How Many Focus Activities

[Guest]

Now the holidays are ending I would really like some basic info to help me with my plans. How many focus(directed) activities do you aim for each week for each area of learning - F1 and F2? Do you differentiate between F1/F2 by stepping stones and do you allow for some overlap? Finally would you expect all children from that year group to participate in each task? I don't think I'm as bad as I sound but sometimes some plain facts help to see things more clearly. Thanks!

[Guest]

Hi red label I have not come across any of your posts before so welcome to the site. I think what you do depends on how many adults are in your classroom and what previous experience your children have had.

The guidance we have been given is if there are two of you i.e. one teacher and one ta only one of you should be involved in an FDA. The other should be floating and facilitating learning with the children who are independently accessing the resources in the class room or outside play area.

Where possible I try to provide activities all children can access, the differentiation maybe the level of support each individual requires to achieve the goal, or activity may be open ended and results will be varied.

My children are nursery age so while I have an expectation that all children will and actively encourage them to participate we do not insist. We do find though once we get to know the new children and have established a rapport with them they happily participate in all activities. Even children who do not enjoy for example - messy play; can be encouraged to participate eventually or at least before going into reception.

At this age if you have a child who does not wish to participate in certain activities I would be observing him/her to find out why.

Maybe it is timing or how they are approached and or staff expectation.

[hali]

hello from me too

[Marion]

Now the holidays are ending I would  really like some basic info to help me with my plans. How many focus(directed) activities do you aim for each week for each area of learning - F1 and F2? Do you differentiate  between F1/F2 by stepping stones and do you allow for some overlap? Finally would you expect all children from that year group to participate in each task? I don't think I'm as bad as I sound but sometimes some plain facts help to see things more clearly. Thanks!

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Hi redlabel

 

When I return to school in September it will be our first term as a fully integrated Foundation Stage Unit ( as opposed to our Early Years Unit) so not quite sure how things will work out. The plan is that there will be 3 Focused activities per day with 1 adult floating and observing. Differentiation will be by ability rather than age.

At this early stage in the school year children will be encouraged to participate in a variety of activities and gradually over the year experience shows they become quite willing to join in with everything.

[Lorna]

I also like to have one adult focused and the other floating but find this hard

1) due to the fact i have a mixed KS class and find that the year1s need an adult with them so they do their directed tasks.

2) I have aclassroom assistant who finds interacting with the children difficult, even with a directed activity, so when itis her turn to interact with the children playing she tends to wander aimlessly even when she as been given a focus.

 

So anyone with a mixed age class, or any other ideas are warmly welcome.

Have to say I'm not overly looking forward to going back to school next week.

 

L

Edited August 24, 2005 by Lorna

[Guest]

Thanks for your replies so far. I think what I find difficult coming from KS1/2 is that there it was very clear what had to be learned and completed each half term where in F1 and F2 it is a much greyer area and I am anxious that what should be covered is whilst still allowing for plenty of CIP. I was planning for short daily Maths and Literacy activities for F2 but was unsure how often to have a directed activity for each of the other areas of learning. Obviously the room - shared by F1 and F2 - will have activities set up for all the 6 areas all the time.

[Susan]

in that case red label, for F2 I used to try and have a focused literacy and Maths activity most days and 1 in each of the other areas each week, although some might actually be multi functional! As long as you get a balance you will be ok, you could blitz one area if you find this easier.

[Guest]

I have mixed Year 1 and Reception. My Year 1 chn have a focussed Literacy and Numeracy activity 4 days a week, 2 with adult and 2 independent and reception about twice a week. I do a foucssed activity every afternoon related to topic which the Year 1 chn have to do and the receptino chn can choose to do. In These i try to cover the other areas of learning. My LSA sometimes runs a focussed actvtiy too but is usually working with the chn who are doing child initaed learning observing them and moving them forwards

 

Hope this makes sense!