Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Posted July 19, 2006 Hi , I hope there's someone out there as its a hectic time of year! I'm desparate for some advice on how to organise rotas in September. We're very lucky in that we'll have 6 (almost) full time staff in september. 3 teachers and 3 tas. I'm fine with the planning/organising whole class teaching sessions but when it comes to the rota(ie which adult is in which area for focused activites +biggest part of day) I just cant do the maths!! We have 3 rooms and a lovely big outdoors. One idea is to have 2 adults in each area (1 focuses one manages the child initiated play) which would be great in the fact that you could really focus if you knew there was another adult supervising (then we'd swop over after half a day) but then there'd be the outdoors to consider. Ive tried so many different combinations-ie a day in areas 1,2,3 a day out and a day managing (which would work well with 5) but then what about adult 6? I shouldnt complain at extra staff but I dont want anyone feeling annoyed that they spend 2 days in the 'hard' area and I've got to tread SO carefully/. Does any of this make sense? Id love it if Magenta could read this (just looking back at this time 2 years ago and you were in the same boat id love to find out how it went) Thanks to any one who replies with help though. I've been here with rotas so many times before but it just doesnt seem to get any easier and at this time of year/in this heat-what a nightmare!! ZimXX ps i'm worrying more as we've got a new member of the teaching staff who has had no experience of fs let alone a unit so I want to help her by knowing what we're doing before shes thrown in at the deep end !!!
Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Posted July 19, 2006 We too have spent all year devising rotas. What we do with 6 staff is have 1 staff in each area of the curriculum - outside being 1 area. After 40 minutes we move on to next area. Children rec and nur are free to pick which area they visit but all are timetabled for 40 mins in maths room and 40 mins in literacy room each day. When chn are not in maths/literacy they can then go outside, creative, KUW, etc or choose to have their snack. This has worked really well . We have 3 sessions in a morning then tidy up (story for Nursery and then home.)Rec then spilt into 3 ability groups (40 Chn) for key skills 1 group maths activities, 1 literacy and 1 guided read. After lunch 2 x 40 min sessions, tidy up circle time and story or outside curriculum for everyone. Hope this helps - happy to give you more details, just shout.
Guest Posted July 19, 2006 Posted July 19, 2006 hI gWEN, THANKS FOR SUCH A QUICK RESPONSE i REALLY APPRECIATE IT (oops had caps locks on!) I'm still sat here madly scribbling rotas and looking at different combinations. Your idea sounds good but how does it work in practise, when the adult is in an area are they focusing with children? (dont know what you call it but we call small groups-ie 6 with an adult focus and whole class-ie 20 whole class sessions) if so-ie doing somewriting in the structured play is it not disruptive to have to stop what you're doing and move to the next area? How many areas do you have? You dont have copies of your rotas do you? Id be more than happy to post my previous million by the way if anyone'sat all interested! ) It sounds good. So you're always in the same area at the same time of the day? i like routines like that....do you have 3 teachers 3tas like us? if so is your ta ok taking third reception group for key skills and are these groups rotated? 1001 questions! thanks so much, i'll check back in tomorrow (time for big brother and ice cream zim ps when i said 'is you're ta ok' i mean does he/she mind in terms of job descriptions/pay/responsibility (thats an issue for us at mo)
Guest Posted July 21, 2006 Posted July 21, 2006 Sorry - haven`t got back to you. What part of the country do you teach in? I know you have lots of questions. It may be easier for me to send you a personal email or when I have had a couple of days off I am happy for you to ring me for a chat if that would be more helpful. We didn`t have any help and it has been real trial and error.
Magenta Posted July 30, 2006 Posted July 30, 2006 Hi Zim, Its been a long time since I logged on - long story!!! As you've said we have same set up as you, there is no easy answer, if there is we certainly haven't found it! As our areas are so large and we have large nos. of children, the only we we can safely work is to only have 3 areas open at a time so that 2 staff are in each area. Different areas/rooms are open on a rota basis which is flexible according to chn.s needs - I am very lucky to have a supportive team who wouldn't be upset if they were in one area more than another. Magenta
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