Guest Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Hi! As part of my EYPS work placement, I'm looking at changing the preschool room layout. The room was initially intended for about 8 kids, but numbers have risen to about 14, so it's rather chaotic and unstructured. I was hoping to have more defined areas that would be clearly recognisable by the children, i.e., role-play area, maths area, etc. I'm hoping this would help in keeping a bit of order with the children, i.e. only 3 kids in the maths area, rather than vaguely telling them 'You can't play here because there are 'too many' kids here'. I also hope it'll help in teaching them to be more tidy, i.e. once we're done with the toys in the construction area, we put them away before we move to another area. It'll also hopefully be helpful for the staff to link children's activities to areas of development, rather then just seeing them as randomly and chaotically wandering around without purpose. Etc etc benefits. The room is also irregularly shaped, sort of like 2 boxes connected by a thin bit: ________ ________ l l l l l l l l l l l l l l____l l l___________________ l The children rarely go to the left area, unless they're called there by staff for a focused activity. Normally staff will stay in that area doing their paperwork. I'd like to encourage the children to use that area more. Ok, mega-long explanation aside, any suggestions/tips? I thought having petitions/walls or coloured carpets might be helpful in designating the areas, but when I discussed it with staff, they raised concerns on budgetary requirements, as well as reducing visibility of the children (since they sit on one side of the room). I don't want to just put up labels (more for adult benefit isn't it) saying which area is which. For now, the room is mostly clear in the middle, with shelves and a small table along the sides. The shelves are also too large/unstable to be used as petitions. Help! Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 We are a pack away setting to we just change resources and areas around all the time. However what you wrote about children not using the left handside of your room is really weird because we have exactly the same problem. Water/Sand tray is always popular in our setting but if we put it on the left hardly anyone goes to it, it's really strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Hi Mark, could you upload a drawing of your room please and then I could offer suggestions. Oh and why are staff sitting together on one side of the room? If they can't see the children, they should move! (Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick?) ppp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Oh and why are staff sitting together on one side of the room? If they can't see the children, they should move! (Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick?) ppp oooh 3p, that's just what I thought!!! My staff only sit and do paperwork when the children aren't there! We use room dividers from Galt, and have a messy zone, a wet zone, and a dry zone. We have roll out of the cupboard trollies packed with goodies to use in each zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 People tend naturally to focus on the things to their dominant side, and as most of your children will be right handed, they will naturally go to that side. This explains why they don't turn left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 oooh 3p, that's just what I thought!!! My staff only sit and do paperwork when the children aren't there! We use room dividers from Galt, and have a messy zone, a wet zone, and a dry zone. We have roll out of the cupboard trollies packed with goodies to use in each zone. It doesn't sound like I'm going to have access to room dividers. How can the children not be there? Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Hi Mark, could you upload a drawing of your room please and then I could offer suggestions. Oh and why are staff sitting together on one side of the room? If they can't see the children, they should move! (Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick?) ppp Dang, I see that my nice little computer drawing came out messed up. =-P Uhm, the room is basically 2 squares joined by a very very short sort of corridor. The corridor joins the rooms along the side, as opposed to joining them along the middle. Sort of like a pair of squarish spectacles if you will. []_[] Yes, I agree that if they can't see the children they should move, but things aren't always done as they should be. It may be fair enough if there's only 2 of us in the room, i.e. one adult on each side, even though there's no/hardly any children on the other end. But if there's more staff they like to bunch up on the kid-free zone as well... Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 How can the children not be there? Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Because the children have gone home! That's when the paperwork gets done. If the staff are observing they are working with the children, if they are not observing they are working with the children. We are pre-school so that maybe why it is different to your setting - are you full daycare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I would certainly wonder why the staff are 'sitting'. If the staff are playing with the children they would be able to see them at all times? Perhaps it isn't just a furniture change you need to make but a plan for more interaction. Why are the staff ' bunched up'? They don't need to be together. You could change the children's access by placing staff strategically, so that if a member of staff is on the left side playing with something interesting, then children will most likely go over to see what is happening and get drawn into playing there as well. I have never limited numbers in any area, as I find children soon lean to self-limit and negotiate, or go to do something else and come back later. For example if there is a new role-play area and everyone rushes in, I would have