Just a quick post while I am supposed to be watching a Sunday afternoon movie with the kids! I just love being back in the classroom – not only do I have a runny nose and a VERY sore throat, I also have flea bites! Just need a few headlice and a worm or two and I will have the full set! Well, gerbil TV is finished and I am just letting the girls get used to their new home for a few days before I take them into Nursery. As promised – here are a few photos of the process. My kids absolutely love it! The photo doesn't really do it justice – I … Read More
Finding their feet!
Was out of school this morning consulting elsewhere, but was back for the afternoon session. More new starters today and it really struck me what great mentors the other children are. I am really pleased that they are settling so well and really beginning to use the environment. The boys played in the role play for an HOUR . Better than that – and you won't believe this…they played in the role play for an hour even though the door to outside was open! I know, what are the chances? Their play raised lots of discussion for me and the team mostly around gun play. They all made guns and were shooting each other from inside the boxes – I … Read More
Permission Granted
Asked everyone concerned and all are happy for me to blog. Used this at a staff meeting tonight and it made for interesting discussion. Yes, I could have said 'well what could you use to stick it?' and my lovely TA could have let the little boy find out by trial and error that he had not put 'the sticky side down' but what I always say to staff is to look at the whole picture – if you took EVERY learning opportunity in a session then an activity may well lose momentum. See what you think. P.S. Check out my TA's coordinating observation bag and assessment book and pen in hand!! Both of my TA's are really embracing my thinking … Read More
two little boys… build a tunnel
Today was officially great! The children are still coming in a few at a time but the ones who have been in for a few days are really starting to feel at home and use the environment independently. They did some brilliant outdoor work with the bread trays and plastic covers. In the couple of hours that I was out there the area was everything from Tia's sausage butty shop to a pirate ship complete with planks for walking! All of this with minimum adult intervention. If we had themed the outdoors as a cafe or a house we wouldn't have got such diverse opportunities for play. I have got some big plans for outdoors but we are starting with … Read More