Help I'm Embrassingly Not Doing Obs Like Your Supposed To.

[Guest]

Hi there

 

New here, I became a childminder last year and although I'm really enjoying it I've not been doing the obs. Now I suppose that isn't strictly true because I put them in the daily diarys BUT not been putting them on a sheet. I've been taking photos of the mindees and then linked them up to the daily diarys. Now I'm panicing as I haven't had my ofsted report yet and I feel so unprepared. Apart from register, policys and procedures and a rough risk assesement sheet I'm worried that I'll get a poor even though I do look after the children's needs. Help I think I'm sinking!

[AnonyMouse_15046]

Whoa. Stop panicking!

 

From the brief summary you've just written the only things I can see missing are links to areas of learning and next steps.

 

You don't have to do things twice.

 

I can't write much more now because I have to wake a charge for a school pick-up but if you post a bit more about what you think you're missing out I'm sure someone should be able to reassure you.

[AnonyMouse_1027]

im sure you are just not evidencing like Ofsted would like to see - can you not talk to your network or advisors and get a template from them

[Guest]

that sounds fine dont rewrite, just link as previously said to the DM and plan next steps. Give your children life experiences

as long as all your policies and risk assessment are in place you will be fine.

do you have a local networking group of childminders in your area? perhaps you can link up with them for support and advice and general gossip

[Guest]

It is absolutely fine to record observations,assessment and planning in a daily diary if that is what suits you - it means that you are keeping parents involved in that continuous cycle, and shows excellent communication.

 

Why not start only using the left hand page for your observations and photos, leaving the right hand side free to link to the development matters statements of the EYFS and jot some ideas of how you might move the children forward?

 

And while you may not have been writing it all down, I bet you have been doing it in your head.

[Guest]

So is it ok to do my observations retrospectivly? Not sure how I can think of how I can do the next steps though. Bit confused on that bit. I know how to put them into the 6 learning aims.

 

How do you plan with 2 babies? When I say babies one is 13 months and the other 19 months.

 

The other one under the EYFS goes to nursery before we pick her up so most of the time she wants to mainly play with play doh and chill. She has just started and is getting on better with me than my husband. (I cm with my husband who also is a cm)

[Guest]

You should be jotting down what they are doing as they do it or directly afterward, so that you capture all the detail of what they actually did and said. The next steps can be done later.

 

Planning is always loose - ideas of what you might do, or resources to add to your continuous provision (what you have out for children to access all the time). The Learning and Development book gives some ideas as a starting point. The child who accesses another setting you need to be swapping ideas with the other carers.

[AnonyMouse_15046]

So is it ok to do my observations retrospectivly? Not sure how I can think of how I can do the next steps though. Bit confused on that bit. I know how to put them into the 6 learning aims.

 

How do you plan with 2 babies? When I say babies one is 13 months and the other 19 months.

 

The other one under the EYFS goes to nursery before we pick her up so most of the time she wants to mainly play with play doh and chill. She has just started and is getting on better with me than my husband. (I cm with my husband who also is a cm)

 

IMO retrospective planning is the best way. You then record what happened not what you guessed might happen.

 

I record what we did and why (maybe because a child arrived talking about some particular event that day) and then what area of learning I felt that activity best helped in terms of their development. The same activity would probably cover different areas of learning for different children. I makes it all much more personalised and relevant.

 

As for the child who likes to chill - you are fulfilling her needs by helping her to relax, supporting her in making choices and allowing her to return to activities to consolidate her learning from them. I bet you also chat about what she's done that day and plans for when she gets home. If you think about it you are probably covering lots of Development Matters with her.

 

Next steps for her could be to develop her pay by including other objects or sensory experiences with the playdough.

 

It really doesn't have to be complicated.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Upsy Daisy

[AnonyMouse_29641]

Yeah, concur with what has been written. It sounds like you have quite a handle on what is required. All you really need to do is be able to show that you provide appropriately for the six areas of learning for each child and also for the other fifteen Aspects of the EYFS.

 

Planning sheets? I bet you know what your children want to do and what you could put out that would never get played with. Follow the child's interests. Sit or run with them and extend their play. Follow their lead. Just be able to show that what children are learning is appropriate for the child. A note in the diary to say that Mary showed an interest in fire engines so we found all the fire engines in the cars. Mary told me they were Red! ( KNW). She also used numbers 'one, two and three when we were playing (but not quite in the right order) (PRSN).

 

Because Childminders know their children so well, retrospective planning is the go in my view. Planning in our situation is more a case remembering to buy paints, glue and paper when they're on sale so that things are at hand when you see the need.

 

- and I think when ofsted visit, it's important that you can show that all areas are catered during free play time. But in reality your setting may not have the room for messy play, construction, puzzles, painting etc, all to be out at the same time, so showing the whole range - tidying one away to put out another may be necessary.

 

Has taken me all day to dip in and out of this , and am sure others more coherent.

 

Good luck,

 

Honey