an adult planned to be there to support the children playing. It soon settles down as they become familiar with the resources. Best of luck, as it sounds as if you might have a few barriers to deal with. (No pun intended) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) I would do a few observations first to see how the rooms are being used currently, where staff are etc to see where I could change things or adapt them to make them more user friendly or more used.. we didnt have areas for things as we felt it should be found in all areas and not allocated a place to be... dont know if that is clear but role play should include all elements of eyfs in some way.. as does most of the things in the setting.. whith continuous provision planning this became very clear and hence we set up as a messy/ noisy room and a quiet ( well supposed to be, perhaps a more peaceful room) we also didnt limit numbers... once they are used to it they self limited.. ocasionally perhaps with new equipment or when all physical stuff was out.. but even then it was only for initial surge then they calmed down. This allowed us to have all the sand, water , craft, paint, dough etc in one area and the markmaking, books, puzzles, construction in the other.. One was carpet so ideal for toys on the floor and we often found things like mark making etc migrate to the floor... and the other hard floor easy to mop and clean. we did have an area between the two which we could use as role play.also carpet. but it was wider than a corridor and could be divided into a room of its own had we been able to.. being hired put away setting we had no chance. This was never always the same, we did have construction and games in both rooms some of the time. Our staff did do books in session time as well as come in for an extra hour paid each week to do them. but we ensured they were only able to do it in the markmaking area with the children.. this gave children a role model of adults writing and drawing and they would often use this are more when they saw the adults joining in or doing their own writing for purpose there.. and we said only one at a time ... and children could also contribute to thier own books, often drawing in them and adding the pictures etc. when I found staff gathering I began allocating them jobs to do or areas to work in... eventually I could stop allocating and they naturally split up around the rooms... unless doing group activities or clearing up.. and I actually liked being in a packaway setting... not for the hard work of moving it all everyday, but for the blank canvas it gave us every morning to think about what we had been doing and if we wanted to set up with a change.. often we left the carpeted room empty, moving books to role play area and mark making, and then they had a whole floor for construction and other things... it was really good to be able to do this and on the occasions we found we did not pack away, things never got moved we began to notice that every day was the same.. so it can have benefits. Inge Edited March 5, 2010 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I would certainly wonder why the staff are 'sitting'. If the staff are playing with the children they would be able to see them at all times? Perhaps it isn't just a furniture change you need to make but a plan for more interaction. Why are the staff ' bunched up'? They don't need to be together. You could change the children's access by placing staff strategically, so that if a member of staff is on the left side playing with something interesting, then children will most likely go over to see what is happening and get drawn into playing there as well. I have never limited numbers in any area, as I find children soon lean to self-limit and negotiate, or go to do something else and come back later. For example if there is a new role-play area and everyone rushes in, I would have an adult planned to be there to support the children playing. It soon settles down as they become familiar with the resources. Best of luck, as it sounds as if you might have a few barriers to deal with. (No pun intended) Lol pun I do agree that staff should spend a whole lot more time interacting with the children, instead of making paperwork their primary focus. I've asked the staff and management how they felt about it, as well as sharing my views, but I'm afraid spreading the 'less paperwork, more interaction' vibe and offering suggestions is as far as I've gotten, as I don't have much authority as a student. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I would do a few observations first to see how the rooms are being used currently, where staff are etc to see where I could change things or adapt them to make them more user friendly or more used.. we didnt have areas for things as we felt it should be found in all areas and not allocated a place to be... dont know if that is clear but role play should include all elements of eyfs in some way.. as does most of the things in the setting.. whith continuous provision planning this became very clear and hence we set up as a messy/ noisy room and a quiet ( well supposed to be, perhaps a more peaceful room) we also didnt limit numbers... once they are used to it they self limited.. ocasionally perhaps with new equipment or when all physical stuff was out.. but even then it was only for initial surge then they calmed down. This allowed us to have all the sand, water , craft, paint, dough etc in one area and the markmaking, books, puzzles, construction in the other.. One was carpet so ideal for toys on the floor and we often found things like mark making etc migrate to the floor... and the other hard floor easy to mop and clean. we did have an area between the two which we could use as role play.also carpet. but it was wider than a corridor and could be divided into a room of its own had we been able to.. being hired put away setting we had no chance. This was never always the same, we did have construction and games in both rooms some of the time. Our staff did do books in