Ftting In Enough Maths And Lit

[Guest]

Hi - I'm an NQT in reception and have been told the parents in the school are the type that expect numeracy/lit to be on the timetable every day. I'm of an attitude we then need to manage and educate the parents as maths and lit will come into songs/CIL and general work each aqnd every day. My other class teacher wants to try and have phonics every moring, and between 11am till 12pm fit in a maths AND lit lesson each day.I think this is unworkable especially when you have to fit in tidying up and washing hands etc. She sees this as being 10 min whole class input then a focus group/ or could be a carousel of activities. The chn to swap after 1/2 hour and do the next subject.

 

I have so many questions on how to make this work...

How many literacy and maths lessons does everyone do?

Who does whole class input followed by a carousel?

Who does small group input whilst rest of class do CIL or subject related adult directed carousel activities?

I tend to agree with many posts I've seen about not dragging chn away from CIL time.

 

If you do two literacy and 2 maths lessons each week with 5 groups of 6 kids it would take more than two weeks to be able to sit with each group. Is this ok?

Daily_TIMETABLE2.doc

[Guest]

Hi there,

I am in Reception too, and I totally agree with you that it is a big ask to do Literacy and Maths in that time slot! You are in a difficult position if the other teacher thinks this is possible. As you say, PSRN and CLLd come into everything and you just need to make the parents aware of this! I would think that if you are doing Phonics and a short PSRN input then this is enought. This is how I am planning to do things (but it may not stay like this as I am forever changing things!). And our day won't start to look like this till at least half term:

 

8.45 - Register, Wake and Shake etc

9.00 - Phonics (followed by short CLLD input as year goes on)

9.20 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

10.10 - Snack time / Show nd Tell

10.30 - Break time

10.45 - PSRN input

11.00 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

11.45 - Assembly

12.05 - Lunch time

1.00 - Register, then story or topic related input

1.20 - CIL

2.30 - Tidy up, then story time/singing/circle time

3.00 - Home

 

Two mornings a week are 'Literacy' mornings and two are 'Numeracy'. Over the 2 mornings either myself or my TA would aim to work with each group - so over the course of the week each group would have one small group Literacy and one small group Numeracy. The rest of the children would be involved in CIL, and each group starts their activity at the start of a session so no one is dragged away from CIL when they are involved. I hope this makes sense, I'm afraid it sounds like gobbledygook!

I am thinking about not stopping for Break time as we have our outside area so it is not really necessary, and also about having a snack bar that the children can access whenever they are hungry. Anyway, good luck, I'm sure you'll get lots of other people along with their ideas soon!

Kathryn

[Rufus]

Hi there,

I am in Reception too, and I totally agree with you that it is a big ask to do Literacy and Maths in that time slot! You are in a difficult position if the other teacher thinks this is possible. As you say, PSRN and CLLd come into everything and you just need to make the parents aware of this! I would think that if you are doing Phonics and a short PSRN input then this is enought. This is how I am planning to do things (but it may not stay like this as I am forever changing things!). And our day won't start to look like this till at least half term:

 

8.45 - Register, Wake and Shake etc

9.00 - Phonics (followed by short CLLD input as year goes on)

9.20 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

10.10 - Snack time / Show nd Tell

10.30 - Break time

10.45 - PSRN input

11.00 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

11.45 - Assembly

12.05 - Lunch time

1.00 - Register, then story or topic related input

1.20 - CIL

2.30 - Tidy up, then story time/singing/circle time

3.00 - Home

 

Two mornings a week are 'Literacy' mornings and two are 'Numeracy'. Over the 2 mornings either myself or my TA would aim to work with each group - so over the course of the week each group would have one small group Literacy and one small group Numeracy. The rest of the children would be involved in CIL, and each group starts their activity at the start of a session so no one is dragged away from CIL when they are involved. I hope this makes sense, I'm afraid it sounds like gobbledygook!

I am thinking about not stopping for Break time as we have our outside area so it is not really necessary, and also about having a snack bar that the children can access whenever they are hungry. Anyway, good luck, I'm sure you'll get lots of other people along with their ideas soon!

Kathryn

This is exactly how my day runs, so pleased to see someone else does it like this. I also agree that, because group work starts at the beginning of the session I am never dragging children away from CIL, works for me.

I don't stick to the group work being just CLLD and PSRN, I may not have PSRN group work for a few weeks because I have done CD or KUW instead. However I have 4 PSRN carpet times per week and PSRN comes into everything else so I don't put pressure on myself to do too many adult led PSRN as well.

