Schemas - Can Someone Help, Please?

[Guest]

Hello everyone,

 

As part of my foundation degree course in early years, I need to have some follow-through of my study topics, and make plans for my own development.

 

One aspect that particularly interests me is the use of schemas in a pre-school setting.

 

Ideally, I would like to visit a setting that uses schemas with children aged 2 to 4 years. Also, I would like some information on how schemas can be used practically within the English foundation stage curriculum.

 

Can any of you help me with this? If you are using schemas, are you within easy access of the N.Herts/S.Cambs area? And, if you are, could I visit to see you in action? If you are not within easy travelling, can you please tell me how you use schemas in planning (long-, medium- and short-term)?

 

I have so many questions (I show my ignorance here).

How, in practical ways, do you progress a child from one schema to another (or is this not necessary)?

How many schemas do you identify, and what are your criteria for identifying these? How do you scaffold children's play when not all of the group have the same recognised schema?

Are schemas appropriate for children with special needs, such as in autistic spectrum disorders, where, e.g. there is an obsession with rotational activities - can such be interpreted as a schema?

Do any of you use schemas in a partial sense? What I mean by this is that I can see uses for schemas in my setting, without moving to it becoming exclusively schema-oriented.

Following on from that last question, do any of you use schemas to target the development of individual children to their own benefit and to that of the group as a whole (e.g. with the child who routinely throws toys, do you employ trajectory schema activities to resolve problems)?

 

I hope someone can help me.

Thank you

 

 

Diane

[Guest]

Hi Diane,

I have just spent some time studying schemas for my foundation degree.

I only touched on it briefly but expect to come accross it more in later months. I think Pen Green Centre in Corby Northamptonshire work on schemas. You may be able to ring them to ask for some info.

Good Luck!!

Sue

[Guest alisonjayne]

Hello everyone,

 

As part of my foundation degree course in early years, I need to have some follow-through of my study topics, and make plans for my own development.

 

One aspect that particularly interests me is the use of schemas in a pre-school setting.

 

Ideally, I would like to visit a setting that uses schemas with children aged 2 to 4 years. Also, I would like some information on how schemas can be used practically within the English foundation stage curriculum.

 

Can any of you help me with this? If you are using schemas, are you within easy access of the N.Herts/S.Cambs area? And, if you are, could I visit to see you in action? If you are not within easy travelling, can you please tell me how you use schemas in planning (long-, medium- and short-term)?

 

I have so many questions (I show my ignorance here).

How, in practical ways, do you progress a child from one schema to another (or is this not necessary)?

How many schemas do you identify, and what are your criteria for identifying these? How do you scaffold children's play when not all of the group have the same recognised schema?

Are schemas appropriate for children with special needs, such as in autistic spectrum disorders, where, e.g. there is an obsession with rotational activities - can such be interpreted as a schema?

Do any of you use schemas in a partial sense? What I mean by this is that I can see uses for schemas in my setting, without moving to it becoming exclusively schema-oriented.

Following on from that last question, do any of you use schemas to target the development of individual children to their own benefit and to that of the group as a whole (e.g. with the child who routinely throws toys, do you employ trajectory schema activities to resolve problems)?

 

I hope someone can help me.

Thank you

 

 

Diane

Hello Diane

I am also studying for a foundation degree and became interested in Schemas, like Sue said Pen Green use schemas. I am reading a book by Margaret Mahey at the moment which is all about Pen Green it touches on schemas and shows ways that you can plan for everyone using one childs Schema. I am at work at the moment and can't remember the name of the bookbut will find out for you.

I live in Norfolk and would also like to visit a setting using Schemas to plan does anyone know of any

Alison

[Susan]

Tina Bruce is also "hot" on schemas. Heard her talk and fascinating it was too.

Can't remember which of her books is particularly relevant, though but that may give you another lead.

I do think she would say schemas are relevant to SEN as it is being stuck in one schema and not being able to move on that causes the problems. Wish I had time to observe that one so let us know what you discover.

 

Susan

[Guest]

Hi Diane,

I have how begun to undertake in-service training on schemas with my staff in my preschool as i find it a fasinating subject. I first began to look at schemas on my DPP and again on the foundation degree. My in service training will begin with an introduction to schemas, you may find through the works of Jean Piaget information on schemas, also from Chris Athey (female) she list all the schemas and what each one means. Once my staff have read up on this, i will then begin to show through child observations how to "find" a schema from the information. Once a schema has been identified, the childs individual activity record and planning will concentrate on offering them activities revoling round their schema, for instance, if a child has an enclosure schema, we would ensure activities such as boxes pots bags etc were available to use to encourage their schema by having the resources to put things into. If we have a tragectory schema who likes to throw (This is why staff need training, they just think their being naughty) we would have physical activities such as ball and bean bags and encourage them to throw them into boxes or through hoops.

Schemas are a great way to idendify a child's play needs. I hope you look into it further and carry it out in your setting, it's well worth the effort and you will be amazed at what you find out about the children. It also gives you an understanding of why the children do what they do and that their not just mad kids!

[bubblejack]

Hello Ruthie,

I am going to try and use schemas for planning for each individual child. I touched on schemas when I did a G.C.S.E. in pyscology. It now makes more sense to me. I can only find 4 schemas for pre-schoolers. How many more are there please?

[Guest cat33]

Am very interested in this thread and am keen to see how it develops. I have only been working with 3,4 year old for 3 years and am just finding out about schemas too. We are not ready to use them for planning but I agree with Ruthie - sometimes my staff think the children are being "naughty" but really it is only a schema in action. I too thought there were only 4. Can you plan for individual schemas? does this not mean a lot of planning?

Chris

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for joining in.

 

Ruthie, how does it work in practice?

 

Gosh, I still need to do my reading (only just got the final assignment sent off).

 

But more than all, I would love to see how this works.

 

Ruthie, if you are doing this, where are you?

 

Can I come and see it (even if it is not fully developed)?

 

Just pure interest. Just to see how it can work. Just to pick up some pointers.

 

Can I? Or just talk to you about it?

 

Pleadingly,

 

Diane

[Guest cat33]

Bubblejack, I have found a great list of schemas

Transporting, Positioning, Orientation, Dab, Dynamic vertical(and horizontal), Trajectory, Diagonality, Enclosure, Enveloping, Circles, Semi-circularity, Radial, Rotation, Connection, Ordering, Transforming, One-to-one correspondance, Functional dependency.

Found in Child-care and education. There is a description of each. Chris

[bubblejack]

To Cat33,

Thats great thanks very much. As I read them I am identifying some of the childrens schemas already. I can guess the obvious ones but am unclear on some of them. Can you give me the website please!!!!!

THANKYOU FOR YOUR HELP.

[Guest Beryl]

Found this subject very interesting - you may find this web page useful - it lists some schemas, similar to thise listed by cat33, and goes into a bit more detail. http://www.surestart.gov.uk/_doc/0-6BEA1E.pdf