Guest Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 My boss has asked me to devise a BTTM weekly plan much like the ones we use with out FS children. I received some planning sheets from the early years team but my manager doesn't want me to use them as they are daily plans. Has anyone got any ideas as to how I could go about making a plan that covers all the areas I need it to? I'm having trouble with headings and with general layout. I thought I could adapt the daily plans I received and turn them into weekly ones but I don't think it covers everything. Any help or ideas would be great. Thanks! Clare
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 Hi Clare, In our DN we don't do too much in the way of rigid planning for BTTM, as it's more about observing children's interests and building on that, however, for the sake of 'efficiency', our weekly plans show what we 'intend' for each day - we may do something completely different, depending on the children!! If we do, we write this into the weekly evaluation, with rationale etc, then evaluate what actually happened. The weekly plan is a simple grid, with 5 rows (days of the week) and the columns relate to the areas, (can't remember exactly how many, as I'm in pre-school, which is a bit different) we then fill in the activities intended. Any help? Sue
Guest Posted March 20, 2006 Posted March 20, 2006 Thanks Sue. I think I have come up with a relatively easy format for this. Like you say the days of the week, then the main aspects. When I fill in an activity, I write under it which of the components it comes from. Just hope the boss is happy with it....
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 20, 2006 Posted March 20, 2006 I hope so, too!! Just knock 'em about a bit, if they squawk too much Sue
Guest Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 Hi Sue. I showed my manager the plans and she said they were really good but she said she wanted them done termly instead. Why then, I asked myself, did you ask me to make up a weekly planning sheet if you wanted them done termly?! Slightly baffled, but am slowly working my way through a format that works over the term!! Just thought I'd let you know the latest update!!! Clare
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 Hi, thanks for the update To be honest, I don't see the point of a termly one, when we've established BTTM is all about following the children's lead!! . A termly outline, with your initial ideas would be OK I suppose, but I think it's going for overkill any other way. Anyone?? Sue
Guest Posted March 25, 2006 Posted March 25, 2006 I totally agree! I was under the impression that btt plans were done mainly according to the children's interests at that particular time. There is a booklet we have at pre-school which is all about planning for two year olds in mixed age settings and in this booklet it said about settling in plans, reviews of settling in after 6 weeks and then using these to look at the types of activities and equipment both at home and in the setting, the children had an interest in. Then it went on to talk about Possible Lines of Development, which was all to do with the planning based on the children's interests from the evidence collected from the settling in plans. Sorry if that was a bit long winded!!! Anyway, I showed her the settling in plans and she agreed we could use them. I thought it would be better to put 'planning' ideas down weekly, because children's interests change so often. I can't see how 'planning' termly is going to meet these needs somehow, but I agree it could be used by staff to record ideas or suggestions towards the end planning results. Sorry about that! I knew what I wanted to say but am pretty sure it sounds a bit all over the place. My brain was obviously working quicker than my fingers were typing, so apologies!! Clare
Guest Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 Hi I was just about to ask how people keep written plans or a working document for BTTM, when I came across your topic . . . could someone attach an example of how they record BTTM at Pre School level??? our youngest children are two and a half yrs old, but we still need to show how we plan etc. Have tried different formats over the last year, but these seem too lengthy are really time consuming to write up and not really showing anything particular - any help gratefully received. Thanks
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 We have added a box for the links to FS or BTTM to be highlighted, it's our standard focus activity planning sheet. Will have a go at attaching..... it worked! I'm not 100% happy with it, busy tweaking, amongst a million and two other things! Sue Focus_Activities___links_to_bttm.doc
Guest Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 That is a similar format to the one I have made up to use so I'm glad I'm working along the right lines, Sue. Thanks! I am going to attempt to attach my planning for last week, so you can see what I did! I don't know if it helps anyone else but here goes..... Think it's worked.... ! Clare Weekly_Planning_Sheet_20th_March.doc
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 Clare, I like your planning, it's easily read and very clear. I can see that it's also easy to follow the children's lead from as well Well done Sue
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 I havent had anything to do with BTT really, but the setting I'm in at the moment have, in the toddler room (around 2 yr olds) interpreted it as having the same equipment and toys out all week so that the children can build on what they have been doing. I get that, but it's so boring. The room leader said that if they didnt access something on Monday they might on Thursday, well yeah, if there's no choice love! Is this really how BTT works?
AnonyMouse_2846 Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 That made me smile rea!know what you mean I used to think that when I worked in a tweenie room!