[Guest]

I do it exactly like Rufus, alternating the group work between all areas. I have fifteen minutes of phonics/PSRN carpet time each day and the rest is CIL/group activities.

 

Carrots x

[Guest]

Hi there,

I am in Reception too, and I totally agree with you that it is a big ask to do Literacy and Maths in that time slot! You are in a difficult position if the other teacher thinks this is possible. As you say, PSRN and CLLd come into everything and you just need to make the parents aware of this! I would think that if you are doing Phonics and a short PSRN input then this is enought. This is how I am planning to do things (but it may not stay like this as I am forever changing things!). And our day won't start to look like this till at least half term:

 

8.45 - Register, Wake and Shake etc

9.00 - Phonics (followed by short CLLD input as year goes on)

9.20 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

10.10 - Snack time / Show nd Tell

10.30 - Break time

10.45 - PSRN input

11.00 - CIL (me or TA to work with groups on CLLD/PSRN activities, other to observe/play)

11.45 - Assembly

12.05 - Lunch time

1.00 - Register, then story or topic related input

1.20 - CIL

2.30 - Tidy up, then story time/singing/circle time

3.00 - Home

 

Two mornings a week are 'Literacy' mornings and two are 'Numeracy'. Over the 2 mornings either myself or my TA would aim to work with each group - so over the course of the week each group would have one small group Literacy and one small group Numeracy. The rest of the children would be involved in CIL, and each group starts their activity at the start of a session so no one is dragged away from CIL when they are involved. I hope this makes sense, I'm afraid it sounds like gobbledygook!

I am thinking about not stopping for Break time as we have our outside area so it is not really necessary, and also about having a snack bar that the children can access whenever they are hungry. Anyway, good luck, I'm sure you'll get lots of other people along with their ideas soon!

Kathryn

[Guest]

Thanks so much. I'm beginning to see hoe it should all work. I like the idea of having a short whole class input followed by a carousel of lit/maths activities that teh chn rotate around during the week but think it really eats into teh schedule. Using CIL time for a focus group too makes it appear to run a lot smoother.

 

Does anyone use the carousel system whereby all chn working on a maths/lit adult initiated activity that follows from adult input?

Ta

[Guest]

Does anyone use the carousel system whereby all chn working on a maths/lit adult initiated activity that follows from adult input?

Ta

 

I have a seperate session for 'group work' where we have an input (can be any area of learning) then 2 grps with adults and the other chn work on adult initiated activities- not always CLL/PSRN but quite often they are- particularly basic skills like num recognition and phonics. I give them activities based on what the chn who are working independently need, so I might have red ad green grps working indepednently but might choose 2 from each group to work on the computer becasue they don't often choose that in CIT and the remaining chn playing a game to support development of turn taking. I never just stick to 2 activities that they all have a go at over time, I believe it needs to be more personalised than that. The chn really enjoy the group time session and it works well for us.

[Guest]

I have a seperate session for 'group work' where we have an input (can be any area of learning) then 2 grps with adults and the other chn work on adult initiated activities- not always CLL/PSRN but quite often they are- particularly basic skills like num recognition and phonics. I give them activities based on what the chn who are working independently need, so I might have red ad green grps working indepednently but might choose 2 from each group to work on the computer becasue they don't often choose that in CIT and the remaining chn playing a game to support development of turn taking. I never just stick to 2 activities that they all have a go at over time, I believe it needs to be more personalised than that. The chn really enjoy the group time session and it works well for us.

[Guest]

THanks - I'd be interested to know how your day looks. How long is your adult input and independent activities. Do you manage to fit thatv into the morning - if so how long is CIL time.

 

I agree about personalising the independent work - I'd differentiate by ability groups, but timetable who was working with TA/T or alone.

Tks.

[Guest]

THanks - I'd be interested to know how your day looks. How long is your adult input and independent activities. Do you manage to fit thatv into the morning - if so how long is CIL time.

 

I agree about personalising the independent work - I'd differentiate by ability groups, but timetable who was working with TA/T or alone.

Tks.

 

We have daily phonics, story and maths and an input for the focus area of that day. We have the same routine every day, but each day the main focus changes so one day is CLL, one is PSRN etc for each area of learning except for PSED which comes into everything. In the past I have done the morning group work being focused on CLL & PSRN and the afternoon group work focused on CD & KUW, with PSED being included in everything and then PD as PE slots during the week. That could be an option if your hand is being forced to do daily CLL and PSRN. I have tried the way your other teacher suggested, doing one for 1/2 hr then swapping and personally found it too muddly, but have done it where I do a group for CLL each morning and the NN does a group for PSRN then the next week we swapped over subjects- in fact an advisor suggested that I do that. It is worth noting that many activities will cover lots of areas of learning so try not to get too caught up with your timetabling each area. I tend to tell parents it is 'group work' and then you can explain the CLL/PSRN content of your activities if they really start asking about those subjects in particular.