session time as well as come in for an extra hour paid each week to do them. but we ensured they were only able to do it in the markmaking area with the children.. this gave children a role model of adults writing and drawing and they would often use this are more when they saw the adults joining in or doing their own writing for purpose there.. and we said only one at a time ... and children could also contribute to thier own books, often drawing in them and adding the pictures etc. when I found staff gathering I began allocating them jobs to do or areas to work in... eventually I could stop allocating and they naturally split up around the rooms... unless doing group activities or clearing up.. and I actually liked being in a packaway setting... not for the hard work of moving it all everyday, but for the blank canvas it gave us every morning to think about what we had been doing and if we wanted to set up with a change.. often we left the carpeted room empty, moving books to role play area and mark making, and then they had a whole floor for construction and other things... it was really good to be able to do this and on the occasions we found we did not pack away, things never got moved we began to notice that every day was the same.. so it can have benefits. Inge What's a packaway setting? I am interested in improving the continuous provision in the room, as the children don't seem to be able to access the resources very well, especially on the neglected half of the room. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Because the children have gone home! That's when the paperwork gets done. If the staff are observing they are working with the children, if they are not observing they are working with the children. We are pre-school so that maybe why it is different to your setting - are you full daycare? Oh OK. I am in the preschool room. It feels like the first half of the morning (and much of the day) is dedicated to paperwork, with staff focusing on just that, with little interaction with the children, unless there happens to be an activity. Meanwhile, I'll be the one on the other side of the room with practically all the children. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 People tend naturally to focus on the things to their dominant side, and as most of your children will be right handed, they will naturally go to that side. This explains why they don't turn left! Maybe I could turn them around 180 degrees, so that the neglected 'left' room would then be on their right. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 packaway setting... when not in use with children present it all had to go away in a cupboard.... so every morning we had to get it all out and every evening we had to put it all away... and we had to clean before we set up too.. we were in a hired hall and evening users didnt know what clean was.. and no cleaner... We allowed and managed continuous provision in most things.lots of cupboards and trolleys on wheels with items in.... so free access to most things.. only a few items were in the cupboard and children knew to ask if they wanted it, and learnt to negotiate about putting something back before getting next out, as there were space constraints.. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) Oh OK. I am in the preschool room. It feels like the first half of the morning (and much of the day) is dedicated to paperwork, with staff focusing on just that, with little interaction with the children, unless there happens to be an activity. Meanwhile, I'll be the one on the other side of the room with practically all the children. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com But in many a setting this may happen.. not the paperwork bit but the being the only one playing with the children.. we often found just having someone new acted as a magnet for the children.. and we had an easy day of it until they were used to having them around.. and if that was a man it was often even more pronounced... Inge Edited March 5, 2010 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 But in many a setting this may happen.. not the paperwork bit but the being the only one playing with the children.. we often found just having someone new acted as a magnet for the children.. and we had an easy day of it until they were used to having them around.. and if that was a man it was often even more pronounced... Inge I did speak to the staff and management, and they agreed that one side of the room was heavily neglected by the kids. I've tried hanging out on that side of the room as well. There is also a new member of staff, who replaces the usual one on Thursdays and Fridays, although as far as I'm aware, she's not a man. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 packaway setting... when not in use with children present it all had to go away in a cupboard.... so every morning we had to get it all out and every evening we had to put it all away... and we had to clean before we set up too.. we were in a hired hall and evening users didnt know what clean was.. and no cleaner... We allowed and managed continuous provision in most things.lots of cupboards and trolleys on wheels with items in.... so free access to most things.. only a few items were in the cupboard and children knew to ask if they wanted it, and learnt to negotiate about putting something back before getting next out, as there were space constraints.. Inge Thanks for the explanation. An interesting idea, but I don't think it's the best solution for my situation. The total area of the room is rather small, and there's not much cupboard space either. Although their are some high shelves which are being used in the manner you described, i.e. being put away, and children will ask for the items. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Oh OK. I am in the preschool room. It feels like the first half of the morning (and much of the day) is dedicated to paperwork, with staff focusing on just that, with little interaction with the children, unless there happens to be an activity. Meanwhile, I'll be the one on the other side of the room with practically all the children. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Ahh Mark, quite often children will gravitate to the person who is doing the most exciting thing in the room, - or frankly I would suggest in your case, the person just taking some notice of them and engaging with them. My staff may up-date learning journey folders with their key children during the session, but they don't spend heaps of time doing paperwork during the childrens time. Observations are written up as the staff are doing them but they are interacting with the children as they are observing - if they want to re-write them at a later date that's up to them, but it makes sense to write observations on sticky labels and then put them in a child's learning journey - not straightaway, but when they have a chance to reflect on what has been observed and make a note to plan for next step or another similar experience. My staff are paid an hour a week to keep their folders relatively up to date. Any major planning, if that's the paperwork you are referring to is done when the children aren't around so that we can think in peace! We are what's termed a packaway pre-school, we are open for 3 hours per day, the hall has to be set up and put away in the cupboard most days as there are other people using our hall. By the way, what paper work is so absorbing that it takes up so much of the adults time in your setting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Ahh Mark, quite often children will gravitate to the person who is doing the most exciting thing in the room, - or frankly I would suggest in your case, the person just taking some notice of them and engaging with them. My staff may up-date learning journey folders with their key children during the session, but they don't spend heaps of time doing paperwork during the childrens time. Observations are written up as the staff are doing them but they are interacting with the children as they are observing - if they want to re-write them at a later date that's up to them, but it makes sense to write observations on sticky labels and then put them in a child's learning journey - not straightaway, but when they have a chance to reflect on what has been observed and make a note to plan for next step or another similar experience. My staff are paid an hour a week to keep their folders relatively up to date. Any major planning, if that's the paperwork you are referring to is done when the children aren't around so that we can think in peace! We are what's termed a packaway pre-school, we are open for 3 hours per day, the hall has to be set up and put away in the cupboard most days as there are other people using our hall. By the way, what paper work is so absorbing that it takes up so much of the adults time in your setting? Well, I try not to go 'What you doing?! What you writing?! How many do you have to write?!' each time the room leader sits down... but I'd assume it's to do with being the room leader for the preschool room. They recently changed the ratio to 1:12 haven't they? Uhm, I was hoping for some room layout tips, but the thread seems focused on either children gravitating towards me or the staff's paper-workload. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Room layouts are one of those 'personal' things - you know where your windows are, access to water etc. by as mentioned we have different zones, so our wet area is close to the kitchen so that we can fill up the water tray quickly, empty it without too much trouble and mop up, alongside it we have the messy area, in that i include things like sand, malleables and DT/art. We have a physical area at the back of the hall (our hall is one large oblong shape) there is a large climbing frame and corner unit with slide, tunnel, steps etc. where the children can make camp. We have a role play area stocked with their dressing up clothes and a cabinet which holds all their hairdressers, shop, puppets that type of thing, we have a home corner, we have a maths/KUW area with a trolley they can help themselves to, a construction/small world area and a literacy area with library, trolley stuffed full of mark making stuff and paper, their scrapbooks and table set up with tape recorder, cd player. In the middle of the room we have a couple of tables for them to use for making models from duplo type stuff. All the different zones are mapped out by have a screen between them. As said before we are a packaway - so when everything goes back in the cupboard, all that's left is a bare hall with the climbing frame out and corner unit and stacked up chairs and tables. We can't have shelving or static low level cupboards/shelving for the children to help themselves from. You might get some help from layouts from looking at the www.communityplaythings.co.uk they used to have a dedicated booklet regarding room settings. Of course, their furniture is wonderful, but expensive, but it may give you some ideas. Have you plotted your room on graph paper and moved around the things that you can? That's how we sorted out our zones and what we might put in them. Sorry your original question got side-tracked - but it was a bit intriguing as to what the adults were doing, as we spend all our time playing with the children - definitely not doing the paperwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Thanks for the explanation. An interesting idea, but I don't think it's the best solution for my situation. The total area of the room is rather small, and there's not much cupboard space either. Although their are some high shelves which are being used in the manner you described, i.e. being put away, and children will ask for the items. