Guest Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Hi there, just finishing my first year in reception. The topics we have had to use this year haven't always been inspiring and looking to change for next year. Do most of you run short topics over a couple of weeks or are you doing a topic for longer, ??? Love to have an idea what other schools do. Thanks, Catriona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the forum (I'm sure someone else with have suggestions about topics!!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Hi and welcome from me too We have abandoned topics but previously taught then half termly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 hello and welcome, we dont do topics anymore either...sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Perhaps I am using the wrong terminology- maybe I should say theme??? Thanks for replying and I'd love to know what you do instead. Thanks, Catriona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Hi Catriona Without looking back I can not remember how long we covered topics/themes for last term. But this term we are doing minibeasts before half term and Jungle after. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 We have a topic/theme for roughly half a term - am doing food this half term (to link with plants and growing plants) and water next half term. I have Reception and some Year 1's so my topics are a bit determined by the Year 1 curriculum (mainly QCA units) which I have to follow as the other Year 1's are. I tend to block my bits of QCA for a week or 2 teaching the subject eg Science everyday, rather than doing an hour a week, then I can make cross curricular links more effectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyPR Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 I have planned with topics, based on the interests that I have noticed in my pupils in the past years. Sometimes there are mini-topics for seasonal/holidays. Most of the times we work around them for 2 weeks. Some topics are inter-related. I might start with a list at the beginning of the school, but change it with the observations made of the children. This is the schedule we did this year. I changed other topics to cover: "Babies" and "Masks". Long_Term_Plan_schedule_2006___2007.xls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 We are now planning from the children's interests rather than using topics or themes. For example last week we observed that in Child Initiated activities a group of children were playing at take aways so next week we will continue with this in adult initiated /directed activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 That's all very helpful- thanks a lot, Catriona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 I plan following the children's interests. I plan weekly and if the children are still interested I continue a topic until the children lead me onto another topic of interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 Hi Rachel and welcome to the forum. We work in much the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosepetal Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 Hi , Completed the race for life this morning and am feeling very proud of myself as this time last year i was sooooooooooooooooo unfit i was unable to take part, i have since lost 3 stone and am fitter, still have a few more stone to lose but am well on my way. This is a big achievement for me. Now onto Topics, we do topics wait for this on a termly basis i personally feel this is just toooooooooooo long. I would prefer a half termly topic, as i am room manager of my room, i break our main topic into smaller topics, so for example, when the children show an interest in something different from our main topic i will make that interest into a smaller topic and cover that over a week. My medium term planning will remain the same but my short term planning is very flexible so this enables me to do mini topics on childrens own interests and i have to say, i love picking up on the childrens own interests and developing activities for them to enchance their interest and i get much better involvement from the children. If it were up to me i would personally be interested in the new way some nurseries are getting away from topics altogether and concentrating on the childrens own interests. At the moment our topic is 'Colours' but i am also doing a mini topic on caterpillars and butterflies as we have live caterpillars who have now made thier 'pupa' and we are waiting patiently and very excitedly for butterflies to emerge. The children are totally facinated by this and so am i This all started by a child seeing a caterpillar in the nursery garden. Rosepetal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyPR Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 Yes, indeed, one has to watch their play to see if things need to be changed or added. When I saw that the children were so interested in babies, I gave them the option to choose between that topic or something else I had had on mind. They choose "Babies", so then I left the topic I had originally thought of. The same happened with "Masks". They were so involved in that during their self-chosen activities that I thought it would be good to try something new. It was exciting for me as well . This happened just at the same time when we were going to have our Carnival activity at school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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