Child Initiated Planning

[Guest laura286]

Hi all,

 

I'm an NQT and am back at school on Tuesday, have just had a look at my planning and have realised that im not planning from childrens interests. I have gotten so used to planning how ive been told by my mentor (who isnt foundation trained) that I have totally forgotten how to do child initiated planning!

Help!!

Would really appreciate hearing how you all do it in your settings/planning sheets. i teach 30 reception children to give you an idea of my setting.

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Laura

[KST]

Hi Laura,

 

I also teach a reception class of 30. I still find it easier to have a themed context to plan within which I tend to choose based on interests. This is often something that I have observed a group of children playing with or talking about lots, such as Toy Story last term. You can also have sub-themes to engage other children. I also plan the continuous provision (what goes in the area for them to choose during child initiated time) based on interests, e.g. outside I had a builders yard as children had been role-playing builiding or playing ballet music inside for two children who have just started ballet and had been choosing to do that. If you look at your observations of the children you'll see their interests and you can plan their next steps based on these. Its the skills you need to teach the children, often the context doesn't matter so you can teach the objective you have identified they need to learn but deliver it through an activity that has a context they are interested in.

 

I hope that makes sense, i'm sure others will be along with more ideas.

 

KST x