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Just as a note, being a packaway setting isn't usually a 'choice' or a 'solution'. Lots of pre-schools are run in church halls or other buildings that are used for other purposes when the pre-school is not in session. The pre-school has to pack away all their stuff at the end of the session so that the hall can be used by others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_6008 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Mark, I'm not doing EYPS yet as I'm finishing my BA first but we've had people come in and talk to us about it - if I do the short pathway (and I see you are doing the long), I will have to go and get experience leading in a baby setting as my preschool takes children from 2 upwards. Do you have to do this for your pathway, and do you get any money to use in the setting while you are there (or the settin gget money because you are there?) I understand when I do mine there will be money to make changes in the setting I have to demonstrate leadership in, eg people in the past have improved outside areas. If there is, then that would help in your setting... I'd try to get the children to help me, and ask them what they'd like to change/see in the setting, explaining they couldn't have it all but it would help me to know what they'd want. Some of the people I did the Foundation Degree with got some really good results there to see how to change and improve the layout. We have messy play on vinyl and 'clean' play on the carpet, but move the rest of the stuff round periodically to make it more appealling. Ok, the ICT desk with the desktop PC stays by the wall for sockets! Currently, we've identifed a neglected area as our new super wide and low easel blocks the children's view of the activity table from the other end of the room with the shop are, dressing up rack, open space for construction, home corner with kitchen and babies, the ICT desk and the book corner... which works out as more than half of the room. (So, anyone thinking about getting a new super wide and low easel, think carefully about where you will put it first!) Just thinking, do the children have a visual timetable anywhere? I find I often see ours in the book corner, studying the pictures of our visual timetalbe then going off to do the one they've shown most interest in - wondering if having pictures of the other room with the resources/areas in it would help remind then what's there? Thinking about what you said about the ratios changing, were you thinking about the ratios for over 3 year olds? EYFS says it's 1 adult to up to 13 children if one of the adults has QTS, EYPS or a suitable level 6 qualification, other than that it's still 1 to up to 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Room layouts are one of those 'personal' things - you know where your windows are, access to water etc. by as mentioned we have different zones, so our wet area is close to the kitchen so that we can fill up the water tray quickly, empty it without too much trouble and mop up, alongside it we have the messy area, in that i include things like sand, malleables and DT/art. We have a physical area at the back of the hall (our hall is one large oblong shape) there is a large climbing frame and corner unit with slide, tunnel, steps etc. where the children can make camp. We have a role play area stocked with their dressing up clothes and a cabinet which holds all their hairdressers, shop, puppets that type of thing, we have a home corner, we have a maths/KUW area with a trolley they can help themselves to, a construction/small world area and a literacy area with library, trolley stuffed full of mark making stuff and paper, their scrapbooks and table set up with tape recorder, cd player. In the middle of the room we have a couple of tables for them to use for making models from duplo type stuff. All the different zones are mapped out by have a screen between them. As said before we are a packaway - so when everything goes back in the cupboard, all that's left is a bare hall with the climbing frame out and corner unit and stacked up chairs and tables. We can't have shelving or static low level cupboards/shelving for the children to help themselves from. You might get some help from layouts from looking at the www.communityplaythings.co.uk they used to have a dedicated booklet regarding room settings. Of course, their furniture is wonderful, but expensive, but it may give you some ideas. Have you plotted your room on graph paper and moved around the things that you can? That's how we sorted out our zones and what we might put in them. Sorry your original question got side-tracked - but it was a bit intriguing as to what the adults were doing, as we spend all our time playing with the children - definitely not doing the paperwork. Thanks How much do the screens cost? That's what I'd like I suppose, something physically tangible so that the kids can easily tell between areas. As opposed to 'This is the so and so area, because I say say', leading to vagueness between areas, unclear definitions, especially between different staff members, etc. I haven't plotted it out on graph paper, because I don't know exactly what resources I have to work with. Was meant to have a discussion with the manager, but as usual, it got postponed, sigh. I thought staff with obscene amounts of paperwork is the norm? This is the third setting I've worked in. Granted, they seem to spend more time focused on it, but I guess that's due to staffing issues. