Guest Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Summer holidays are upon us, but looking back of the past year there will have been many a thing to have made us smile, laugh, feel proud, given us a sense of achievement, made us understand why we do what we do... so what has 'done it' for you this year??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 thats a really hard one - there are sooooo many things - i think the best one was when a little boy who had decided not to talk when with us - suddenly just started speaking and hasnt stopped - it was through lots of hard work,support ,care and gaining his confidence -he had been badly treated at home and was in care awaiting foster carers . i could have cried that day and it still brings a lump to my throat when i hear him talking so happily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I think it has to be completely letting go of adult-led topics, and allowing the freedom to 'go with the flow' that the EYFS encourages to really get established in preschool. We still lead some activities, as we think it's necessary to organise SOME things to 'move children along' but it's all done from the children's basic concepts. We've got such a lot out of these 'run with its' and I have learned SO much about different things like sharks and big cats etc. All the children have progressed a huge amount and children, staff and parents are happy! I'm happiest as I'm not spending such a long time doing forward planning which frees up time to be on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I think, on balance, it was hearing from our Ofsted inspector what the parents had told her about us, how, without hesitation, they had all said how lovely we, as a staff are, and how they can trust us as it's like a home from home at our setting.Lovely compliment! Also, I have to say,one or two things have really made me chuckle, or proud: first one, was two of our boys were talking to me and I went to push my hair out of the front of my face, and a great handful fell out..........one child, who kept full eye contact with me the whole time, whispered out of the corner of his mouth..'it's ok, Jamie, it's just the chemotherapy'!!! I don't know how I kept a straight face, honestly. Second one was in a similar vein really.our Ofsted inspector was talking to the children about what they like at our setting....and same two boys said to her, 'do you know that narnia has no hair??'( i don't wear a scarf at the setting and the children are fine with it...it's just who I am right now!)....so the inspector said, 'well yes, i had noticed that'......and they said, 'it's because she's had chemotherapy and it's like very strong medicine and it made her hair fall out, but it will grow back..........do you know she's got cancer??' Inspector looked at me with a wry smile on her face and her eyebrows shot up ( lucky so and so..........I don't have any of those either!!). Anyway, at feedback, she said how great it was that the children were able to talk about my 'illness' so freely,and i explained that, since I was going to lose my hair, I simply told the children that I had been poorly and the doctors tried to fix everything with a little operation, and that helped a lot, but then I had to have some VERY strong medicine and it was SO strong, it would make my hair fall out!! Of course, they all fell about laughing, thinking I was joking, so when it actually happened, I asked them to remember what I had said and several of them did.My aim, I hope, was to let the children know, subtly, that the C word isn't necessarily a scarey one and IF the children remember me at all when they are older and perhaps someone they know or love, is diagnosed with cancer, then they won't be afraid, because they will recall that 'that lady at nursery was ok'. Mrs 'O' said it was a wonderful attitude and she felt we were giving the children a very valuable life lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I think one of the things for me was starting my degree and now barring 2 assignments being half way there!!! The other was spending days doing a grant application which my Head told me we wouldn't get, so not to bother with, and I got almost £6000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some for us, some for reception, and some for year one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAY worth the effort!! But do you know what will really make the whole year worth it............??????????????????????????? If just one parent says thank you for the hard work we have put in this year. Just a verbal thank you. It would go a very long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Hi All - all I can think about at the moment is "what a hard year" - we have had a few SEN children this year who are wonderful, and another few wonderful darlings with behaviour. Yesterday was auful, I had been at home writing transitional reports and came back into the setting around 12 to help tidy up etc etc, one of my little lads was challenging was hurting other children so I came and spoke to him where upon he scratched my arm and hit me - came right out of the blue or I would of moved - as he moved away, he went to hit any other child he could so I had to at that point divert his attention and say "come and have a cuddle" just so that he would sit on my lap - anyway he then looked at me and scratched my arm - at that point I asked a colleague to call his mum - as I did not want to have to hold him on my lap = anyway managed to deviate and defuse and eventually he sat with group for circle time - anyway when his mum got to pre-school she thought I was excluding him - after a long chat again with her and discussing the behaviour - he hits her at home etc etc she calmed down, I said that the reason to called her was so that we can discuss and support what ever is going on. Sadly, around 2 months he did this before and I started a star approach realising that he needed adult support and he seemed to come out of it - a real shame since he is starting school in September - any ideas on how I could of dealt with this a bit better!!!!! felt sad that mum felt that way - what do you all do in this situation.......................... Narnia - you are a true inspiration to everyone out there - how great that you shared your experiences with the children - I do hope that you have a lovely summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Like Cait, we have moved to a more free flow approach and it has been amazing to see what the children can do when you give them the freedom. Have to say, I found it quite hard to just sit back and watch at first as it felt as if I wasnt 'doing' anything - although I was observing. I have found out some fascinating things about the children which probably would never have come to light in a more adult directed environment. On the down side, we seem to have had a greater number of children with various behaviour issues and on a bad day I have gone home ready to drop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Learning British sign language, using it to communicate with a child who is deaf, watching him reply, laugh and smile and then get up to mischief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmajess Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Narnia, what a truly touching post. All children should be having such wonderful practitioners. Just reading that post has been inspirational to me, so how much more that must be the case for people who work closely with you and the families at your setting. For me, highlights have revolved around junk modelling, and one little boy who regularly comes into assembly 'in disguise' with various boxes, tubes, pots etc, bound to him with masking tape. The KS2 teachers' reactions are always very entertaining to watch! Also a lovely card received today from a mum who'd been going through a very difficult time. She wrote lovely things and it meant such a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I've been having a hard think.... Has to be our nativity. I wrote a simple storyline and made up some songs. The children had never said lines before but they did for me!! Our Joseph was amazing, so comical and our Mary and Angels said all their lines correctly. I had such a fantastic response from our parents and grandparents and some still watch their DVD of it now! My group this year are such little stars! ppp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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