Planning

[Guest]

i know we have had a few discussions on planning but i need more advise as i feel my phase manager is asking for too much planning.

 

at present each week ido:

 

a very detailed literacy plan and numeracy plan (very similar to what the dfes examples look like)

 

plus a plan for all the other areas we teach ie kuw, pe, cirlce time, re, write dance. this is also vey detailed with objectives, elg's, teacher input, actiivites, vocab etc.

 

AND ALSO an area plan for plan do review with stated the areas we set up ie sand, water, creative, roleplay, small world etc. this is ALSO very detailed with objectives, elgs, grouping, diferntiation, assessement etc

 

 

HELP! with all this i dont have a spare minute and my planning is so dull due to the amount i have to do, i dont have time to think of fun, exciting things.

 

can any one offer advise, like how much they do, what is enough in terms of ofsted, or types of plans they do.

 

sorry for the lengthy post, had to get it off my chest!

 

[Guest]

It seems that everyone does a different amount of planning. At my school i don't have to do seperate numeracy and literacy planning. We have a sheet which is an overview of the week with all six areas of learning activities and objectives. A sheet with what each individual member is going to do (which is flexible and not day labelled) and SEN and child-choice activities and then a sheet for smartie time which is when the children get a short 15 session in small grous four times a day (literacy, numeracy and circle time).

It seems you have alot to do....how stressful. I think working with young children is tiring enough without all the paperwork!!

GOOD LUCK

[Sue R]

Admitted, I'm in a DN, but I really think this is TOO MUCH!! After all, you are in FS, these are very young children and AAAAARGH

 

We have 2 Focus activities morning and afternoon, Keyperson Time and that's it, unless something crops up, when we write it up retrospectively!!

 

Hope things get a bit better for you

 

Sue

[Guest]

Cooh! Claire - I'm reeling from just reading about your planning - what about all the evaluations for all that planning?? Do you get any time with the children???? What about child-led or spontaneous activities???? You must be exhausted Poor You! I agree that our time is best spent with the children and that planning needs, no, MUST be manageable. Where's the job satisfaction? In copious planning or in being with the children, especially when they have a eurika (Is that the right spelling) moment. I still reckon there's a strong case for the old 'playschool' set-up (no Ofsted, no funding and less PRESSURE to comply with expectations from on high) Wouldn't we and the children be happy then?!

[Guest]

thank you for your support, its nice to hear that everone lese thinks its too much not just me going in sane.

 

has anyone got a suggestion on how i can cut this down ie 1 or 2 plans with it all one or their order of the day.

 

also how does everyone else teach the other areas as lessons like key stage 1 or less structured.

 

cheers

Edited October 10, 2005 by Guest

[Guest]

Hi Clare,

I teach in Kent too and I think you do FAR TOO MUCH PLANNING. This seems to be quite a shared concern at the moment - I have written several posts recently about planning. This is what we do:

 

1. Have worked out a Long Term Plan ensuring the ELGs are covered through our Learning Environment, Daily Routines and Topic work (many ELGs are revisited - some are constantly addressed i,e. those in our Daily Routines.

 

2. Medium Term Plans with suggested activities for each of the six areas.

 

3. Daily plan

 

Please note NO weekly plan (this is just a duplication of our Medium Term Plan)

 

No separate numeracy or literacy plan - nor needed, we have differentiated learning intentions on our Daily plan.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I have gone on about the reasons for planning like this on other posts, but not sure where they are sorry!

 

lu

Bungalow

[Smiles]

We have long term plans based on the learning goals and then meduim term plans. We wereadvised to short term plans but I'm with you they would just be another brsion of our meduim term plans. What do you include on your daily plan?

 

Sue

[Guest]

Hopefully have attached Daily Planning format - we constantly review it and make changes to it as and when necessary. By next summer it will probably look quite different!

Daily_Planning_Blank.doc

[Guest]

thanks Bungalow thats a really good format and it has all the informatuion i need for planning.

thanks you x

[Guest]

It's really quite shocking the amount of planning that people are expected to do. The most important criteria of planning should be that it's a working document for the class team.

 

We've just started working as a reception unit, our planning consists of:

 

1) an overview of the year which indentifies which aspects of the Curriculum Guidance are covered in each term.

2) a very basic weekly plan which identifies what's happening and when.

3) adult led/directed activity lessons plans which identify differentialtion and include assessment and evaluation details for each group.

 

We find this works for us because all the adult led activity details are in one place and we can work from these when identifying where to go next.

 

Have attached adult led activity plan (Ithink) ALA_blank.doc

[Guest]

Angela

Hi I totally agree with you - there seem to be so many people out there doing SO MUCH PLANNING - and I also really really agree that it has to be a working document.

 

It's interesting that our planning falls into 3 too like you:

1. An long term plan

2. Medium termly (which also acts as our weekly)

3. Daily

 

So far it is just about managable and it really seems relevant and most importantly USEFUL and USED!!

 

(In the past when we were still doing a weekly plan - it used to take ages and would just sit in a file on the shelf - all the steps above are USED and out and available in the classroom - well not so much the long term one)