Thoughts on Linking: The Diagram Edition

So last weekend I started to ponder linking - the links that everyone seem to be making ... So while I was waiting for a friend ... I drew a diagram:

 

Chaos.

So I thought I might try and make more sense of it ... and drew a more organised diagram:

Still chaos. Just more colourful. Less scribbly. However, still chaotic.

There is no way I am:
a) doing this
b) capable of doing this
c) capable of even maintaining this even if I could do this in the first place
d) able to explain this confidently
e) able to explain this confidently while under the added pressure of having an assessor visiting and asking me to explain and justify it!

So as a result I'm reading and re-reading the EYLF and making lists and such to really inform the choices that I and others make about linking and documenting.

Remember, linking is a left over from the QIAS ... We need to be smarter! We need to think. That's what the EYLF tells us to do! Critically reflect and make informed choices! More on this later! It's another essay!

© Teacher’s Ink. 2013

Reflection Flashback circa 2009: What Happens if ... You Give A Child A Camera?

Well, I gave the children a camera and answered that question!  It was during rest time while the adults were putting children to sleep.  A, M, and YH were doing quiet activities at the table. YH had used the camera to take a photo of his letters. YH then spread the love and took pictures of M and A. He then shared the camera with them. They posed, took pictures of one another from close up and from far away. They took pictures through the window of outside where the rain was bucketing down. They took abstract photos of objects in the learning environment. My colleague L grabbed our other camera to take pictures of the children using the camera.

 

What prompted this? Well, I had previously been to a conference where a presenter had made the point that we diligently photo document the children’s work. She questioned us as to when do we give the right and responsibility of documentation to the children? When do we give them permission to use the camera so they can share their own perspective? I thought that this was FABULOUS so I tried it with great success.

As my colleague and I looked through the children’s photos we were impressed with their creativity both in posing, almost as characters for the camera, but also in documenting their unique perspectives of the world around them.

The previous story happened way back in 2009. I thought I would just share it with you because it was a beautiful moment that made it into my personal reflections.  It also marked a shift in my professional development as a practicing teacher. It was a moment where I chose to view the children as powerful and capable. It was a moment that created change in our learning environment.

This could be a story for the child's portoflio along with the images that they took. It certainly links to the EYLF in many ways although it happened in a time before the EYLF was even published. This story is the child's voice! It shows the children as actively involved in their own learning! The children are sharing their knowledge with each other! They are sharing and negotiating taking turns which in turn is about the relationship that they have with each other! It's the children not only exploring technology, but also using it successfully! They are transfering what they have learned in one context into another. They are learning through play!

There is more than one way to observe and document.

I think in a perfect world, we would have cameras for the children so that they could share their ‘voice’ more readily!

 

© Teacher’s Ink. 2012 All Rights Reserved

Repurposing: Art Tray

 

 

I'm a BIG fan of recycling and repurposing and re-using if you havent already picked up on that notion ...

The tray is from my uncle. He won it at a tournament a great many moons ago. It's an engraved trophy. The tin cans, well, you all know where they came from and I've posted about making cans safe before in my post:  Sustainable Recycled Repurposed Home Corner Resources. The materials are simply what you might have at an art table or possibly even in a writing or drawing area. This was so simple and easy to put together. You could also have materials for a playdough table. Hmmm that gives my my next idea!

If you don't have the materials to "recycle" you can easily buy metal trays from any number of discount stores if you want to head down this specific path. Weekend market stalls where they sell homewares have them in many different sizes. I've also seen them many times at opportunity shops (Salvation Army or St. Vincents or Anglicare Op shops).  Or if you want a wooden look -  wooden trays are readily available from Ikea or Kmart or any other number of stores.

 

 

© Teacher’s Ink. 2012 All Rights Reserved

Paper Dolls = Home Made Felt Board Resource

I was playing online with Google looking for some inspiration for discovery bottles (there wasn’t a huge amount that really caught my eye ( I think I’ll have to create a post on that myself!) ... and I accidentally found this blog post on her "Shiny Happy Paper People":

http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/shiny-happy-paper-people.html

 

I was really inspired by this blogger and she’s very kindly given me permission to do this post about her dolls! The ones that I have made are quite large! They are going to be good for the toddlers and preschoolers together ... If I make them again, I’ll make them smaller, and I’ll also explore other patterns! These are things that an educator could easily make for their own teaching bag!

