Planning An Activity

[Guest]

Hi, i am looking at a TA job working with reception children, i have been asked to plan and exciting activity, indoors or out and about 20 mins long.

Has anyone got a few ideas to start me off please.

[Guest]

Have you visited the class? If so, any idea of what the general theme was? Did you spot any resources you felt would or could contribute to an exciting session?

[Guest]

Hi, i did visit but it was a week or so ago. The theme at the time was building in the role play and sealife on the boards but im not sure it is that now. They have similar resources as most schools have

[Guest]

Is it 20 minutes long for one group? Also as you do not know the children sustaining their involvement for that long can be a problem so I would definitely suggest something active to keep them interested.

 

Do you have a particular interest or something you may feel comfortable with?

 

A possible topic they may be doing this term is Olympics/sports day as an adult led idea, obviously you don't know the children so could not link anything to child led ideas. I would be inclined to do something active which involves a mixture of skills, maybe something that could be timed and recorded, so children can try to beat their own time? Or measured?

 

The main thing the school will be looking at is your interaction with the children and your ability to control and manage them.

 

I will keep thinking

 

x

[mundia]

Hi Miffy, as Claire said, have a think about something you feel confident with and then Im sure members here can help you expand on your ideas.

Whenever Ive conducted interviews for TAs which have included an activity, the ones that I have been most impressed by have been:

• organized, having or asking for the resources they need
  
• doing something a little different..there are only so many times you can hear the Hungry Caterpillar.
  
• Having some kind of written plan, however brief, which shows some thought has gone into it.
  
• Tries to engage all the children, speaks clearly, and responds to children's comments and questions.
  

These are all easier to do if you are confident with the activity you are doing.

 

Good luck with it. Let us know what you decide.

[Guest]

I keep thinking but just not sure if im on the right track for what they want, i dont have any experience of interviews for any job. I enjoy the gruffalo and when i helped for a day at my local school they read the book and then they stuck in pictures in sequence and wrote the names but im just not sure if that is the type of activity they are after as that is quite boring to me.

The olympics theme would be a great idea so maybe i will keep thinking along those lines

Edited June 9, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

The Gruffalo is a good story but it is often covered, personally it would be a risk as they have quite possibly already done it and that could end in a disaster.

 

You could do something with a fine motor skill attached as this could then be indoors as depending on the school and the current weather the outside could always be a risk. Personally I love taking my children out in the rain but am not sure I would want to then sit through an interview lol!

 

One thing I have seen which really engaged the children was when a student brought in a bone (it was off a science human skeleton) and she gave them the scenario that it had been found in her garden at the weekend. She used the children as detectives and they had so much discussion etc about what and where it came from. This could then be linked into chn either drawing pictures or writing a letter to a museum or the police?! Just watching the children's faces was brilliant!!

 

The ideas can be endless but you need to feel comfortable with it.

[Guest]

:unsure: oh my stomache is churning just trying to think of one

[Guest]

Are you comfortable with a story? If so what other stories do you like/have?

[Guest]

mainly ones that rhyme but i am very quiet until i find my feet in a place so i know i will get tongue tied if i need to promote discussion, i thought the interview would be bad enough to get through, im just doomed:(

[mundia]

Hi Miffy, I hate interviews, I get so nervous, I can make myself sick before hand, so I understand how you feel. I have always found Rescue remedy helps a bit, especially the night before.

 

Do you know how many children and when is the interview?

[Sox]

I hate interviews to ! But I bet you have no difficulties engaging a group of children! Have confidence in your abilities and you'll be fab!

[Guest]

Thank you for your support. If i could just nail down and activity and then i an practise on a few of my lo's friends. as far as i know there are only 3 in their reception year. interview is at the end of the month and activity the day after

[Sox]

I'm researching around the world at the moment! To tie in with sports people travelling to London for the Olympics, where they are travelling from

etc!

 

Other things our children have enjoyed recently are looking out for and exploring mini beasts!

 

Pirates, dinosaurs in particular their fossil hunt!

 

Maybe some of these ideas will give you a few ideas!

Edited June 9, 2012 by Sox

[Guest]

As they have a building site role-play, how about having 3 different sized teddies and they need to make an appropriately sized bed/chair/house from duplo/lego/wooden blocks etc. Could do the same outside with large scale building resources. Could make same for a real child!