their next one - I dont think many did and I dont want it to be a one hit wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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