With the latest Early Years Learning Framework newsletter out - here if you are interested: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/eylfplp/newsletters/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No10.pdf
It is reassuring to see that there is a return to a recognition that all forms of observations can lead to fulfilling the expectations. There did seem to a bit of confusion that only Learning Stories should be used.
However, there are lots of ways to record what is happening with the children in your care and ensure you are adequately reflecting their learning and thinking.
These are a few of my favourites:
-Jottings: if you are anything like me, jottings is one of the main ways you record what is happening on a day-to-day basis. I quickly pop down on a notepad, post it or even a scrap piece of paper whatever is being said and done and add it to my pile. The intention is then to turn this into something more meaningful when I have a chance to have programming time.
- Photos: I am of the personal belief that you cannot take too many photos. Especially if you take a number in quick succession you can often later interpret much of the children's thinking and their social skills.
- I also believe there is still a role for the many templates that were in use for the NSW curriculum framework. I would add an additional page or bit that talks about what it means in terms of the outcomes.
- Art samples - I collect as many as the children will let me keep (and take photocopies if they desperately want to take them home). As part of this I try to record what the child has talked about while making the picture and how they explain it at the end. I also love when art is displayed with the children's comments next to it.
- Word samples are very developmental psychology (and I know some people think this is a bad thing, but it's not) but they provide a important insight into the child's language development
- another useful psychological tool are interaction maps. Both the ones that track movement around the room and ones that track who the child talks and plays with.
- learning stories are fabulous but do take time and commitment (which many of us simply don't have in the world of long day care where we are lucky to have adequate staffing let alone time off the floor or a computer)
- finally, being a Macquarie graduate, there is the concept of pedagogical documentation (which will be a whole other post and something I am very much learning still)
The above is barely scratching the surface of techniques that can be used.
Finally, it is important to remember that all the observations in the whole world have little or no meaning if you don't take the time to interpret them and use them for planning and assessment (so my pile on my desk at work is rapidly becoming useless if I don't dedicate some time to them).
What forms of observation to you find to be most effective?
If you are a parent, if you see observations in a portfolio which ones do you enjoy the most?
How do we bring families into the documenting process?
Do you send home observations that you are working on?
Or put posters around showing the children's thinking and understanding?
I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
Posted by Wendy
Showing posts with label documentation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label documentation. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Documentation part 1: Using the daily diary as a tool for reaching your families
There was a lot of feedback asking for a post on documentation. As documentation is a rich and varied area, I thought I would start with the trusty daily diary.
I know a lot of preschools don't use a daily diary but it is a lovely way of filling families in on their child's day. Also, it can be used as a way of demonstrating to children that their contribution to the day is valued and if you are organized and detailed enough you can use it for your observations.
At our centre, we do the diary in a number of ways:
- we have pictures of the children and what they have been interested in and add text explaining what is happening and if possible a quote from the children
- secondly, we cover any group activities undertaken
- we also list the art experiences
-And finally, the books we have read
The diary is in constant evolution and half of above were added as a result of parent feedback.
In the past week, I have endeavoured to add a few more dimensions as a result of the conference:
- a couple of highlighted boxes explaining the value of a particular type of play especially maths and dramatic play.
- I have changed our generic "parent feedback/ comments" line to a " for our families: what you can do a home?". Here, I have tried to provide suggestions to families on how they can extend a interest of their child e.g visit a museum to see fossils, dinosaurs; talk to your child about the weather e.g. Is it cold, hot, wet, dry? How can you tell?
- I have also added a paragraph about our latest project
The diary is at the same level as our children's sign in sheet which makes it very accessible for the children and they will often check the photos and ask to be read what it says. I have also started putting a copy into a plastic sleeve book so the children can easily read the diary and look back over time.
And next week.... I am going to add some stronger links to the early years learning framework using the five overarching outcomes. I'll let you know how that goes.
How do you use your daily diary?
Do you use one? If not, how do you let the families know about their child's day?
Do your parents read your daily diary?
How do you reach families from non-English speaking backgrounds?
Do you use technology e.g. Email or blogs to reach your families?
If you're a parent who uses long day care, what do you think of the daily diary? Do you read it? What would you like included?
Posted by Wendy
"the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy" -Martin Luther King
I know a lot of preschools don't use a daily diary but it is a lovely way of filling families in on their child's day. Also, it can be used as a way of demonstrating to children that their contribution to the day is valued and if you are organized and detailed enough you can use it for your observations.
At our centre, we do the diary in a number of ways:
- we have pictures of the children and what they have been interested in and add text explaining what is happening and if possible a quote from the children
- secondly, we cover any group activities undertaken
- we also list the art experiences
-And finally, the books we have read
The diary is in constant evolution and half of above were added as a result of parent feedback.
