Foundation Stage Forum Update: October 15th

[Steve]

Welcome to the Foundation Stage Forum update for October!

 

As an introduction I need to apologize to all of you who have become members in the last week. I like to welcome you all individually, but I’ve been falling behind a little, and my guilt levels are rising. I will be sending you a welcome message very soon – honestly!

 

OK – let’s get straight to it:

 

New material

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We have a new Planning article just available, with the help of Susan who has provided a lot of the planning proformas. You can find a link to it in the 'Gateway to Members Documents' forum.

 

There is also a review of Vicky Hutchin’s new book, Observing and Assessing for the Foundation Stage Profile, which you can find at www.foundation-stage.info/resources/books.php or in the Books Forum.

 

Forum Structure

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If any of you have been feeling a little bewildered when visiting the forums recently, it’s because I have updated the forum structure to better reflect the way the site is used. Now the top level of groupings splits the conversations by setting: reception/year 1, nursery and pre-school, and other settings – only then providing a mixed setting discussion. What we would like to see is continuing cross-pollination, however. Don’t restrict yourselves to one setting forum. The change is just a reluctant admission that there are issues which are specific to each type of setting!

 

Tips

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The easiest way to keep track of conversations if you visit regularly is to use the front page of the site (www.foundation-stage.info), where the last 10 topics are all listed in temporal order.

 

That’s all for now. As ever, I’m more than happy to receive suggestions or (constructive!) criticism, which you can send by replying to this email!

 

Regards, Steve.

[Guest]

Welcome to the Foundation Stage Forum update for October!

 

As an introduction I need to apologize to all of you who have become members in the last week. I like to welcome you all individually, but I’ve been falling behind a little, and my guilt levels are rising. I will be sending you a welcome message very soon – honestly!

 

OK – let’s get straight to it:

 

New material

---------------

We have a new Planning article just available, with the help of Susan who has provided a lot of the planning proformas. You can find a link to it in the 'Gateway to Members Documents' forum.

 

There is also a review of Vicky Hutchin’s new book, Observing and Assessing for the Foundation Stage Profile, which you can find at www.foundation-stage.info/resources/books.php or in the Books Forum.

 

Forum Structure

------------------

If any of you have been feeling a little bewildered when visiting the forums recently, it’s because I have updated the forum structure to better reflect the way the site is used. Now the top level of groupings splits the conversations by setting: reception/year 1, nursery and pre-school, and other settings – only then providing a mixed setting discussion. What we would like to see is continuing cross-pollination, however. Don’t restrict yourselves to one setting forum. The change is just a reluctant admission that there are issues which are specific to each type of setting!

 

Tips

-----

The easiest way to keep track of conversations if you visit regularly is to use the front page of the site (www.foundation-stage.info), where the last 10 topics are all listed in temporal order.

 

That’s all for now. As ever, I’m more than happy to receive suggestions or (constructive!) criticism, which you can send by replying to this email!

 

Regards, Steve.

Hi steve Thank you for the welcome message.Its great to have a site for Foundation stage.Can you tell me when the is the best time to go to the chat room to meet other members

[Steve]

Hi Crestacat -

 

Sadly the chatroom is not very widely used at the moment - although four or five people pop in there every day, the chances of them finding each other at the same time is a little remote. If I'm logged in in the evening I sometimes open up the chat room box and just leave it minimized - then if anyone logs in I hear a 'Welcome' prompt.

 

The best times I've found for people to try out the chatroom, and the best conversations I've subsequently had, are during the week between 8pm and 9pm. If I suggest here that we try Tuesday and Thursday between those times, then anyone who reads this message can give it a try?

 

Alternatively, if you see me registered as online and want to try it out, send me a quick PM and I'll join you in there.

 

In the next few weeks I hope to update the forum software so you can see anyone who is logged into the chatroom without having to log in yourself.

 

Hope this helps - and thanks for your comments!

 

Steve.