Since I had brought some scrap booking paper to work for another project – this is something we were able to do immediately! It’s been evolving over a few weeks – and the ones displayed in this blog are the ones that I’ve made ... the kid’s ones were awesome and I wish I could show them! Some children took them home, some let me keep them for our own collection.

 We are using them as resources that we’ve made ourselves – which ties in with being creative, inventive, following the children’s interest (in collage and making things!), supports the children as capable and resourceful, used budget friendly materials (recycled donated cardboard + donated scrapbook paper).

The children can use them in block play or on the bulletin board where they will stick with some hook-Velcro ... It’s just a resource that we’ve done ourselves – that represent us or people we know or care about – and is something that will give us an opportunity to play! The children could even use them to create stories of their own which we could write down and document with photographs! The children might want to make some other items to help provision the play? Who knows where the children will want to take it ... it might just stay where it is!

 

 

Meanwhile we had an unimpressed observer ... Look at that face! He turned out to be so gorgeous for a "throw away" kitten ... how could you throw something so beautiful and gorgeous away? I'll never understand...

(c) Teacher's Ink. 2012 All Rights Reserved

Sustainable Recycled Repurposed Home Corner Resources

We all know the buzz buzz buzz about being sustainable and environmental in the EYLF and the NQS ... Well, I know I've mentioned this before, but I thought I would do a whole post on it! I've been slowly saving up some more cans ... and I have a few more that are still at work!

1) Collect your cans! Try and have a variety, that is colourful, has a balance of image and text.

2)  Wash your cans out... be careful as most of the lift top lids leave a sharp edge.

3) Have your "smooth edge" can opener ready - remove the inner lip of the can and discard.

4) Run your finger carefully along the inner edge and make sure its smooth - again, be careful!

5) Re-attach your label if you removed it from can (I did this as I didnt eat all that food in one go - and I used pet food tins which I use daily as the base). You can do this with sticky tape. Just make sure it lines up evenly.

6) Cut a piece of clear contact adhesive slightly longer than your can so that it sits on the bottom of the can and over laps the top.

7) Remove the cover of the contact adhesive and carefully smooth over the label of the can.

8) When the can is fully covered, make a few small cuts at the top over lapping adhesive cover and then fold them into the can and smooth them out. This gives extra protection from the rim (which should be smooth anyway!). If you are particular about the safety of these cans, use some silver duct/gaffa tape to line the top of the can.

9) Ta! Da! You now have some unique, made by yourself, economical, resourceful, creative, recycled resources that can be used to support children's creative and imaginative play!

10) Sit back and watch the magic ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(c) Teacher's Ink. 2012 All Rights Reserved

Creative & Innovative Resource Design!

Home Corner BLING!

I like creating things for work. I really like being innovative and creative. Something that I have done for years and years – is make stuffed food boxes. I stuff them with shredded paper and then tape them securely shut. You can then use adhesive contact to wrap them in. This way they last even longer and are less likely to be opened by curious fingers and minds. I often stuff them =with= the children because this way – they know what’s inside and are less likely to investigate.

I have also made food bottles for years ... I have found at Kmart – a set of 3 small twist top jars which are BPA free plastic for $2 ... so a bargain I think! I’ve filled them with some food items (labelled on the bottom with the date) and then glued them closed with my small hot glue gun (put the glue around the inside of the lid and a little up the thread – then carefully twist on – wait til they dry and presto! Real food items! I am still toying with creating name labels with the bottles. I might, but then again, I might not!

Also I have been making food cans ... this is a =new= idea of mine! I had made them years ago using papier-mâché cans – but it was toooooooo much work ... I’m  lazy and need ease and convenience these days ... buy a smooth edge can-opener ($5 from Coles) which cuts the lid off a can but leaves a, yes you guessed it, smooth edge! Run your finger along it carefully to make sure it is smooth! Then I just put on a food label – then contact the label and then fold the overlap into the inside of the can just for extra protection. I leave the cans open - why not? They can then use them to feed people (I had a little not quite 2 year old feed me some cat food the other day, YUM!). Or they can fill them with spare parts (like bottle lids etc).