In the past week, I have endeavoured to add a few more dimensions as a result of the conference:
- a couple of highlighted boxes explaining the value of a particular type of play especially maths and dramatic play.
- I have changed our generic "parent feedback/ comments" line to a " for our families: what you can do a home?". Here, I have tried to provide suggestions to families on how they can extend a interest of their child e.g visit a museum to see fossils, dinosaurs; talk to your child about the weather e.g. Is it cold, hot, wet, dry? How can you tell?
- I have also added a paragraph about our latest project
The diary is at the same level as our children's sign in sheet which makes it very accessible for the children and they will often check the photos and ask to be read what it says. I have also started putting a copy into a plastic sleeve book so the children can easily read the diary and look back over time.
And next week.... I am going to add some stronger links to the early years learning framework using the five overarching outcomes. I'll let you know how that goes.
How do you use your daily diary?
Do you use one? If not, how do you let the families know about their child's day?
Do your parents read your daily diary?
How do you reach families from non-English speaking backgrounds?
Do you use technology e.g. Email or blogs to reach your families?
If you're a parent who uses long day care, what do you think of the daily diary? Do you read it? What would you like included?
Posted by Wendy
"the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy" -Martin Luther King
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Belonging Y Chart
Please please please don't tell me this exist somewhere easy .... and I apologise for re-creating/stealing the idea and acknowledge the original source http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/eylfplp/newsletters/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No5.pdf and highly recommend the whole document.
I just spent the last hour-ish whipping up a user friendly version of the Belonging Y Chart that is talked about (and pictured) in the latest EYLF newsletter.... you can access it here https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B2yK5eVRe-QwOGJhYWZhYmEtMzNlOS00OTgzLWJkNDQtYjE4ODNlZGIzODhh&hl=en&authkey=CP7XqdsL
I am going to take this in tomorrow and use it as a conversation starter... the aim is to have staff and families contribute - still trying to work out if I'm going to have two - one in staff room and one next to diary - would love only one but am aware how some people (from both families and carers) find it intimidating and the aim is to start the conversation not squish it.
If you find it useful... would love to hear your input/stories
I just spent the last hour-ish whipping up a user friendly version of the Belonging Y Chart that is talked about (and pictured) in the latest EYLF newsletter.... you can access it here https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B2yK5eVRe-QwOGJhYWZhYmEtMzNlOS00OTgzLWJkNDQtYjE4ODNlZGIzODhh&hl=en&authkey=CP7XqdsL
I am going to take this in tomorrow and use it as a conversation starter... the aim is to have staff and families contribute - still trying to work out if I'm going to have two - one in staff room and one next to diary - would love only one but am aware how some people (from both families and carers) find it intimidating and the aim is to start the conversation not squish it.
If you find it useful... would love to hear your input/stories
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Documentation & the Project Approach
One of the things I am still experimenting with is documentation. I know this was what my practicums were meant to help with but those documents were VERY labour intensive and don't quite suit my current situation (though i can see myself possibly using them anyway for awhile and then trimming them down).
I have just been searching through what i was using for my prac and found a clever little document that one of the uni girls was using - I would love to share it but need her permission first.
But to give you a rough idea - it is a wheel where the idea/interest/project is in the middle and then the areas from the NSW Curriculum Framework - social child, thinking child etc etc. Its a way of thinking about the curriculum and trying to plan for the 'whole child'.
However, a lot of the literature talks not taking this approach and the fact that often we are artificially separating and segmenting how learning occurs by taking this approach. Often if a project is well planned and provisioned for by following the direction of the children (but note here not doing nothing - but providing provocations and leading the learning by showing the children where to access the information and scaffolding experiences) it will meet all of these componentss of the children.
A site I have found very reassuring and inspiring is Early Childhood Research and Practice. It is a completely online (and free) journal -http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/index.html. It was founded by Lilian Katz (and some others) from The Project Approach books. You will notice in each issue is an example of a project that has been done in practice e.g. the latest issue follows the journey of 3-5 year olds exploring and investigating car a wash.
I think I will be spending tonight collating a group of documentation approaches including pedagogical documentation (which I still have a long way to go with), learning stories, anecdotes, mix murals of pictures taken over the last month, jottings categorised by outcomes (I might do one template for the NSW Curriculum Framework as that's what my colleagues are familiar with and one for the EYLF) and maybe some things from the Curtis and Carter books.... OK maybe I wont be able to achieve all of that tonight but hopefully over the next few weeks. For a number of reasons - to challenge myself, to enable my colleagues to challenge their perceptions of the children and to ensure I am truly seeing the child.
One other gem I wanted to share from my ECA meeting on Friday. Melissa reminded me that with the EYLF don't use the outcomes and forget the rest of the document. Instead look at what you are doing in your practice and ask yourself why? The examples of the educator's behaviours will naturally lead to the outcomes.....