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 26, 2006 Posted March 26, 2006 Rea - I really hope you know that's not how it goes in MY setting! There's revisiting and there's boring Sue
Guest Posted April 3, 2006 Posted April 3, 2006 I am the Birth to Three Co-ordinator in Worcestershire. I am horrified to read about settings which try to plan termly for under threes and heartened by those which have really grasped what is important: developing baby and child friendly policies, practice and environments; getting to know individual children and their families; rich communication; open-ended experiences; following children's interests and using plentiful, useful observations to plan to enrich children's learning. There is a lot of useful information on our website: www.earlyyearsandchildcare.org.uk Feel free to go to the providers' page and click on the Birth to Three link. I can be contacted at bskilton@worcestershire.gov.uk
Guest Posted April 3, 2006 Posted April 3, 2006 Hi Worcestershire and welcome to the forum!! I am one of those that really struggles with BTT planning, but thanks to support and advice from many on here, I have (hopefully ) come up with something that works! Thanks for the website address and thanks for giving us an address to someone who knows what they're talking about!! Clare
Guest Posted April 3, 2006 Posted April 3, 2006 Hooray!! Finally BTTM is becoming a bit clearer to me!! I am shortly to begin a new job in a day nursery and need to get to grips with BTTM, as upto now mostly worked with 2 1/2 years up!! Thanks to Sue R and loopy lou your plans are easy to follow and your discussion with everyone else has helped to show that you should not plan termly or be too rigid but take your guidance from the children!! Thanks for the tips! Great!!
Guest Posted April 3, 2006 Posted April 3, 2006 Hooray!! My confusion has helped someone else to understand BTT!!!! Am very excited!! Good luck in the new job, Turnip!! Clare
Guest Posted April 4, 2006 Posted April 4, 2006 Thanks for the link Worcestershire it's a great help, welcome aboard
Guest Posted April 4, 2006 Posted April 4, 2006 Thanks for the link Worcestershire, and welcome to the forum. The guidance is very comprehensive and I particularly like the content on different observation methods The skill of making objective observations, I believe, is a very important part of the adults role in providing for the BTTM framework. I think, possibly due to past Ofsted experiences, and the need to produce evidence that we are "doing our job" practitioners have been too quick to write plans before actually looking at the "who and what" we are planning for. Peggy
Guest Posted April 22, 2006 Posted April 22, 2006 This is what we do, we have planning sheet for the week, just really observe children and build upon that. Hope it helps Weekly_planning.doc
AnonyMouse_5475 Posted April 23, 2006 Posted April 23, 2006 This is all really interesting to me for my future articles on how BT3 fits in with the FS in a mixed setting. Planning for mixed ages is obviously something that has got everyone really thinking. I'll try to bring together some of your ideas/questions in the articles. Jules
AnonyMouse_4495 Posted April 23, 2006 Posted April 23, 2006 Hi peeps! Yet another BTTM planning topic... and it's not surprising as no-one has really come out and told us what to do with it, which is why there are settings doing long, medium and short term planning (hi and welcome Worcestershire - I TOTALLY agree with you about settings not doing termly plans!) We are pinning our hopes that the EYFS will make it clearer, but from reading Nursery World last week it sounds as though it is going to be a 'top down' approach rather than the hoped-for 'babies up'. I think I have previously attached what we recommend to our settings, but when I get to work tomorrow, I'll add them to this thread for those that are interested or I'll find the link to where they are, if I'm feeling clever! For those that are working in under 3's rooms - enjoy spending time with the children and not filling in too many planning charts (I know it's easier said than done!) RB x
Guest Posted April 23, 2006 Posted April 23, 2006 This is what we do, we have planning sheet for the week, just really observe children and build upon that. Hope it helps 54502[/snapback] Hi Emma. Is that planning just for BTTM or is it for the FS too? How do you incorporate both? I'm always looking for effective ways to change and develop our planning, I'm never satisfied with it, so I would be interested to know how you involve the two. Thanks!
Guest Posted April 23, 2006 Posted April 23, 2006 I agree Running Bunny that BTT should be more about actually 'doing' with the children rather than writing reams and reams of planning sheets. I enjoy working with our under 3s but find the planning and the just not knowing much about BTT doesn't help
AnonyMouse_4495 Posted April 24, 2006 Posted April 24, 2006 Hi, These are the planners we give to providers for suggested formats to use for continuous provision planning, weekly focus activities and daily ideas, observations, focus children/areas. BIRTH TO THREE PLANNING IDEAS (About 10 posts down) Hope they help! RB x
Guest Posted April 25, 2006 Posted April 25, 2006 (edited) I devised these sheets for our group. They work well for us Edit: I'm adding more to the originals will post back when completed Edited April 26, 2006 by Guest
Guest Posted June 6, 2006 Posted June 6, 2006 Hi Emma. Is that planning just for BTTM or is it for the FS too? How do you incorporate both? I'm always looking for effective ways to change and develop our planning, I'm never satisfied with it, so I would be interested to know how you involve the two. Thanks! 54631[/snapback] hi sorry for the long reply, well we just use it for birth to three, but with our children before they even reach three some are achieving the early learning goals so we often incorporate both. I think with the format whihc we have this allows to do that quite easily, i do however think it could be used for f/s planning. hope it helps! Emma xXx
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