 

Here is a copy of my daily timetable:

timetable_for_parents_and_classroom_autumn1.doc

[Guest]

We have daily phonics, story and maths and an input for the focus area of that day. We have the same routine every day, but each day the main focus changes so one day is CLL, one is PSRN etc for each area of learning except for PSED which comes into everything. In the past I have done the morning group work being focused on CLL & PSRN and the afternoon group work focused on CD & KUW, with PSED being included in everything and then PD as PE slots during the week. That could be an option if your hand is being forced to do daily CLL and PSRN. I have tried the way your other teacher suggested, doing one for 1/2 hr then swapping and personally found it too muddly, but have done it where I do a group for CLL each morning and the NN does a group for PSRN then the next week we swapped over subjects- in fact an advisor suggested that I do that. It is worth noting that many activities will cover lots of areas of learning so try not to get too caught up with your timetabling each area. I tend to tell parents it is 'group work' and then you can explain the CLL/PSRN content of your activities if they really start asking about those subjects in particular.

 

Here is a copy of my daily timetable:

 

I really like the way you have set out your timetable, it is very parent friendly and gives them a good idea of what their children are doing each day. Thanks for that, I am going to do a similar thing for my parents!

[Guest]

Lovely way to set out your timetable!

[Guest]

I really like the way you have set out your timetable, it is very parent friendly and gives them a good idea of what their children are doing each day. Thanks for that, I am going to do a similar thing for my parents!

[Guest]

We have daily phonics, story and maths and an input for the focus area of that day. We have the same routine every day, but each day the main focus changes so one day is CLL, one is PSRN etc for each area of learning except for PSED which comes into everything. In the past I have done the morning group work being focused on CLL & PSRN and the afternoon group work focused on CD & KUW, with PSED being included in everything and then PD as PE slots during the week. That could be an option if your hand is being forced to do daily CLL and PSRN. I have tried the way your other teacher suggested, doing one for 1/2 hr then swapping and personally found it too muddly, but have done it where I do a group for CLL each morning and the NN does a group for PSRN then the next week we swapped over subjects- in fact an advisor suggested that I do that. It is worth noting that many activities will cover lots of areas of learning so try not to get too caught up with your timetabling each area. I tend to tell parents it is 'group work' and then you can explain the CLL/PSRN content of your activities if they really start asking about those subjects in particular.

 

Here is a copy of my daily timetable:

[Guest]

What is 'write dance?' Sounds fun....

 

Tks

[Guest]

What is 'write dance?' Sounds fun....

 

Tks

 

it is a scheme designed to develop gross motor skills and it has a CD of music tracks. Each track has a related storyline and music with a set of movements- can be striaght movements/circular etc. We choose 1 track a week, do the gross movement every day then once a week we do the same movements but using crayons/chunky pens on paper. All the info is in the book, I think there is training available in some places but I have self taught from the book. The one we have is really old now and only has about 8 tracks on the CD, but there are new versions released this year which I will definitely be buying to give us more variety!

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?u...rds=write+dance

[Guest]

Lovely way to set out your timetable!

 

Was that for me? If so, thanks very much! We give a copy to parents to help them know what happens, they really like having it and report that it helps them talk to their child about their day which is nice! It's the version that we display in the classroom too, although we have a large version, each 'part' of the day is on a seperate A4/A3 laminated sheet and has a clear photo of the chn 'doing' that part of the day, it's like a large timeline titled 'Our school day' and because we are ladybirds class we have a large laminated ladybird that we move along the line as the day progresses- like a visual timetable.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Guest

[Guest]

Yes it was missc! It's a great way to explain to parents how it works!

[Guest]

Yes it was missc! It's a great way to explain to parents how it works!

 

It's the version that we display in the classroom too, although we have a large version, each 'part' of the day is on a seperate A4/A3 laminated sheet and has a clear photo of the chn 'doing' that part of the day, it's like a large timeline titled 'Our school day' and because we are ladybirds class we have a large laminated ladybird that we move along the line as the day progresses- like a visual timetable.

[Guest]

What a great way to display the daily routine and so easy for parents to understand. Well done and thanks for the download.

This is the way my day works so it is good to see so many other people do as well.

 

Jane x