A Positive Thing Happened At Work Today

[Guest]

Lots of positives there Peggy-4 times over!! It must have been a good day!!

Linda

[Verona]

Lots of positives Peggy !!!!!

 

Sue J

[Verona]

You just beat me to it Linda!!

 

Sue J

[Rea]

Peggy it appears you have discovered how to quadruple the amount of hours in a day. Well done you

[Guest]

Blame my slow computer, if It doesn't do what I want immediatley I click furiously on the mouse ( can't even wait for the smiley box to pop up-too slow!!!)

Hence the double ( lucky it wasn't quadruple echo of my post.)

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Well done Peggy

 

Positive thinking times 4 - you must be feeling really positive!

 

Maz

[Rea]

Unlucky Peggy, I still count 4 postings

[Beau]

I think Peggy needs to take a lie down.

 

I had a visitor in today and she was full of praise for the children. Said she couldn't believe that most of them weren't in their preschool year, as they sat and listened so well and for such a long time. Also had two new chidren starting and they had a great morning as well.

[Guest]

We had a great morning with a road crossing person-lollipop man to most- in to play games, read stories and act out crossing the road. He gave them all a jellybaby at the end and was amazed how all but one child only took one, she helped herself to 4, and then all sat down to eat it and were really quiet while waiting to go for snack. He told them that they were the best behaved children he had had, especially as they are so young, and looked at me and said "And I really mean that-I wish one half of them were as good as these." I was really pleased.

Linda

[Guest]

At last! I have something to contribute.

 

To set the scene: our theme is 'pets' this half term.

 

One of my colleagues came to me this morning asking me to 'liberate' a spider from one of the handbasins. So I got the obligatory glass and a piece of paper, and rescued it. I took it to show a little girl whose dad is an entymologist, and so is fascinated with bugs of every kind. Her enthusiasm was contagious, so I went around the nursery showing all the children my new 'pet spider'.

 

One of the children noticed it had hairy legs, and so I suggested we find the magnifying glass to get a closer look. Three appeared from our resources cabinet, and one little girl very kindly kept lending 'hers' to the other children. One of our smallest, boisterous boys held the magnifying glass close to his eyes, and then moved it nearer to the spider. I asked what was happening. "Its getting bigger and smaller" he said, absolutely fascinated.

 

I asked the children what I should do with the spider next. We agreed to release it into the garden, and so a couple of the girls came out with me. We took photographs of it (still under the glass) for our interest table (there's a whole display of children's pets, so we wanted to add mine!). We let it go onto some tall grasses, and took a photograph of it as it crawled away. Of course when we looked at the picture on the camera, the spider had 'disappeared'. So that prompted a long conversation about camouflage.

 

Perhaps I should write this all up with photographs and the observations I wrote about various children later to demonstrate spontaneous, child-led learning.

 

What a lovely day! - Thank you, spidey (or Sid, as we named him!)

 

Maz

[Guest]

Oh, Maz, that was lovely!

 

I had a spider yesterday - it was on my huge bit of paper I planned to run the Pixie on (why didn't the buggers make sure the Pixie was charged before they gave it to me?). OK, no working Pixie! We tracked a spider with a pen!

 

The spider was very co-operative. The children were very kind to it.

 

Not IT as planned. But I did my best. We pretended the spider was on a treasure hunt. The children drew "treasure" for the spider to "find". And at the end of it, we released the spider into the wild (out of the fire escape door).

 

And later on, when the children were supposed to be "playing with tunnels", I had a group of six children pretending to be spiders and following "Pixie-type instructions" (e.g. three steps that way, two steps back, turn this way, two steps back, etc., etc)

 

That was my good bit (PEGGY, LOOK, IT'S POSITIVE)

 

Diane.

[Guest]

Oh, Maz, that was lovely!

 

I had a spider yesterday - it was on my huge bit of paper I planned to run the Pixie on (why didn't the buggers make sure the Pixie was charged before they gave it to me?).  OK, no working Pixie!  We tracked a spider with a pen!

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What's a Pixie?

 

Maz

[Guest]

Maz what a lovely experience, reminds me of when I found the ladybirds ( even though they were bonking , I think)

 

Diane, I am now going to go on a spider hunt, love the idea of tracking them, hope my children will be as kind as yours were

 

 

Peggy

 

p.s. My positive is that we have made milk shakes all week, pineapple, banana and today raspberry - the best bit is that the children didn't like any of these flavours ( apart from 1 or 2 ) so I got to drink it all.

 

I bought a "smoothy" ( blender) machine and today I discovered that if you mix powder paint, scola paste ( made-up) in the smoothy it makes an excellent paint consistency. ( and because paste is used the paint doesn't "crack" off the paper when dry)

 

Peggy

[Jackie A.]

Maz,

 

a Pixie is a programmable toy suitable for pre-school children to use. It is a simpler version of Roamer and is smaller and can be used on a table top. You can buy the Foundation Stage Package which includes grids in colours, numbers, shapes, etc for the children to program simple instructions for Pixie to move to. There are also other ideas in this pack for use with early years.

 

Ours has just arrived this week (we ordered it at Christmas!) The staff were all having a play this lunchtime, and I can't wait to use it with the children. I think the whole package cost about £250, but we're sharing ours with reception and the infant department.

 

Try www.swallow.co.uk/pixie/pixie1.htm

[Guest]

What's  a Pixie?

