Learning Journals in EYFS

[Guest]

Hi, this is my first posting so hopefully this will work!

I am currently based overseas in a private school. We have tried numerous approaches to create a 'learning journey/scrapbook' for every child in FS. The problem seems to be making it managable, individual and not just a glorified scrapbook! We have involved parents but really this was just getting them to stick in the child's work and decorate the pages, not sharing the child's wow moments from home.

I really do like the idea of an individual learning journal for each child, where the child selects the work to be stuck in, photos are recorded and we intend to use labels to record a child's thoughts about an activity or photo and another label to record the 'wow' moment. In addtion to this we will be carrying out observations although it is still undecided if these will be recorded. My questions are really;

1. How do you organise your learning journals with your class?

2. How are your parents involved?

3. Do you record the ELG /objective achieved?

4. How often to you complete this activity with each child, how is it timetabled?

5. How often do you send it home?

6. What top tips to you have for making this work?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

[Steve]

Hi Liz -

Welcome to the Forum, and good to hear from you. I'm sure others will be along to tell you how they manage their journals and what they put in them, but I thought I'd also point you in the direction of our own online learning journal service, called Tapestry.

 

If you haven't found it yet, it might be an alternative to consider. We have quite a few settings abroad using Tapestry, and they find it particularly useful as you can set up access for grandparents and other relatives to view and contribute to them. You can find more information about it here. :1b

[Guest]

Looks great thanks. I will show this at school, thanks!

[Guest]

Just wondering when you think it will be possible to print a hard copy of each journal for parents etc? It said coming soon, i just wondered what the time scale would be. Thanks

[Steve]

Sorry, Liz. That should have been edited. You can now create PDF copies of learning journals (minus video) and either print or burn to CD. :1b