Learning Journal Entries, How Many?

[Guest]

Hi all just wondering how many learning journal entries you all have so far. Is there a general idea of how many per week/half term there should be? thanks

[Panders]

Whilst it may be easier with new children - after all we know very little about them - after a while I observe and add notes of those observations only when they have something new to say about a child, so it varies really some weeks are good others, when children are consolidating their learning you have to be really on your game to find lots of interesting news. But we are pre-school and I am sure there is a world of difference when they are in Reception.

 

Hopefully one of our lovely teachers will be along any minute.

Edited October 9, 2010 by Panders

[Guest]

I aim for a double A4 page in our learning journeys per week.

This is a mixture of post-it's, photos, work samples, time sampling/tracking/planned obs.

And I love using our speech bubble post-it's to record all the clever and funny things they say in the form of quotes!

 

But this is just a guide - some children naturally produce loads of evidence all the time and bring stuff in they have done at home which I annotate as such and include this to show we have regard for their home learning too! And some children produce hardly anything in terms of paper evidence so for these children I like to take lots of photo's and post-it's.

 

We do find though as the year goes on it slows a bit as you've already evidenced so many of the objectives.

[Guest]

thanks, OMGosh a double A4 per week on every child. that is a lot of observations!! my children have been in for 5 weeks now and each have on average about 3/4 obs TOTAL!

 

I am really struggling as i have 2 children who do and say very little even to peers. so apart from photographs with post its saying "x has really enjoyed the playdough making food" i have nothing for them. nothing they have said to friends or adults and when i ask " wow that looks great what are you doing?" they look at me blank. obviously next steps for these 2 are to engage in conversation and make needs known by gestures or talk. would this be acceptable for these children or should i be doing more? thanks

[Guest]

I'm the same as you I've only done about 5 on each child if that and most of them are post-it notes. I've not done many photos yets. I'm finding it difficult to settle as this is my first time in a reception class starting in September. So any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[Guest]

I think it depends how many members of staff are doing the observations. I work in a foundation unit so there are lots of staff making observations.

[Guest]

My TA and I each have a clipboard with sets of sticky labels, children's names on in alphabetical order (easier to loctae in a hurry). We have 15 chidren each, and aim to get an observation for each of our children each week (sometimes stretches to a fortnight) preferably from our planned play sessions where chidren are engaging totally in CI activities. (We have different assessment sheets for directed tasks). We also carry blank sticky labels so we can record an ob of other children if we something noteworthy, if they are not one of our target children. We swap children the next week. These are easily transferred, as they stand, to learning journeys.

I do one 'big' ob for each child each half term where I link it to profile, dev matters, next steps etc and it includes a photo.

We also take LOTS of photos of everything and these are sorted into individual files for each child each half term, printed out 9 to a page - small but a record, I used to link all these to profile too but have since decided life is too short....parents love looking at the photos and they are a good discussion point at parents meetings.

We also stick in their 'wow!' moments - from home, school and after school club, which shows parental involvement (another box ticked).

Sounds a lot, prob is, but manageable if you keep on top of it. My TA gives excellent support (and my kids are off to uni now so I have more time in half term hols to sort it all!!)

[KST]

I don't really have a set amount each week, and children do vary greatly but on average I have about 3 or 4 A4 pages of photos and obs per child since they started in reception. Some have more and some less. I like the idea of having children's names on obs so you know you have one for each child though, might look at doing something like that as I sometimes notice I haven't got much for a particular child in a week. I do also add some adult led obs in their too but clearly mark if it was adult led or child initiated.

I think its important to make observations that are relevant and useful to you. Don't feel pressured to make them for the sake of it. But the more the better at this time of the year as we are all trying to guage where children are.

[Guest pinkcat]

I'm the same as you I've only done about 5 on each child if that and most of them are post-it notes. I've not done many photos yets. I'm finding it difficult to settle as this is my first time in a reception class starting in September. So any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

Hi wondered how you are getting on?

I am new to reception too and finding it really hard work - not sure if I have all the necessary assesments etc in place so wondered if you knew any good sites?

 

Have lots of photos and stickers for children but end up doing them at night and at the weekend as there is never enough time in the day!

 

Hope things are going well for you