Fitting In Observations

[Guest]

Hi

 

I'm new to the forum and looking forward to sharing with colleagues and also getting advice and guidance. I am wondering how you manage to fit in your observations and also how many obs you do per child per week? I'm the Reception teacher, its a small school one form entry and no nursery so I'm on my own doing eyfs. I am lucky that I only have 15 in my class but mostly i'm working on my own. We share a T.A between several classes but also she is taking study leave too. I find it hard to lead adult led activities, hear readers, sort out behaviour incidents ( this year my class are a lively lot !) and do observations. I do manage to take photos and often write up observations from memory after school but Think the quality of my observations this year isnt really as good.

 

Interested in hearing how others fit in observations. Thanks

[Guest Spiral]

Hi

 

I'm new to the forum and looking forward to sharing with colleagues and also getting advice and guidance. I am wondering how you manage to fit in your observations and also how many obs you do per child per week? I'm the Reception teacher, its a small school one form entry and no nursery so I'm on my own doing eyfs. I am lucky that I only have 15 in my class but mostly i'm working on my own. We share a T.A between several classes but also she is taking study leave too. I find it hard to lead adult led activities, hear readers, sort out behaviour incidents ( this year my class are a lively lot !) and do observations. I do manage to take photos and often write up observations from memory after school but Think the quality of my observations this year isnt really as good.

 

Interested in hearing how others fit in observations. Thanks

 

Just a thought (i don't get too many of them), but considering how many children and few staff you have, would it be an idea to video the children and take observations from the tape/cd?

 

You can learn an awful lot by using this method and you'd be free to let the video run, then just switch off and play at the end of the day, making notes as you go.

 

Of course, you would need permission if you were going to show it to someone else, but if it's kept in school and deleted as soon as its had it's day, you should be alright to just do it and delete?

 

Any more thoughts welcome (I'm interested in this too),

spiral

[bgfrancis]

Expanding on the video idea, could you introduce a tape or digital recorder to the children in your role play area. Show them how to use it and encourage them to record themselves whilst they are playing in there. Then you can just listen to the recordings at the end of each day and write up any relevant observations.

 

You could continue this theme in different areas of the classroom, maybe in the musical instruments area which would give you a fantastic way of saving their ideas and performances.

 

Trying to think of other ideas to help you. It must be a struggle fo you, having to get everything sorted on your own. I am also in a one form entry Reception class but am lucky enough to have a full time TA. We still find it hard to fit everything in so I hope people have other suggestions for you.

[Guest]

These are both great ideas will have a go with video and tape player and let you know how I get on

[chocisgood]

welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place! What about keeping a list and targetting a few a day on a specific aspect. That way in one week everyone will have been observed? Use a special hat/ clipboard etc to show the children you are busy for 10 mins?

oh and check out the thread about the pogo printer!

good luck