New here pls help

[Rachel Arbon_473476415]

hiya i am a new childminder and nee to tapestry too. I would like help with observations. So when I observe something ie one of my children has started using a walker how do i record against the elgs as for example do I just click the age and ones I've seen relevant to this obs or would I click others i have seen up to that point like maybe sitting on the floor unsupported as obv can also do that. Or does the summative assessment record all obs elgs and pull together? Sorry if that was a ramble. 

Also regarding emerging developing secure. So again is this in relation only to the specific aspect u have clicked so ie takes few steps independently is emerging but other aspects are secure so am I making during observation the whole age or just what I have clicked? 

 

I hope someone can help with this as I'm finding it really hard and its a shame as I'm really enjoying being with the children but its just so confusing to record. 

Thanks

Rachel

[Mouseketeer]

Hi Rachel and welcome, I think after a while you’ll find what suits you, many will say don’t statement tick, but Tapestry is designed to tick statements so we always have, though starting again now we might not (and just use the bands/refinements and with what appears to be a wider window for development with the new EYFS coming through) we add professional judgement as well not just what we might have a photo for (though we do one Ob over the week dated to each Friday and add as we go to that ob).

The thing I’d say to be most aware of is not picking up statements in a lower band that you think you’ve missed once they’ve progressed to the next and the same with picking up odd statements that are easily achieved in a higher band if that isn’t the general stage their development is at as it does throw the progress tracking (it took us a while to figure that out). At the end of the term my staff will check the Summative Assessment and change any band/refinements they think are a bit off and we then print to look for areas that might need specific support (next steps) for the following term.

Good Luck, it will soon become clear how you want to use it for recording progress 🙂

 

[Rachel Arbon_473476415]

Thanks for your reply. Xx

[Jules]

Welcome Rachel! 

Mouseketeer is so right about professional judgement - you know your children and this is the key to good observation and recording. 

In the new Development Matters, published in September, it says to 'think about whether this assessment will be useful' - so are you about to make an observation, or record an assessment, that will help you know that child better, and tell you what experiences they need next to support their development? 

As we work to add the new Development Matters statements to Tapestry, we are looking to the ethos of this guidance - that it is not a series of statements to tick. Instead, we'll be offering a way of tagging observations with a variety of options, such as the area of learning. This will allow teaching staff to filter and review observations for each child, or group of children, within a given area of interest, eg 'Reading'.

You might find it useful to use the tagging feature on Tapestry to highlight certain areas within observations. This tutorial talks you through how you can use this feature.

You can also just select the age band rather than tick statements on Tapestry, as Mousketeer mentions. 

Mouseketeer also says that you will find your own way to use Tapestry that works for you. I think this is very true, so many settings use Tapestry in different ways to suit them and their children. 

I hope this helps. 😊