pooh Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 Hi all I'm having a big rethink about TA deployment in my FS classes in school. Thinking that TA's are spending too long attending to milk and not long enough working with children in the morning. I do appreciate that they chat to the children, check manners etc but by now feel the children should be accessing their milk independently. Just wondered if others would share how they organise the milk time. Mainly to check it's not me being a grumpy old woman! We all have our fruit snack as a class after break and use this for a whole class input time, PSHE chats etc.
Guest Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 i'm nursery and we have self-select snack bar which is open all morning from immediately they arrive. that way children who haven't had breakfast can eat something! we used to do it in key groups/whole group, but i felt it wasted so much time, as we have teaching time mid-session and story at the end too and i don't want to tag it on after teaching session as that's too long to sit - for us and them!! we pour drinks to start then when january intake have learnt how to access snack bar we let them pour their own drinks. in reception they could pour their own drinks from the start as there are no january/easter intakes - lucky you!!! it's great for fine motor! and PSE (SCSA) - doing things for themselves. also they have to move their name to come and will move friend's names for them too, so that's more learning..... and we sit with them and chat at times, so PSE/C+L covered too. we encourage manners when a child brings sweets for their birthdays or when handing out letters etc. it's good to use different contexts for using manners, not just snack time! i'm in a school nursery so i know how much there is to squeeze into reception. our teacher has decided to do as we do and is really happy she did. it takes time to get them in the routine but not long.... good for discussion of hygiene before eating also - PD (H&SC). our reception teacher is new since easter, and plans not to have a break in september, making even more time... and does not intend to go to assemble every day - maybe just celebration assembly...
Guest Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 we are also Year R and have an open snack table throughout the day. Children's names are attached to milk cartons so they drink their own (in theory! some manage to ignore that part of the routine). We keep an eye from afar so that no-one eats 4 bananas in a go but otherwise leave alone as a child-regulated area - the are very good at reminding each other. do still have some who haven't had their milk by the e nd of the day, then I just send it home with them - parents have paid for it for most children by this term.
finleysmaid Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 When i saw this thread a wave of anxiety went through me! The words 'Milk time ' filled me with dread! I hate milk...and i am old enough to remember milk time at school where we were given a 1/4 pint bottle with a paper straw for break. It was usually either freezing cold to the point of being solid and exploding out the top or warm and smelly! those were the days that if the birds had been pecking at the lids you just took the lid off and got on with it!. It was horrible ....being forced to drink my quota saw me bribing anyone to take it for me.....or trying to hide it away, even resorting to tipping it the plant by the front door on occasions. Those two words will haunt me for ever :blink: :wacko: :wacko: 2
finleysmaid Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 Pooh sorry id didn't really answer your question did i ????!!!! i'm pre-school but would advocate a free snack system for anyone....it frees up staff gives children independence and if you look at ABC does it can easily be linked to learning. Our children access snacks themselves (and we take from 2 and a half) we rarely have issues, though i confess to looking the other way on occasions if someone wants an extra cracker! Why don't you give it a go for a month and see what happens? Why do you split milk time and fruit time?
pooh Posted May 3, 2015 Author Posted May 3, 2015 Thank you all for your replies, you've confirmed what I want to do is right! It's an area I keep plugging away at but keep finding the TA's back with the milk! The children manage happily if they're not there for some reason and move their names etc. with very few spillages. If they miss out they access their water freely if they're thirsty anyway. I think I just wanted reassurance really before I become firmer with the TA's. Yes, also looking at incorporating snack with milk more as finding it such a struggle to fit everything into the day! Thanks again as ever for everyone's support! 1
Guest Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 .and i am old enough to remember milk time at school where we were given a 1/4 pint bottle with a paper straw for break. It was usually either freezing cold to the point of being solid and exploding out the top or warm and smelly! th one of my teacher used to 'kindly' warm it on top of a radiator in the winter! In my last year at Junior school we discovered nesquik and smuggled it in to make the milk drinkable - lots of very messy bottles!
catma Posted May 4, 2015 Posted May 4, 2015 It sounds a bit like TAs using milk as an excuse to just do routine stuff with no real purpose - something an inspector would pick up on immediately! If nursery age children can manage their own snacks competemtly, then you are quite right - reception aged children (especially at this point in the year) should be quite capable of sorting themselves out!! cx
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