Some of these items are either “free” or easily affordable. They are made using items that might otherwise make it into the rubbish/recycle cycle with only one use under their belt ... this way, you can re-use and re-purpose items, then when they have lived out their second life with you, you can then recycle them! (minus the plastic of course).

The food bottles will quite possibly last for YEARS ... I have had some last for 10 years before I left them at a job ... It was time to start new. And I’m really impressed with the Kmart jars. Perfect size for little hands. And they really aid in imagination, are real items that they might be able to relate to – and it helps them connect food with food in different states of being (i.e. dried rice, dried beans, etc).

Also, something that we need to all consider - especially in light of the NQS - and their emphasis on sustainability and environmental awareness and the environment - this is the perfect thing for your service to do! If you do it with the children - you are also empowering them, discussing it with them, and helping them to be capable and competent contributors to their own learning space and materials.

So that is my newest sharing with you ... Go forth and create and innovate! AND feel free to share your ideas!

T.ink.

© Teacher’s Ink. 2012    All rights reserved.

Creative w/ Natural Provisions

Jazz things up with some natural bling!

Reflections: Before & After

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER!!!

I took photos. I can’t share them. I’m sorry. BUT I can tell you how much of a difference I can see. It’s important to take photos I think ... how else do you know how far you’ve come? Your mind will quickly forget what things looked like before ...

I have shared them with my team and it really brought home to them just how far we have come in a couple of months. I put them into a PDF document with before at the top, and then after at the bottom showing the same spaces, with 3 or so photos of each space ... I started with the office and the foyer ... and when I am happy with the children’s rooms, then I will do the same and shock them! Zaaaaaaaaaaaaap!

I wanted to tidy things up in the office and the foyer ... those spaces are after all the face and the "brain" of the business ... people will judge your service based upon what they initially see. And if what they see doesn't represent "business" and "professional" then you might lose them ...

I somewhat have a vision of where I want this service to go ... and I am limited by time (at least at this point I am) ... So, I am under pressure to be a manager and a mentor and an educational leader as well as an innovator! So many things! I feel though, that I am starting to get somewhere with it, which is great ... and the photos help me to remember where I started, remind me of where I'd like to see this "show" go, and give me inspiration to keep going, to keep moving forward!

We've been getting awesome feedback from families and its been really encouraging!

Do you take before and afters?

It really helps you to reflect on what was before, what you’ve got going on now, and where you might like to go ...

That is afterall what they are promoting in the EYLF isn’t it? The distance travelled? I think that we need to show our distance, not just the childrens’ ... I've written about this before - how its important to save copies of your written work ... I am constantly amazed as I look back at my work from 2009 and compare it to what I am doing now ... There is an obvious distance travelled there! And through reflection, I've been able to grow and evolve and demonstrate to my team as well - which makes me more human and accessible rather than just  the "manager" or "educational leader" who is telling them what to do ...

So... go take some photos!  

Starting From Scratch ...

I'm starting from scratch ... and I'm ruffling feathers ... I might write about this for publishing at a later date ... But I will focus on my work as a teacher and educational leader for this blog!

What I have been working on is a planning cycle ... The NQS says (and correct me if I'm wrong, or something somewhere says, but I'm too tired and weary to look it up, so just pretend we both know what I'm talking about, and that I'm right!) we need to have a cycle ... so I'm drawing up a cycle ... and in that cycle I have arrows that indicate link from one aspect to another  ... A cycle that is clear to understand and can be easily seen on a bulletin board ... I won't put up a "program" so to speak, but I can have a cycle with a link to possibilities!

I'm working in supporting staff to link the daily reflections to the children's portfolios (or journals) ... and then I'm trying to support staff in writing the links from yesterday's events with today's events and then think about where we might go for tomorrow. I'm also encouraging instead of saying LOC 1.2.3 or some such secret code, that we use the words and terminology of the EYLF without being arrogant and elitist about it ... We need to be understood by parents and the community!

