Observation - Families - Please Help!

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I have got an observation on monday and am struggling to think of ideas. We are being graded against the new Ofsted framework so it has o be at least good - eek!

 

Most of the children are very new to Nursery so are still quite shy with two EAL children also. The theme that week is families and it will be a speaking and listening focused observation. So far I have asked that the children send photographs of their families in so we could use these. I have been introducing the makaton signs to the children as well. I just don't know how to structure the small group (should all the children hold a photograph, should they pass one around at a time, should they make a display with them?) Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

x

[bgfrancis]

Could you maybe have a large sheet of paper or card with Meet My Family or Look at who is in my family written across the top and photographs of the children's faces stuck on. You could pass an envelope around the circle with their family photographs inside and shake a tambourine or sing a song. When you stop, that child gets to pick a photograph out of the envelope. They could show it to the group and the child it belongs to can stick it next to their photograph. You could then encourage them to share something special about their family to the group.

[Guest]

Thanks that is a lovely idea. There has been a flaw in my plan, only three children have bought any photos in!

 

I am now thinking about having photos of different members of family (including any of the children's and) they have to pick one and sort them into groups and at the same time ask if they have anything to share about their family.

 

What do you think?

 

x

[bgfrancis]

It would be very interesting from a diversity perspective to see how they made up families using picture cards e.g. mum, dad and children/ single parent families/ same sex marriages etc.

 

It might also be interesting to see what their thoughts on family member 'roles' are. Could you get hold of mum and dad masks? You could have a little discussion based around what mums and dads 'do'. For example, do they all think mums always cook, do they think only dads go to work? You could have pictures ready to show them that sex does not mean you can only do certain things.

 

Just a couple more suggestions!

[bgfrancis]

How did the observation go?