purplepeanut Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 What does everyone feel about topic related learning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) While we have 'moved away' from topics and are 'building on' children's interests instead....I still have a very broad theme if only to get us 'started'....so I know that when we 'go back' in September we will be looking at 'All about me'...it will be the children's choice of how and when to get involved...and who knows where that will 'lead' us!!! Does that make sense? Sunnyday P.S. - sorry just noticed this is in Reception etc. - should have said I'm pre-school - feel free to ignore!!! Edited July 29, 2009 by sunnyday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I am just coming back to teaching after a few years at home with my children. Am going to be job sharing a Reception/Y1 class, and I am really not sure about the whole topic thing now! For September I have done a very broad medium term plan on the topic 'Houses and Homes' - we have to fit in with the whole school topic as part of the 'creative curriculum'! I have included the ELGs to focus on and lots of activity ideas within the 6 areas, but have left it very broad to allow for lots of going off at tangents and following interests. I would be very interested to hear how other people do this and whether they think this is the right sort of approach! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I am a LSA and the way we get round the topic/ theme and children's ideas is to include the children in their learning. At the beginning we tell the children what we would like to look at but need their ideas. The class are then split into 2 groups one adult per team and we aask the children what they want to discover and build a spidergram, we then come back together and share our ideas. The spidergrams are then pinned on a wall so the children can see we are following their ideas. This went down well with the LA advisors when they came to visit. HTH Vicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Kind of similar in Preschool, we ask the children what they already know and what they want to find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I think there is a place and a need for some sort of topic on which to hang the initial learning while you get to know the children and as long as it is flexible enough to be adapted as the need arises. The children are definitely more motivated and learn more when they are interested in what they are learning but this does not mean that you should not abandon all structure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I am going to start each half term with a topic - and have some general resources and ideas for the role play etc for the first week. I am going to tell the children the topic before each half term and get them to think of ideas to help, and things they might want to learn about. After that I am going to go with the children's interests. Foe example in september I am doing a topic on dinosaurs (the children all played with them during their induction, choosing them over other toys) I am going to have a dinosaurs explorer role play and various dinosaurs set out. Then I will follow the children, so if the topic only lasts the first week, so be it. I think as teacher's we have to have something planned, as we cannot go in at all times with no ideas, and I like the security of my topics - just as many children like their security of knowing what is going on. However, i am free to go with the children, and am excited to see where the dinosaurs will lead us!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Hi Everyone When I started my pre-school 7 years ago it gave me the opportunity to try something I had always wanted to do which was not use topics. We have never looked back. We have a focused activity each week which is based on an idea from the children but apart from that no planned topics. By providing a stimulating environment for the children we have never felt the need to have topics. It`s great to be able to work with the children, observing, playing with them and using their interests as a basis for what happens in the setting. When I have used topics in the past I felt they were there for the adult so we had "paperwork" to show we are providing a correct curriculum for the children. I know they work for a lot of people but it is so rewarding to see the children learning and being so involved without them. Also we manged a "good" Ofstead without topics so we must be getting something right! Sally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katekit Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Kind of similar in Preschool, we ask the children what they already know and what they want to find out. Will start the nursery year doing 'all about me /ourselves' etc and will ask the children what they would like to cover/find out etc and then go onto following their interests for the rest of the year, with Christmas, seasons etc as a backbone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Yes, that's it - we've been all over the place with them and I, personally have learned loads through the research I've done to answer their questions - outer space and stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I am with the broad topic-guideline type of gang....gives you a starting point sometimes...a.s long as it is all flexible and versatile to suit the children................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 My son's superb teacher (mixed age class R/1/2) uses topics and the children adore them. They are a great way to introduce children to areas they might not 'choose' to look into if you only ever did child initiated learning. Under the Sea has been a revelation to him and he has learnt so much through that topic. Although I like the idea of the children being involved, there has to be some value in the teacher's input, and in introducing children to new topics, particularly for those whose parents might not give them broad based experiences at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennim Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I agree with everything said so far! A good point made by Suziec8 - we have to make sure we cater for the experiential needs of those children who are not taken to the seaside, park, countryside, zoo etc as a matter of course - never mind going to other countries! Jenni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I am in reception and I use a little of both... we don't have a long term