Show and Tell

[Guest]

I think it's lovely to give the children the opportunity to share things... previously children have been allotted a week to do their show and tell, but I'm not sure it's fair for children to have to wait weeks if they have something exciting to share.

How do you organise it? Any exciting ideas?

Thanks

[Stargrower]

When we do it (comes and goes) we don't give children an allocated day, we just change the day each week. So one week, it's Monday, next week it's Tuesday etc. However, the reason we do this is because we are a day nursery and have children with different attendance patterns so it ensures everyone has the chance to participate fairly frequently. If you are in a school and everyone attends every day, this might not work for you...

[Melcatfish]

Well I see the problem of trying to fit in giving everyone the opportunity for show and tell but equally it is hard if they have something exciting they need to share. How about a compromise, everyone gets an allotted day to encourage all to have a go but then allow a set number of bonus slots each time you do a show and tell. Children could book one of these slots by adding their name card onto a board to indicate that they have something they want to share??

In our school based Nursery we do a very informal circle time chat and sharing rather than a planned show and tell.

 

Mel

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PS My younger daughter is in year 1 and struggles with the fact that she has one allocated show and tell spot per half term. She preferred the previous year when they could do it every week if they had something to share or show.

[Guest]

I think that I will allow children to, on a Monday, sign up for one of the slots - maybe have four slots a week - so, one for each remaining day of the school week.

Thank you - your comments are really helpful.

[Guest tinkerbell]

In my reception /yr1 class it would always be the same children showing and telling if they were given free choice or signing up. I pull 3 children's names out of a box on Monday and a sticker goes home in their Home share book to tell parents that there child will be doing show and tell on Friday .anything precious can be brought in and kept safe, we do an observation , photo and write up of the show and tells so the children look forward to them and they are all developing good question and answer skills.One parent of a shy child has commented on this system that her child would never volunteer to show and tell but he is seeing what the others are doing and is gaining confidence to have a go himself.

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[finleysmaid]

i worry about show and tell. What are we trying to teach by doing it? which bit of the eyfs are you promoting by asking children to participate? What about children with sen needs or communication difficulties like selective mutism ...how do you include them? Have just been to a school who has a child of the week who gets to do the show and tell, lead the line, do the calendar etc. I watched the others in the group and several of them were not engaged and interested, didn't appear to be a very effective method to me.

[Guest]

I currently have a system using a decorated shoe box (small one) -'the marvellous me box'. The children can put a few items in the box to share with their friends. The rule is that the box has to close and it has suggestions for the parents glued to the top. There is no formal set time that the box is shared so it could be that the child shares it with just a few friends or if they want with the whole class-depending on the confidence levels of the child... I facilitate the session and offer questions and support when necessary. In the Autumn term this session has been interesting in gathering more informal information about the child. The 'audience' are encouraged to have a think of questions or have comments to share with the 'Marvellous Me' person. It has been a popular activity and as the year has gone on those children who were perhaps not very confident have begun to ask if they can share with the whole class rather than in small groups. They have made their own decision when they are ready. The 'Marvellous Me' child picks a named lollystick out of the jar to see who is taking the box next and I keep an informal record of who's had the box to keep it fair.

 

I try and value the 'other' times that children want to share or show things as and when. Hope this helps.

[Rufus]

On one hand i like the idea of show and tell and on the other...i hate it! mainly because it takes up so much time so over the years it has kind of evolved and been given less kudos. If a child brings something in, we usually find a quick minute in the day to look at it but I never call it show and tell and don't advertise it as such, so we don't really get that much brought in. If a child brings something in that I know is going to take ages or it's a child that always brings something in, i say to them...when we are choosing our learning you can share it with your friends on the carpet. I often find that then the child that brought it in finds a few friends, sits on my chair pretending to be the teacher and shows it to their friends. Could you do this or set up a cosy area in the classroom with a little display table where they can do it as part of the CP.

[Guest]

I do think that Show and Tell can be a valuable part of the day/week. My class isn't just EYFS, so the y1 and y2 children also get the opportunity to share and having an audience of varying age is good for the older ones to consider appropriate language etc.

I'm not wanting to change the routine massively mid-way through the year, but wanted it to be manageable. Thanks for the suggestions - love the idea of the marvellous me box!

Luckily I don't have any of the SEN issues you highlighted, finleysmaid, but if I did, I would approach in the same way I would approach any task where a child was asked to speak in front of the class. I don't think that we should avoid things which can be valuable because of potential problems... I like to see the positives!