 

Maz

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Maz,

 

Not completely loopy here! The Pixie isn't green and it doesn't have pointy ears! In fact, it has no ears! It's actually a very boring black cuboid with wheels. About 6 inches long, by 4 inches wide, by 3 inches high (metric, pah!). It is a programmeable robot that we borrow from the EYP every so often. It isn't tremendously exciting, but it is an IT resource. I sometimes turn it into an animal (by attaching stickle-brick parts with blu-tack). But it is more fun for the children getting it to "draw" (I attach one - or several - felt pens with rubber bands and sellotape, very Heath-Robinson). Sometimes we just get it to draw us some noughts and crosses grids!

 

And Peggy! All those milkshakes! Very positive!

 

Diane.

[Guest]

Ah. I did wonder. The only Pixies I have any experience with are the Brownie variety! The only difference is that Brownies can sometimes be a bit stubborn about following directions!!

 

I quite like the idea of this little chap with all sorts of bits and bobs attached with blu-tak being directed by the children all around the nursery!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Oh, Maz, that was lovely!

 

I planned to run the Pixie on (why didn't the buggers make sure the Pixie was charged before they gave it to me?).  OK, no working Pixie! 

 

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[Guest]

Oops, seem to have sent the quote before I had time to write the message!

I was just going to say that I know EXACTLY how you feel. Seems to happen everytime! At the moment our Pixies are on the blink and won't follow instructions at all!!

Apparently this is not unusual and they need to be sent away for a good talking to

[Inge]

Arrived at church hall this morning to find a box on the table full of computer for schools vouchers left by the AA group who use the hall in the evening.

 

The organiser had taken this box to all his support meetings and collected the vouchers for us.

 

We counted 2000 today and still have more Also some sainsbury vouchers,and persil ones in the box.

 

we will have the children bake them a cake as a thank you next week

 

Inge

[Guest]

Brilliant, Inge!

[Sue R]

Yes, that's a big - Wow ! Ta!

 

I used to use a Community Hall when I ran a Playgroup - that sort of support used to blow us away!!

 

Sue

 

AA? I didn't think AA had local meetings?..... Slap me if I'm being stupid!!

[Rea]

AA as in cars, or alcoholics anonymous??

[Sue R]

That's actually what I was thinking, Rea!!

 

SUE

[Inge]

Not the cars!!! we have more unusual groups using the hall eventings, as well as alcoholics anonymous, there is gamblers Annon. narcotics Annon.. soup Kitchen and the occasional Weight watchers when the other hall has been double booked!

 

we had 3000 tokens in all and some more left over the weekend. we also found some persil tokens and sainsbury ones (as well as a few out of date for kingsmill bread.. not aware of that one at all) As a small group this is always a plus for us. we do place boxes in local gym and with WI which is helpful too.

 

Inge

[Sue R]

Isn't it great when people rally round like that?!!

 

Sue

[Guest]

Inge,

What lovely community spirit. ( no pun intended). Don't forget to record this as evidence for Ofsted. "Community" is a difficult one to evidence, but obviously not in your group.

 

Peggy

 

p.s. What can you actually get for 3000 tokens do you know?

Will the children be able to have a say/choice in what their reward is for baking the cake??

[Inge]

Thanks for the timely reminder about evidence....children counting tokens picture coming up!!! Pity they can only get to 10 reliably took ages!!!

 

with parents contributions we currenly have enough tokens for several radio controlled cars,and some software, (we have a laptop the children use)

I notice a roamer in the book but it does not come with batteries or charger or anything.... not much use really

also have vtech smart book with 3 extra books,

and digital camera is available but we got one of those last year with tokens, so are doing well for a community group.

 

Children may help but they will not be the ones to use them as they do not arrive until October then it would seem a little unfair.

 

Inge

[Guest]

Hi all.

Lots of mini positives today made the day a lovely one! I have got mounds of paperwork and other work to do and today thought 'ok, I've got 2 choices: I can sit in the office and get distracted by staff in and out of staff room, the phone and parents popping in for chats and to pay fess, OR I could set up a table in the main room and try to get on with it.. Defintielty preffered the idea of getting distracted by children. And what a distraction they were. What would have normally taken a couple of hours has taken all day and still not done but today I have had some of the best cuddles ever by the children!! 2 at a time sitting on lap having big hugs.

Then a boy in my group who is nearly 3 came up and spoke to me and I think he must have swallowed a dictionary, bless him! Last week we had troubles getting him to speak much at all and when he did his sentences were very one worded and this week.... He said 'What are you doing? (not what you doing), Can I do some drawing? Where's my drink? Questions questions questions and proper sentences! I was amazed and my observation book moved at the speed of light! I spoke to mum and she couldnt praise us enough and said that he has come on so well since being with us and he loves coming. She said she was really pleased. She then went on to inform me that her older son who is now in infant school has become alot more confident and happy. He came to us a few times when he was getting bullied at his other nursery. The staff turned a blind eye to it!!!! She said he talks about us all the time and says we are really nice and he wants to see us again.

Then ~I overheard another one pick up a letter E from the magnetic letters and say 'E', then 'P' then when a member of staff encouraged him he recognised all of the alphabet.. He is only 2 and half! (When I spoke to Mum she said he loves watching Countdown). THen One of our 8 yr old after school children with SEN gave me a lovely slobbery kiss.. THis is very unusual for him. First one of us to get one of them! He will nose rub, which is his version of giving a kiss, but if in the wrong mood will often grab for the nose and scratch

[Sue R]

Amethyst,

 

What a lovely day you've had!! They make it just the best job ever, don't they?

 

Sue