I mean it's well and good to know in my head how everything will look ... but how will it look to others?

Being an educational leader is challenging especially when you are trying to not only lead a preschool team, but a whole service as well! What was I thinking??!?!?! I know the challenges will pay off eventually ... its just so exhausting!

Speaking of exhausting, I have a new awesome padded mattress overlay that I really must go and reaquaint myself with quicksmart!

Been lovely seeing you again!

XoXo

The Gifts of Autumn

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.

~Elizabeth Lawrence~

I was inspired and reminded by my last block placement at a long day care service of the gifts that autumn has for us. In fact, nature in general gives us gifts each season that we can embrace in our teaching practice.

I've noticed that when I'm not attached to a service or to a group of children (you know, 'shackled' to their portfolios and the daybook: document document DOCUMENT!!!), you are able to just chill out and go along for the ride.

I thought I might play around with some ideas from my past as well as some new ones and put together documentation on leaves and quite possibly with an emphasis on autumn.

Now, this effort will not include any pictures of children, nor pictures I’ve taken at jobs. I am going to have to be creative with images from my collection and my environment. I am also going to have to use my memory from the past 6 years of teaching.

The photo in this blog entry is from the Liquid Ambar that used to live at my grandparents house. Sadly, my parents chose to remove the tree and replace it with a Manchurian Pear tree which is lovely in its own way ... but I do miss that beautiful Liquid Ambar. But unfortunately Liquid Ambars are not very sewer pipe friendly. I personally would have spent heaps of money changing the pipes and kept the tree! But that’s me! I’m a sucker for a gorgeous tree. In fact trees have played such an important part of my childhood:

*  the “oak” tree we used to climb as children and play helicopters (no idea if it was an oak tree, we just thought it looked like it might be one and that was that!)

* the giant sequoia we had growing in our backyard back home that I used to play  under ...

* the Japanese maple we had planted next to our fish pond ...

* the giant copper beech tree our neighbours had which had the most gorgeous plum coloured leaves.

* our fruit trees: apple, plum, apricot, lemon, lime

* the oak grove at the local botanical gardens we’d visit almost every weekend as a family

So as you can see, I'm a nature loving girl who has an affinity for trees.

So, I'm going to play with a mock-up documentation on leaves and see where that goes. I'm not professing that this will be the best documenation out there. I'm not claiming that this is how it should be done ... I'm just going to put together based upon events of my past and ideas that I havent yet followed up on. It's up to you to do your own thing. This documentation just sits within my experience, my personal practice and is part of my own professional development path. When it's complete, I'll turn it into photos and post them on the blog. Afterthat, I can convert it to a PDF and if you'd like a copy I can email it to you. Here goes!

The quote came from: http://www.quotegarden.com/autumn.html

(c) Teachers Ink. 2012 ~ All Rights Reserved

Creative Presentation of Resources

It seriously doesnt have to cost a fortune ... It will cost more than the plastic baskets at the $2 shop mind you, but they will last forever and they look warm and beautiful and inviting and they are natural materials to boot!

This set of wooden bowls + a wooden square plate I forgot to add to the photo cost $20. There is a little crack in the large wooden bowl, but that could be filled up easily enough with some filler and then sanded back then oiled. They are so warm and beautiful.

So even if you displayed plastic animal figurines in the bowls, at least they are presented in a beautiful way.

The "You'll Never Guess Game!"

I had an idea ... its something I've done for years ... but it just kinda found a 'place' while I was cleaning the kitchen ... cleaning out an old plastic jar actually for the recycling ... I thought this is a somewhat funky plastic container ... and then it hit me! I can (re)USE it! This is a simple, cheap, easily adaptable, transportable group experience!

I've used this guessing game since about 2007 ... but it kinda came and went in my teaching practice - I haven't used it for aaaaages ... I just started using it again last week and it was loads of fun! It's actually extremely useful for a 'bag of goodies' if you are doing casual teaching or you need something quick, easy, and portable to grab to hold the children's attention.
Gather your supplies:

You will need stuff ...any sorts of stuff ... I'll just create a random list: miniature plastic animals, insects, toys, buttons, beads, counting/sorting toys (you know those bears or dinos or fruit or insects, coloured ribbon, stones, sticks, pompoms - whatever you think will be interesting for the children to try and guess - and make sure that its not too abstract to start as you have to give clues to guide their guesses!

