Stessed Out!

[louise1973]

Anyone else feeling like they are drowning in paperwork? I have observations and photos coming out of my ears. Wouldn't mind if I thought what I was doing was right or effective. After watching the videos from OFSTED I am now totally confused with how to run my Reception Class as we have lots of opportunities for child initiated learning and now thinking maybe I should have more focussed sessions as tables etc. Not only that the writing exemplifications for writing in particular seem to have become much harder especially when it is collected during independent/free time (or is that just me?) level 1 in Year 1 used to be punctuated and well spelt!

 

If that wasn't enough I get it in the neck from my head when there is dust under cupboards so have been in school all week setting up and cleaning (Yes I though that was the cleaners job too!) and to top it off my full time TA who has not done a full week all year texts me saying what she thinks I'm not doing e.g. more singing, art projects etc I wouldn't mind if we didnt do lots already.

 

I am at breaking point and just about ready to give up. If anyone can help with ideas to make life easier please let me know.

[Guest]

I can empathise. I finally caught up all my learning journeys this week and feel a lot better for just shifting the bits of paper elsewhere! I'm really stressed that my approach is more child led than the teacher I'm covering for and that she won't get what I'm doing when she comes back in two weeks (!). However I recently went to a LA training session on the new profile and I was really surprised by the expected writing examples we were shown. I would have put some of them at emerging ELG but apparently these were all examples of expected. I think sometimes it is a really lonely place to be in early years.

 

Oh and can totally empathise about being told by TAs what I "should" be doing! I've got a good line in "hmm I'll take that on board - not!" faces now!

[Guest]

Sorry to hear you feel like that, I totally empathise though. I think a lot of early years teachers feel like that with all the changes. Just try to celebrate the small bits and think of the lovely things the kids say or do every time something bad happens.

I read a saying the other day that said 'It's okay to weep it shows you care and those who care makes the best teachers' :-)

Chin up....it will be Easter soon! Yay!

[Guest]

i would not do any cleaning. you'll set up a precedent..............

[Guest tinkerbell]

Hi and welcome Louise I have been teaching for over 20 years and many years in reception /year1.You are not alone .I am still not up to date with my assessments...partly due to the assessment information coming out so late...The writing is very demanding I think and its not going to happen unless we do some teaching eg at tables wlth adult modelling .I think a mix of assessment material will show what they can do with adult support and child initiated. It has always been the same, we are ideally providing a wonderful child initiated , child led , play based curriculum BUT have to put all the 'bread and butter' box ticking, formal...call it what you will stuff, in alongside that..its the getting a balance which I am always juggling with. I am being moderated this year by the LEA (4 year cycle) so it will be interesting to see what the advisors think.

[Guest tinkerbell]

Oh yes ,cleaning, mmmmm, one evening a week I pull my units out and leave the caretaker a note to please vac behind...myself and TA wipe and clean if things need it..

[louise1973]

Thank you for all you comments, sorry to sound really grumpy I'm usually much more positive!

[Guest]

Hi you are not alone, I feel completly the same I feel the EYFS is going back to more table top than learning through play - I really don't know how to set out my day for the best - where can I look at the ofsted videos? xx

[green hippo]

Don't look at the videos...

[Guest]

No definitely do not watch the videos!!

[Guest]

the videos will make you feel worse, so much worse.............

[ChrisAR]

Typical. Those videos are just political. 'Raising standards' blah blah

 

Yeah these are the same kind of 'targets' that expect 80% of Reception children to be secure at Phase 3 phonics by the end of the year. Practically impossible if you teach in a school in a low income area. And that's not having low expectations, thats just realism.

 

On one hand we have this lovely new EYFS we all cooed over, then on the other hand we have these idiotic 'targets / expectations' which will just end up being another stick to beat FS staff with.

 

Mixed messages. We've had mixed messages since the Lit and Num strategies first came out. We then had to stand up for play based learning and here we are 16 years later about to do it all again. The phonics test in y1 has not helped our cause at all either.

 

I can see it now. Literacy Hour returns to Reception. Less play, less active learning, more table work

 

Thanks for nothing Department of 'Education'

 

Rant over

Edited February 20, 2013 by ChrisAR

[catma]

Yeah these are the same kind of 'targets' that expect 80% of Reception children to be secure at Phase 3 phonics by the end of the year. Practically impossible if you teach in a school in a low income area. And that's not having low expectations, thats just realism.

 

Sorry but I have to dispute with you on this...in my very deprived,umpteen languages per class, hyper mobile, inner city LA we have achieved an outcome of just over 78% children in our schools getting phase 3+ ....in part due to years of VERY consistent messages from my really fabulous LA advisory team who are extremely practical and supportive and who absolutely want to see children learning through play.

My rant over.

 

But the videos are really best avoided.

 

Cx

Edited February 20, 2013 by catma

[ChrisAR]

Well done.

 

But you are in a minority.