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Mark, I'm not doing EYPS yet as I'm finishing my BA first but we've had people come in and talk to us about it - if I do the short pathway (and I see you are doing the long), I will have to go and get experience leading in a baby setting as my preschool takes children from 2 upwards. Do you have to do this for your pathway, and do you get any money to use in the setting while you are there (or the settin gget money because you are there?) I understand when I do mine there will be money to make changes in the setting I have to demonstrate leadership in, eg people in the past have improved outside areas. If there is, then that would help in your setting... I'd try to get the children to help me, and ask them what they'd like to change/see in the setting, explaining they couldn't have it all but it would help me to know what they'd want. Some of the people I did the Foundation Degree with got some really good results there to see how to change and improve the layout. We have messy play on vinyl and 'clean' play on the carpet, but move the rest of the stuff round periodically to make it more appealling. Ok, the ICT desk with the desktop PC stays by the wall for sockets! Currently, we've identifed a neglected area as our new super wide and low easel blocks the children's view of the activity table from the other end of the room with the shop are, dressing up rack, open space for construction, home corner with kitchen and babies, the ICT desk and the book corner... which works out as more than half of the room. (So, anyone thinking about getting a new super wide and low easel, think carefully about where you will put it first!) Just thinking, do the children have a visual timetable anywhere? I find I often see ours in the book corner, studying the pictures of our visual timetalbe then going off to do the one they've shown most interest in - wondering if having pictures of the other room with the resources/areas in it would help remind then what's there? Thinking about what you said about the ratios changing, were you thinking about the ratios for over 3 year olds? EYFS says it's 1 adult to up to 13 children if one of the adults has QTS, EYPS or a suitable level 6 qualification, other than that it's still 1 to up to 8. Hi Lyanne! Mine's actually the Full Pathway. From what I understand, settings that receive students doing the EYPS receive some funding, but it's up to them how they would like to use that funding. Noone has told me hey, we've got this budget here for you to spend. In fact noone has even told me what materials/resources I have to work with, so it's pretty much what I can see lying around. I was interested in changing the room layout as well as encouraging the children to explore other activities than the ones they usually stick to, before I found that I actually have to do something for my EYPS course. That may sound convenient, but I hardly get a chance to speak to management, all I get are postponed meetings, etc, and the deadline's drawing close. I'm already ultra-annoyed because in my previous setting, I was meant to do a presentation to staff. I'd prepared all my materials and everything, then of course management postpones then cancels, so all my effort was for naught. I tried to communicate to my lecturer that I had asked the management to transfer the information to parents and staff, so shouldn't that count for something. Got a big smile, a 'Sorry, no it doesn't', in other words tough luck, it didn't tick the right boxes. Sorry for the rant. I do wish to bring about some good for the sake of the children (as well as passing my course!), but it usually feels like not only are my hands tied by both the course provider AND the setting, but they expect you to jump through numerous hoops as well. Back on topic; The children don't have a visual timetable. Probably because the only things on their schedule are snacks and meal times...there's no designated time slots for outdoor play, circle time, stories, etc. Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_6008 Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Oh, I've been there and done that - and all my childcare course have been done while I'm employed by the setting, so they've even been contributing to payment of the course! I had one time when I had to do planning (back in the dark ages when we did lots of plans for our adult focus activity!) and carry it out and implement it, and had had all this agreed with my leader who then insisted we did something else. And I needed to be able to show my tutor my plans and how it went. Can I ask, how did you get to be in your setting? Was it a placement your uni found for you, or did you have to find your own placement? And what the uni's expectations of you at the setting are? Because it sounds a bit as though the setting are getting the benefits of having you there (somone to play with the children while we can get on with our paperwork, some money in for new resources, fresh ideas about stuff and someone to implement them... without giving you a huge amount of support... I've put a lot of thought into this prompted by doing Collaborative Working, and Route Specific (where I had to make anew resource and implement it and reflect on it) in my Foundation Degree, and next time I have to do something in work for my course, I'm going to be a lot more explicit about what I need to do, to all staff - because it's my job I will be at staff meetings but intend to do a short handout for all the staff/committee etc about it and do a talk about it so they can have their questions answered and fears allayed, and know how it's going to benefit the children. I do most of the student mentoring in my setting and so far the highest level our work placement students have done is level 3 - and all our staff are either already at (or above - me!) level 3 or currently training at level 3 themselves. But we did have someone doing her BA in Early Childhood Studies come in to us to do practical work for her disseratation and I felt as though some of the staff weren't sure how to be with her - on the one hand she's any other 21 year old coming into our setting, but on the other hand, she's doing a degree and therefore must be looked up to. (Quite frustrating for me when I'm doing one too and am actually in some of the same lectures with her!) So I'm wondering if some of the staff/settings are a bit intimidated - after all, you already have a degree and are doing EYPS to make you into SuperEarlyYearsPractioner? Or are they already there anyway? Getting back to the visual timetable thing, what I was thinking was you could take photos of the areas and put in the other area, I mean if you have sand in the popular area and mark-making in the unpopular area, you could have a largish (A5?) photo of the mark-making area hung next to