plan with pre set topics decided in advance, but we do have topics based upon what the children are interested in and things like festivals, things the children have experienced at home, or a book we have read. We then have an ideas sheet where we map out ideas and possibilities which come from children and staff and I would then plan activities around this. I also think it is our job to give children experiences they wouldn't get at home how will a child know they are interested in something if they never experience it? Our long term plan is the ELG's and our continuous provision. We do a medium term plan in retrospect (mainly for Year one so they don't cover the same and know what we have already covered) It has worked brilliantly this year and we intend continuing I found it liberating not being stuck with particular topics "because we always do light and dark in November!" it has meant more work, more researching but I have alot of accumulated resources and I have learnt things I didn't know. We didn't even "do growing" we just grew plants in our raised beds all year round and discussed related questions, found out answers and discovered new things as we went along all year rather than after Easter or the summer term. OFSTED (graded outstanding) loved planning etc, year one were happy ( i think!! ) and more importantly we all had great fun. It all began because of the EYFS but also when I was doing The Hungry Caterpillar last year and I have so many unbelievably brilliant resources, storysacks etc and I love the book but the children were not interested and we scrapped it half way through. It made me realise that just because we enjoy something and despite many awards and literature saying that children love this book they like to prove us wrong! Wouldn't it be boring if the children did what was expected, when it was expected and how it was expected! Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 All v interesting - think I need to go with this idea of a broad topic, but discussing with the children what they want to learn and then seeing what interests them. At the moment there is a whole school topic each term which each class takes from a different perspective. In September this is Ancient Egypt - not v relevant for 4 year olds!!! I think we are going to start with looking at buildings/homes and see where we go from there, possibly touching pyramids on the way. I may be surprised and if the children are interested in pyramids (espcially those with older siblings) we can go down this route! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I prefer to think of them as contexts for learning rather than a topic which has those connotations of overly adult prescription of the content - but all learning, whether self initiated or not exists in some form of context. EYFS is about the balance of adult direction and child initiation too. Especially in reception where you are that close to the end of key stage (and going to get judged on it too) it's important to ensure children haven't missed out on concepts because they've never been introduced to them or chosen to explore them. I think it's very important to know what you are aiming for in the learning processes - you teach those things that support that identified need in a context and then provide a rich environment that allows the exploration of same and further concepts etc etc alongside it. For me it's all about balance. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I prefer to think of them as contexts for learning rather than a topic which has those connotations of overly adult prescription of the content - but all learning, whether self initiated or not exists in some form of context. Now I'm loving that description catma - it gives me a whole new perspective! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyPR Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I applaud your your words Catma ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 yes, me too, using those from now on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Thanks! Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Just what I needed to hear catma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 All v interesting - think I need to go with this idea of a broad topic, but discussing with the children what they want to learn and then seeing what interests them. At the moment there is a whole school topic each term which each class takes from a different perspective. In September this is Ancient Egypt - not v relevant for 4 year olds!!! I think we are going to start with looking at buildings/homes and see where we go from there, possibly touching pyramids on the way. I may be surprised and if the children are interested in pyramids (espcially those with older siblings) we can go down this route! Maybe you could start with a story like this kathrynmc http://www.amazon.co.uk/Egyptian-Cinderell...726&sr=1-18 As most children will be familiar with cinderella this may be a way in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 That looks fab, thankyou - I have ordered it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 We slid into Ancient Egypt quite unexpectedly. We had set up a doctor's surgery role play area but the children had other ideas and used the bandages to create mummies (it seems some of them had seen Night in the Museum). We looked at Tutankhamen on the internet and they were impressed with the gold and jewels so created their own mini sarcophagus and wrote messages using hieroglyphics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I think it's fantastic the way that children lead us in different directions - I think that WE get much more out of things too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickynooblue Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I think like many others we are mixing it up a bit! Myself and TA plan daily, we bought a planning book from a company called PIRIONGS ( I think thats how you spell it!) there are lots of different ones to chose from. Our planning does come from the childrens interests and expereinces, but we also have a topic in mind. We recently covered a 'space' topic and one of the children brought in a tortilla because it looked like the moon, our planning then led us to trying different fillings in tortillas, which then led us to finding out a little about Mexico and counting in Spanish. We often go off in tangents but it works really well. Hope this helps Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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