So when you go to work tomorrow and set up the room
- ask yourself why did i put that there?
- why is that book in the book case?
- how is what I'm doing for group integrated into what the children are doing?
- how is the way we behave at transitions and meals reflect our beliefs about the child and our philosophy of learning?
- how is our documentation showing the diversity of learning in our centre?
I have just been searching through what i was using for my prac and found a clever little document that one of the uni girls was using - I would love to share it but need her permission first.
But to give you a rough idea - it is a wheel where the idea/interest/project is in the middle and then the areas from the NSW Curriculum Framework - social child, thinking child etc etc. Its a way of thinking about the curriculum and trying to plan for the 'whole child'.
However, a lot of the literature talks not taking this approach and the fact that often we are artificially separating and segmenting how learning occurs by taking this approach. Often if a project is well planned and provisioned for by following the direction of the children (but note here not doing nothing - but providing provocations and leading the learning by showing the children where to access the information and scaffolding experiences) it will meet all of these componentss of the children.
A site I have found very reassuring and inspiring is Early Childhood Research and Practice. It is a completely online (and free) journal -http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/index.html. It was founded by Lilian Katz (and some others) from The Project Approach books. You will notice in each issue is an example of a project that has been done in practice e.g. the latest issue follows the journey of 3-5 year olds exploring and investigating car a wash.
I think I will be spending tonight collating a group of documentation approaches including pedagogical documentation (which I still have a long way to go with), learning stories, anecdotes, mix murals of pictures taken over the last month, jottings categorised by outcomes (I might do one template for the NSW Curriculum Framework as that's what my colleagues are familiar with and one for the EYLF) and maybe some things from the Curtis and Carter books.... OK maybe I wont be able to achieve all of that tonight but hopefully over the next few weeks. For a number of reasons - to challenge myself, to enable my colleagues to challenge their perceptions of the children and to ensure I am truly seeing the child.
One other gem I wanted to share from my ECA meeting on Friday. Melissa reminded me that with the EYLF don't use the outcomes and forget the rest of the document. Instead look at what you are doing in your practice and ask yourself why? The examples of the educator's behaviours will naturally lead to the outcomes.....
So when you go to work tomorrow and set up the room
- ask yourself why did i put that there?
- why is that book in the book case?
- how is what I'm doing for group integrated into what the children are doing?
- how is the way we behave at transitions and meals reflect our beliefs about the child and our philosophy of learning?
- how is our documentation showing the diversity of learning in our centre?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Throwing Cameras - high expectations dashed
I learnt the hard way yesterday that having high expectations of the children does not always work out.
For the last month, for at least a few hours during the day the children have successfully borrowed and used my camera. This has led to some absolutely beautiful shots and it is incredible to watch a 2 year old successfully aim and take a photo.
Primarily it has been my preschoolers that have had the camera.
Unfortunately in a moment of exuberance yesterday my camera got broken - I didn't see exactly what happened but the reports from the children was that it got thrown across the room!. This is from the same children who have been incredibly careful with my camera for all of January.
But it wasn't so much the shock that the child had thrown my camera but her reaction that worried me the most - she poked her tongue out at me! I did get a sorry but only after I suggested that that might be a good place to start.
Some of the children offered to buy me a new camera for my birthday - but as i pointed out to them i don't think they have access to that much money.
Luckily for the child my camera was already starting to die after surviving all my practicals so I was (relatively) calm. Unfortunately, it did have the impact of re-affirming with the other carers that I was being too cavalier by letting 'children' use my camera....
I have really enjoyed watching and using the shots of the children - does anyone have any suggestions on how i can continue this without an attrition rate of a camera a month?
For the last month, for at least a few hours during the day the children have successfully borrowed and used my camera. This has led to some absolutely beautiful shots and it is incredible to watch a 2 year old successfully aim and take a photo.
Primarily it has been my preschoolers that have had the camera.
Unfortunately in a moment of exuberance yesterday my camera got broken - I didn't see exactly what happened but the reports from the children was that it got thrown across the room!. This is from the same children who have been incredibly careful with my camera for all of January.
But it wasn't so much the shock that the child had thrown my camera but her reaction that worried me the most - she poked her tongue out at me! I did get a sorry but only after I suggested that that might be a good place to start.
Some of the children offered to buy me a new camera for my birthday - but as i pointed out to them i don't think they have access to that much money.
Luckily for the child my camera was already starting to die after surviving all my practicals so I was (relatively) calm. Unfortunately, it did have the impact of re-affirming with the other carers that I was being too cavalier by letting 'children' use my camera....
I have really enjoyed watching and using the shots of the children - does anyone have any suggestions on how i can continue this without an attrition rate of a camera a month?
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