the sand, and vice-versa (though that deosn't seem so needed!) so it's there as a visual prompt to the children of what's available but out-of-sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Oh, I've been there and done that - and all my childcare course have been done while I'm employed by the setting, so they've even been contributing to payment of the course! I had one time when I had to do planning (back in the dark ages when we did lots of plans for our adult focus activity!) and carry it out and implement it, and had had all this agreed with my leader who then insisted we did something else. And I needed to be able to show my tutor my plans and how it went. Can I ask, how did you get to be in your setting? Was it a placement your uni found for you, or did you have to find your own placement? And what the uni's expectations of you at the setting are? Because it sounds a bit as though the setting are getting the benefits of having you there (somone to play with the children while we can get on with our paperwork, some money in for new resources, fresh ideas about stuff and someone to implement them... without giving you a huge amount of support... I've put a lot of thought into this prompted by doing Collaborative Working, and Route Specific (where I had to make anew resource and implement it and reflect on it) in my Foundation Degree, and next time I have to do something in work for my course, I'm going to be a lot more explicit about what I need to do, to all staff - because it's my job I will be at staff meetings but intend to do a short handout for all the staff/committee etc about it and do a talk about it so they can have their questions answered and fears allayed, and know how it's going to benefit the children. I do most of the student mentoring in my setting and so far the highest level our work placement students have done is level 3 - and all our staff are either already at (or above - me!) level 3 or currently training at level 3 themselves. But we did have someone doing her BA in Early Childhood Studies come in to us to do practical work for her disseratation and I felt as though some of the staff weren't sure how to be with her - on the one hand she's any other 21 year old coming into our setting, but on the other hand, she's doing a degree and therefore must be looked up to. (Quite frustrating for me when I'm doing one too and am actually in some of the same lectures with her!) So I'm wondering if some of the staff/settings are a bit intimidated - after all, you already have a degree and are doing EYPS to make you into SuperEarlyYearsPractioner? Or are they already there anyway? Getting back to the visual timetable thing, what I was thinking was you could take photos of the areas and put in the other area, I mean if you have sand in the popular area and mark-making in the unpopular area, you could have a largish (A5?) photo of the mark-making area hung next to the sand, and vice-versa (though that deosn't seem so needed!) so it's there as a visual prompt to the children of what's available but out-of-sight. Large activity advertisements in the room? That's an interesting idea, thanks for sharing that. I initially thought you meant just an A4 with a top to bottom schedule of the kids daily routine. Hey, you're spreading the bad misconception that an EYP is meant to be a superhero who swoops in and says 'Don't worry, I know you all don't know what you're doing. But I'm an EYP. And I'm here now. I'm going to fix everything, so sit back, and listen to me' While on placements, we're meant to be learning and absorbing. I don't feel that anyone should automatically be 'looked up to'. I wouldn't look up to management or Level 5s, just because that's what they are, but maybe I'm a little thick-headed. I understand the 'intimidation factor' though. I was meant to have a formal staff meeting presentation with the staff to talk a bit about the EYPS. But of course, that never came about, as usual...so I've limited myself to informal chats. Our placement settings are arranged by the uni. We can recommend places we'd like, but so far that hasn't really resulted in anything for me. =-P Yes it does sound like the setting has it's share of benefits. You'd think they'd be willing to spare 5-10 minutes a week, or at least be honest and say no I'm not going to spare you 5-10 minutes a week, rather than making false promises and messing everything up... Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_6008 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Large activity advertisements in the room? That's an interesting idea, thanks for sharing that. I initially thought you meant just an A4 with a top to bottom schedule of the kids daily routine. Hey, you're spreading the bad misconception that an EYP is meant to be a superhero who swoops in and says 'Don't worry, I know you all don't know what you're doing. But I'm an EYP. And I'm here now. I'm going to fix everything, so sit back, and listen to me' While on placements, we're meant to be learning and absorbing. I don't feel that anyone should automatically be 'looked up to'. I wouldn't look up to management or Level 5s, just because that's what they are, but maybe I'm a little thick-headed. I understand the 'intimidation factor' though. I was meant to have a formal staff meeting presentation with the staff to talk a bit about the EYPS. But of course, that never came about, as usual...so I've limited myself to informal chats. Our placement settings are arranged by the uni. We can recommend places we'd like, but so far that hasn't really resulted in anything for me. =-P Yes it does sound like the setting has it's share of benefits. You'd think they'd be willing to spare 5-10 minutes a week, or at least be honest and say no I'm not going to spare you 5-10 minutes a week, rather than making false promises and messing everything up... Regards Mark http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com Huh, if I don't get the superhero cape, I'm not doing EYPS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts