SLIMBRIDGE Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Hi all, I am in the process of altering our timetable at school and need some advice on what others think/do. Up till now we have had separate break times to the rest of the school and haven't been attending assembly, but as the year goes on we start to fit in with the rest of the school a bit more. I have come up with a timetable but am now worried its too adult led. It is as follows: 8.45 - Wake and Shake, Register 9.00 - Assembly 9.15 - Child initiated learning 10.10 - PSRN carpet time 10.20 - Snack time 10.30 - Break time 10.45- Phonics 11.10 - Group time (small group work e.g. PSRN game, Art activity..) 11.30 - Literacy activities (I listen to readers, my TA does handwriting, others look at books, go on the computer or do table top activities like puzzles) 11.55 - Lunchtime 1.00 - Register and carpet time 1.20 - Child initiated learning 2.25 - Break time 2.40 - Story time 3.00 - Home Obviously this is all approximate and we are v flexible, but this is the general structure. What do others think of this and what do you do yourselves? Thanks in advance for your responses.
Guest Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 My timetable evolves over the course of the year at the moment an average day consists of: 8.40 children come in-tabletop activities 9-9.15 assembly 9.15-9.40 phonics 9.40-10 guided reading (all children on AI literacy based activities 1 group reading with me, 1 group with TA doing words) 10-10.20-snack and drinks, wow vouchers 10.20-10.40 playtime 10.40-11.20 PSRN carpet session then focused activities -3 groups CI 11.20-12 CLL carpet session then focused activities 3 groups CI 12-00-12.15 story 12.15-1.20 lunchtime 1.20-3.15-KUW/creative carpet session then all children child initiated activities no AI Teacher and TA both doing observations and supporting play you will find a huge variety in what reception teachers do on this forum with regards the balance of CI and AI. I worry about getting the balance right between CI and AI in a poll with my cluster schools I seemed to have the most CI time out of all of them which shocked me as I thought my mornings were too structured. My local schools had AI running throughout the day with only the groups not with the teacher doing CI meaning that they rarely managed to observe their children at play. My early years advisor told me that the balance of time should be in 1/3rds 1/3 adult guided 1/3 adult initiated which the children chose from 1/3 completely child initiated hope that helps Debbie
catma Posted January 11, 2012 Posted January 11, 2012 My early years advisor told me that the balance of time should be in 1/3rds 1/3 adult guided 1/3 adult initiated which the children chose from 1/3 completely child initiated hope that helps Debbie That's what i say - it's the 1/3 sustained shared thinking that gives the opportunity for much of the observation you can easily do without resorting to marching around waiting for something to happen. I did have a diagram but it's on my old PC!! Cx
SLIMBRIDGE Posted January 11, 2012 Author Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks for those responses, its really helpful. After reading them, I think the balance is probably OK. My class get 2 CI sessions during the day, both for about 50 mins. During the morning 1 adult is working with groups and one is observing/playing and in the afternoon both adults are observing/playing. And we had some fantastic sustained shared thinking today.... including trying to make a portcullis for the lego castle using cardboard and string, making volcanoes from clay with lava made from glitter, setting up a Chinese takeaway and making a den from a parachute! I do love my job!!
ketch Posted January 14, 2012 Posted January 14, 2012 Hi, Im on about take 50 with my timetable and trying to balance child/adult led activites plus indoors and outdoors with only 2 members of staff but heres what seems to be working for me so far hope it gives you an idea weekly_overview___adult_focus.doc
Guest Posted January 14, 2012 Posted January 14, 2012 adult_and_child_time.docThink this is it Catma? kept it to keep reminding myself ! Although we are being pushed more and more writing/reading etc Our head wants group reading/individual reading then handwriting. We were getting a good balance but there are just not enough hours in the day. We also found with some of the behaviour with our boys that when we had CIL time we couldnt have an adult activity like writing for them to come to as they just were not interested they wanted to play or if they did come they wanted to rush to get back to what they were doing. We also follow the ERR phonics and although we do not do it the recommended 3 times a day we do do it twice which eats in your time.
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