help help help

[Guest]

Please can anyone help? I have been teaching reception for a while I had thought I was doing ok , my lesson observations have been good and sometimes outstanding the children generally make very good progress. This year though it all seems to have gone into freefall.... I have a class with some very challenging behaviour and various special needs mostly around ASD all of which I have encountered before and shouldn't be difficult to manage. I feel that I am failing completely at the moment I am not happy with my palnning and despite having looked at lots of posts and threads and still confused I thought my planning was ok now I don't think it is quite right for the new EYFS plus I just dont think I am working in the right way to address the needs of the children and therefore the EYFS.

 

If anyone could please point me in the direction of some MTP and weekly planning and also just a look at how people organise their day/ week/ even classroom. I have always had continuous provision areas/ learning areas which the children would work in with adults playing with them/observing and then some focussed activities . Somehow it just doesnt seem right at the moment and I cant work out why.

 

I know everyone is busy so if you do have time to respond thank you very very very much

[Beau]

Didn't want to read and run although I've got no practical advice to offer. Just remember that this time of year is always tough for both teachers and children. It takes a while for everyone to get to know each other and settle down. There are lots of new routines to learn and quite often far greater expectations in terms of behaviour and independence put on the children.

 

Some classes are just more challenging but from that will come the greatest rewards - unfortunately you don't get to reap those until towards the end of the school year and you look back on how far you've all come. It sounds like you've got one of those challenging years ahead of you. Please don't beat yourself up so soon into the new year though! I'm sure you're working really hard for these children and not 'failing' as badly as you seem to think you are - it may just take a little longer to 'settle' than you've seen previously.

[Guest LornaW]

Beau is spot on and this is the most stressful term. How about asking your LA EY Adviser if they can come in and have a chat with you so you can talk it through with an outsider. Or is there another school locally you could visit and see how they work?

 

I, personally, dont think that changing MTP will make a difference it is you weekly and daily planning that will be meeting the needs of the children.

 

Do you have lots of transitions during the day as this can also change the balance? Each time there is a transition children loose focus and we have to start all over again. You may need to do less to get more if that makes sense. So longer child initiated times so children have time to really become absorbed in an activity. Reception classes are like being sent into a new sweet shop for some children and they have to flit from one thing to another before they can reaslly decide which sweets to buy and if we don't give them enough time to look at everything they never really settle to one thing.

 

Another area to look at is how the adults are being used. There is a wonderful book by Sally Featherstone called Like Bees Not Butterflies whioch you may find useful to help you reflect on your practice. I am sure you have all the systems you need in place you may just need some fine tweeking as the group dynamics this year are so different.

 

Good luck.

 

Lorna

[catma]

I wouldn't add much more except be kind to yourself also - I recognize the kind of stress this crisis in confidence can bring. The new EYFS is no different in principle from any other very good practice we have had before. The changes are just about getting rid of clutter so we can see the purpose of things a bit better.

 

So don't dismiss your already good practice!

cx

[Froglet]

Magiccastle I'm seconding (thirding?!) what the others have said. I had a class like that last year and it's wearing. Also the autumn term is an incredibly long one. I was getting immensely frustrated and cross and stressed at the start of this week when my current class (nothing like last years) weren't tidying up or using the resources, following basic routine and structures that they had been doing fine. Then my very lovely TA reminded me that they'd just had a week off which is a very long time for them and that they would need reminding of things themselves.

 

This term is also immensely busy and exciting and overwhelming. Go easy on yourself.

[Guest]

Thank you for the replies I had a good think yesterday and had already thought all the things you have all said am feeling more positive and ready to SORT IT OUT !!!

[Susan]

Sometimes magiccastle, there is very little to actually sort out.

 

You have shown here that you are a reflective practitioner and that may be all that you need to do.

 

Go back into school tomorrow with the knowledge that you know your stuff and that with some minor tweaking, you will feel more in control.

It could be as Helen suggests that the half term holiday has just made things a bit more difficult, last week was an exciting one with fireworks and perhaps, disturbed sleep for the children?

 

I observed a colleague once when she was having difficulty with a child, the child was actually never going to be easy and had lots of problems but when I observed him he was actually engrossed in the input she was delivering but she couldnt see past the fact that he wasnt sitting still!

 

Can you step back a bit more and observe your children in action or get someone else to do so for you?

 

Good luck and have fun, you are is such a wonderful place!!!