Assessment. How Do Lone Practitoners Do It.

[Guest]

Am currently doing my BA HONS in Early Childhood Education. I am also a lone practitioner currently running a nursery, which caters for 13 children per session. The nursery is attached to a primary school. I am about to embark on writing my dissertation, which is on Assessment. I would be very interested to here from anyone who as a lone practitioner, how they deal with it, through their planning and if they have ever had any relevant training for this.

 

thanks to anyone who can oblige

 

Jennie T

[Susan]

Hi

I hope I'm wrong here and someone else will be able to help you, but I've never heard of such a small nursery. The adult to child ratio is 1 to13, which is no doubt why you are are you're own!

As the teacher in a Reception class, although I have support, I usually find the burden of the assessment lies with me, anyway!

 

Susan

[Susan]

sorry Jennie, meant to welcome you in anyway! Glad you've found us!

 

Susan

[mundia]

Hi there jennie and welcome on board and thanks for making your post.

 

Lke Susan, I am quite surprised by such a small nursery. It must be quite difficult being on you own. Are your other classes just as small (ie does reception have the same problem).

It will be interesting to see if we have any other memebers in teh same boat.

[Beau]

Hi Jennie (and welcome ),

 

I run a small rural playgroup. We currently have 8 children (rising to 10 in a couple of weeks!) and I work on my own with a duty helper. As such all the observing, assessing and planning are my responsibility on my own. I find it very difficult for several reasons: -

 

Planned observations are a nightmare. I have to be with the chidren at all times as the duty helpers aren't police checked and so can't be left in charge. They are also not qualified and some not even confident. Therefore any incident (such as a child hurting themselves, disputes between children etc.) requires my attention and I have to leave the observation to deal with other things. Also I have to carry out observations in the main hall so that I can still see all the other children which is very distracting for the child being observed.

 

There are always several activities available to the chidren from which they can chose freely. However, I can only be in one place at a time and will probably miss observing many significant events.

 

At the end of the session I have no one to compare notes with. Obviously we all see things slightly differently and not having someone to talk observations over with means I might again miss something significant which someone else may pick up on. So all assessments are from my point of view - I think having input from someone else would be invaluable.

 

Then I have to go away and do all the planning by myself - brainstorming on your own can be quite a lonely affair! Again, if there is more than one of you, you can bounce ideas back and forth and come up with some inspirational and varied planning. I always feel that mine has a one dimensional feel to it because I keep coming up with the same sorts of ideas!! Having this Forum has been invaluable to me as I have used so many of the ideas posted to help me with my planning.

[Susan]

It can be a bit like thta even when you're in a team. Perhaps thats why I've become so disenchanted recently!

 

Susan

[Guest]

Hi

I hope I'm wrong here and someone else will be able to help you, but I've never heard of such a small nursery. The adult to child ratio is 1 to13, which is no doubt why you are are you're own!

As the teacher in a Reception class, although I have support, I usually find the burden of the assessment lies with me, anyway!

 

Susan

Hi Susan,

 

Thanks for your reply. Yes it is a small nursery but the school caters for 235 children all together. Our nursery is the feeder for the reception class, any spare places go to who ever is next on the list. We are always over subscribed, the reason being we are a catholic school and places are always at a premium. Would value any info about your nursery and how you observe and assess your children.

 

Many thanks

 

Luv Jennie T