Guest Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Help please I am very confused, Please could someone explain to me is Child Initiated Activities the same as Adult Initiated. The other teacher in my year- FS_N/R who has a degree in Early Years- NQT tells me she plans her 80% child initiated time- and showed me her planning. her planning tells me exactly what is going in the sand, water, at every table, on computer, in reading area, outside, on carpet etc. So on a Friday night she decides what activity the childrne will be playing with on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (usually they are the same the whole week). I do not understand how this is Child Initiated, because although the children can choose which table to go to, how are they structuring their own leanring. What hgappens if they don't understand the computer programme but knew what to do with last weeks programme? or if they want to paint a picture of mommy and the new baby but the activity is to print patterns. Perhaps it is me and I do not understand what Child Initiated is. I am very confused? My understanding is there are- Child Initiated- children choose what to play/ learn with in terms of activities/toys Adult Intitiated- adult chooses activiites/ toys Adult Directed- Adult directs learning on activity- ie. encouarge sharing whilst palying, check colour recognition, play in writing area and encourage childrne to mark make. Have I lost the plot, am i stupid. Please tell me- don't worry about being blunt. I'm thinkin if she has only just recently 1/2 year ago graduated from this course surely she would have the more up to date knowledge. Wouldn't she? Also if Chil Initiated is 80% are there any other set %s for the opther areas?- Adult Led... Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 (edited) I got these definations (think it was from LEA) as its something that confuses and everyone has own ideas Child initiated; where the child makes choices from within the learning environment to meet his/her own outcomes for learning. Skilful adult interaction supports and extends the play to enable the child to make progress. Adult initiated; experiences where the practitioner provides the resources to stimulate and consolidate learning. These experiences may not always require the direct involvement of an adult. Adult directed; experiences which are planned and supported by practitioners and which aim to meet specific learning outcomes. Edited August 18, 2006 by Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Blossom, I think I agree with you that the other teacher has a rather skewed view of Child Initiated. Sounds more like Adult Initiated to me. In our setting we have one focus activity, the children can otherwise access resources as they choose - we have all items stored where children can get them. All we ask is that they tidy up after themselves when finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2776 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Excellent definitions, Marion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 I agree with others comments. Our setting is self access for the children, ie: we have all the art materials available all the time, games, jigsaws, small construction etc are available from labelled draws / boxes, to access at any time etc. This is not always possible for every setting due to environmental restrictions such as storage etc. therefore some settings will 'rotate' equipment to ensure children have access to a variety of choices over a period of time. However, observations will show previous interests and hopefully these will be catered for when deciding what to put out. Peggy just wanted to add, the % that is not child initiated, I beleive is planned as adult led or adult initiated, however, some practitioners do forget that a lot of the routine circle time / story time / lunch time / tidy-up time ( if it's not done as they play) / P.E. / song time etc are all adult led. So, with this in mind the 20% shouldn't all have to be through adult directed activities such as a certain way to do painting ie: printing. Also consider, say the art activity of printing, this can be adult directed ( demonstration) then left for children to choose as self selected for the rest of the session. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 I think Marion has got it right, I wonder if the other teacher has got confused?! or has miss understood?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Hi THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Marion your answer is just perfect, it is exactly what i thought but just couldn't put into words. I am so glad that I am not loosing the plot. Do you know i have tried to explain this to her this week- we had a week in planning, but she just could not comprehend. Unfortunately she is a little stuck in the mud, and does give NQT's a bad name- esp ones who have an Early Years Degree. Because it is- 'well i am an early years expert as i have my degree in early years' and'i am the most qualified person in the room'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (short rant but i'm dealing with that). Thank you thank you thank you. Can i just check Sue that you would not set up an activity, so of a morning you would say set up a snack cafe' (if you had this), perhaps put water in water tray, open sand up and then only set up your directed activity. Would this be right. Presently she is having to set up the night before so she has tons to put out- 4 tables, painting, jigsaws etc. So not only is she confused by Child Initiated but she is also doing too much work herself- is this right. No wander she is always complainign about work life balance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway thanks for all you replies on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 What happens in our setting, is the Focus is organised, but not set up until after it's been introduced (Day Nursery, open from 7.30 - Focus person, me, doesn't start till 9). We like the children to know what they're doing and why! The other areas are set up as children were accessing them previously, with enhancements following input from them the day before (either direct, as in circle time suggestions, or as we observed the play heading) so really, we just tidy up a bit and 'tweak' Is that any help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 We do much the same Sue. Most of our equipment is easily accessible to the children large things are stored in another room but if the children ask for them can soon be set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 That's a relief, Marion ! Although I may sound confident, a lot of the time I'm 'batting in the dark' - as I suspect we all are! Sue xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I use pretty much the same definitins in my training around the role of the adult/good FS practice - I think a lot of practitiners I've met in my work in schools have confusions about "child" initiated and "adult" initiated - I agree with Marion, there is a lot in there about HOW the adult interacts with the child in each kind of learning situation - child initiated to some means leave the child to get on with it by themselves - but the skillful practitioner will be a play partner maybe and support the idea through their interactions, e.g child has been to the zoo at weekend, and on return to setting has got some animals out - adult might talk with the child about what they saw, what else the animals had in the zoo around them and this might e.g lead to building a model zoo using resources the child selects for their own reasons. (Actual example from my class - they decided to move on from small animals and build the zoo from the community blocks and then took it in turns to be the lion and the lion keepers. After the discussion we left them to it again but observed throughout the morning and posed problems/questions that helped keep the play moving along.."oh look the lions are getting bored in their cage, I wonder what they might like to stop that??" - excellent role play and KUW came out of this) Although an adult is with the child I believe this is still a child initiated type of activity IF the adult does not try to direct it, lead it in some predetermined outcome or dominate it. The skill lies in how we communicate, LISTEN and discuss with children what they are about when engaged in their own activities and also knowing when to shut up and butt out!! Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I would certainly agree with what you say Catma. I do think it is often difficult for us as 'teachers' to know when to take the back seat and not dominate perfectly good 'learning'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Agree with what you say totally! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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