Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Hi I have been teaching Reception for 5 years and believe that in that time I have gotten pretty good at it. Its taken me a while to get my head around EYFS (and I don't think I have completely) but I know that I am giving the children a well rounded curriculum. My problem is I don't think the rest of the school do - in particular the year 1 teacher. She is also head of the infants (which includes me but I do all the work for foundation stage!) but has no interest in the reception children until she recieves them as year 1's. WE;ve been back at school for three weeks and I've had constant sniping about what i haven't done - mainly heinemann maths workbooks (ahhhhhhhh) and Oxford reading tree comprehension books (bigger aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah) because I don't believe that it benefits the children in any way especially in Year R we do lots of practical maths and record in other ways and when we read we do lots of talking about the text and find examples in texts etc - why doesn't this seem good enough. Am i right not to make my children sit down and complete pages of workbooks when they could be experiencing a greater learning? am i not right in encouraging a child to read if they are ready and able and show a good understanding of what they are reading or should i stunt this so that they can complete the assosiated work book just because thats what they will do in year 1? I wouldn't have a problem with any of her queries if she actually showed an interest in what we were doing and valued my knoweldge of the children but she isn't and its drivign me nuts! I would just like some reassurance that I am right not to be sitting my children down at desks and completing endless worksheets - help! PS I will be talking to my headteacher about this and would like to show him your responses so it is 'not just me' saying it! Thanks Liz
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 (edited) Liz soooo much empathy coming from me...I am in preschool and so reallyunqualified to comment...but hey same problem at nursery.....people on here have been supporting me lately and one thing I keep getting asked to do is believe in myself, have patience and stick to my guns (sorry that's three things)......I am officially passing that on to you.....your confidence, self-worth, sense of purpose will diminish if you don't...you know in your heart that what you do is worthy you just have to SHOUT it from the rooftops....with professionalism of course...good luck...please ask the good forum people for support on your journey...they are fabulous... Edited September 24, 2009 by Guest
Inge Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 ok firstly, my area was not as a teacher but do feel that i want to add something and not just read and run. believe in yourself and what you are doing... EYFS is ALL about learning through experience and play , and sitting at workbooks is in my understanding not one of them. I have worked in early years for 20 + yrs, and am extremely pleased that at last the early years have been given the freedom to do just that, learn through play, not just in preschools but up to end of reception. I think it sounds like you are doing just as you should be, and that it is often schools that have difficulty in understanding what the foundation stage is all about. It can be hard to change ways of teaching and thinking about learning. someone with school experience and view will come along at some point, just needed to help reassure you that it is the way EYFS asks you to help the children to learn. Inge
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 At this point in reception, surely you're focusing on letter sounds, doing lots of activities such as drawing in chalks outside, finding objects that start with a specific letter, making letter shapes in the air, and just starting some early reading books with simple words? Doing workbooks seems a bit ahead of things to me, although a few letter worksheets sent home to parents couldn't do any harm, just to reinforce the more active learning you do in class. Could you give her a copy of the EYFS to take home and read for homework?
Upsy Daisy Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 To my mind the two tasks she is asking you to do are not about the children's learning. They are about recording the children's learning. I would imagine that you have observations, etc which record the children's learning while they get on with the task of developing their mathematical and comprehension skills in ways which are much more appropriate to their age and stage of development. Could you offer to share these records instead? By learning through play the children are motivated, following their own interests and working at the level which is appropriate to them. Can you say the same about using workbooks?
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 I am also from a playgroup but have experience working as a TA in yr rec-1 &2 though no longer do this but I am a school gov. with the foundation stage as my remit. Has the head of the infants ever gone on training for the EYFS as a school governor I would be asking those questions at curriculum and pupil support meetings. Wouldn'T Ofsted also ask these questions too? we are a small infant school but all staff have meetings/training on each of the year groups and gov can also attend . This person seems out of touch for her role which Ofsted would pick up on perhaps your headteacher should monitor the management team better as it would be they who would ultimately be responsible for the poor guidance offered and the transition to yr1. stick to your guns sue
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 I agree with everything said already. If anything it should be the Year 1 class taking on aspects of the EYFS, not the other way around. The first term in Year 1 is a readjustment period for the children, and it's important that there is some sort of continuation from what they were used to in Reception before them becoming Year 1. It's a shame that your Year 1 teacher is demanding activities like ploughing through workbooks, the children just aren't ready for them and it certainly isn't learning through play. Ok if you have some very able children you might want to adapt some workbook activities to challenge them, but what 4/5 year old wants to sit down and complete a workbook. They want to play!! I hope you manage to have a positive conversation with your head, highlighting the EYFS provision. I've found it very difficult trying to introduce some colleagues to the EYFS (Luckily not KS1 team who have been brilliant), I hope you have more success in this. Good luck!
sunnyday Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Hi Liz I am pre-school so maybe not 'qualified' to answer....... I am also a Grandmother - my youngest Grandaughter will start school Sept. 2010 - if she was going into a class with a teacher like you - I would be extremely happy! I did raise a question at our local school - having spent a day in the reception classroom and seen absolutely no sign of EYFS.... I was told - 'until SATS are scrapped we can't follow EYFS we have to be moving these children on and preparing them for year 1'....... Stick to your guns - you know you are right! Sunnyday
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 I was told - 'until SATS are scrapped we can't follow EYFS we have to be moving these children on and preparing them for year 1'....... They said that?? That's unprofessional madness
sunnyday Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 They said that?? That's unprofessional madness They certainly did ........ I was less than impressed.......
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 i feel you completly i think we have to accept that people just dont get early years and they def do not understand that the children learn through play a simple concept but so hard for some people to understand. the worst thing is when you know what your doing i right people mke you doubt yourself!!x i am sending out sympathy vibes x
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks everyone your comments have really helped and given me the much needed boost that I have needed all week. I shall take your comments with me to the head and hopefully the situation will begin to be resolved but I know I am right and I will believe in myself and stick to my guns. I have to admit don't know what I would do without this forum Thanks
Upsy Daisy Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 (edited) I have to admit don't know what I would do without this forum Thanks Snap! Good luck and let us know how it goes. Edited September 24, 2009 by Upsy Daisy
Guest Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Lizzielou - you sound like a thoroughly wonderful Reception teacher to me! You know what you are doing is right and why it is. Ithink you have got a great grasp of what EYFS is all about and your children sound as tho they are happy and challenged. Please don't let this Y1 teacher get to you, maybe she feels the need to push a more formal approach as she does not yet understand how EYFS is supposed to work and it is scary to let go of a system where you work thro a methodical framework and know you have ticked the boxes. I think she needs support to understand where the children she is inheriting are coming from - for your sake , her sake and most of all for the children. Good Luck!
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