AND

A jar, box or other sort of easily tranportable container.

I start this game with:

"I bet I can trick you! I bet that you can't guess what's hiding in my hands!"

They love a challenge and they love a tricky-teacher!

I give varied clues like this:

It has four legs. It's a mammal, which means it has hair on its body and it feeds it's baby milk. It lives in two places in the world: Africa and Asia. It's very big. It has a long nose. It has grey skin and two big ears. Sometimes it has two long tusks. "Elephant!"

It has four legs. It's a mammal (this is often where you'll get "elephant" shouted out all over again!). It lives in the jungle. It hunts for other animals to eat. It has stripes (often you'll get zebra at this point!). It is orange and black and sometimes white and black (yeah, you guessed it, zebra again!). Tiger!

It's got 6 legs (spider! is the usual guess at this eager excited point). It is a type of insect, but its not a spider, its like a spider. Spiders have 8 legs! It hops! (rabbit! No, it has 6 legs! Rabbits have 4 legs and are animals). It makes a noise that is a chirp chirp chirp. (Insects are very tricky I've found for the children to guess. I find that I show them a part of the toy in my hand it helps).

Sometimes you'll get that "psychic" child who will just call out "horse" and yes, you have a horse in your hand. I make a melodramatic face and pout and carry on that its not fair that they guessed too well and I wasn't able to trick them! They love it.

I just pass the toys out as we go, if the children don't guess, I just give them a toy or item anyway so only one child gets one at a time ... This keeps little hands busy, helps focus their attention, helps to support them feeling engaged with the game depsite not guessing right.

I get my supplies from around the way ... I've got bits and pieces at home that I've just accidentally brought home with me over the years and they've ended up in the washing maching or under the lounge. Or I go to the discount stores and buy the toys for about $1-$2 a set. I then mix and match the toys inside. This way the game is always fresh. I actually got the animals I'm using now from Big W for I think $1 a pack - sea animals, insects, farm and wild animals etc. Just use whatever you think is interesting.

This experience is excellent for:
* problem solving and creative thinking
* learning about animals, insects, nature etc (which ever 'characters' you are using).
* this can be a follow-up to what the children have learned about whichever project they are using (eg vegetable gardening, or insects, etc) which helps to reinforce their knowledge base.
* language and literacy - introducing new descriptive words or creative language.
* classifying and sorting and describing.
* turn taking - sharing within a group.

Enoy!

Prescribed Curriculum & Professional Challenges

Today it was a challenge to be a professional when faced with a petulant self absorbed miserable little so-and-so ... on the bright side, all the children were gorgeous (even the challenging ones) ... pity about their carer (I wont even use the word educator to describe her) ...

I know that sounds harsh ... but it was like being in high school ... Passive aggressive bullying.

I'm there to be with the kids and to teach them ... I'm a teacher, not a stop-gap measure for ratios ... I'm a TEACHER and that is what I do ... I see what the kids might like, or what they need, and then I provide it.

And I'm struggling with the room which is all from a website ... its all prescribed and structured and boring ... Its all printed out in colour, laminated and then put on the walls and every which place ... That is not a project! They are following themes and then doing highly structured stencil craft on that theme ... I can't call it art. I just can't. And the room is so insanely visually busy that people dont even notice what is in there! It doesnt even tie in with their current play 'themes' ... I can tell you 3 different things that I am doing with them that they are really loving and really embracing (but due to being somewhat anonymous, I'm not going to at this point!)

I just don't appreciate people being nasty ... and I'm dealing with it as best I can ... but its such a struggle sometimes. In fact, this reminds me of another situation I was once faced with ... when someone you work with wants to be "best buddies" with you ... and you just aren't feeling it ya know? Then because you aren't as in to them, they then start getting petty and creating drama ... I wonder if its that? Or if perhaps its because the children are really engaging so well with what I'm providing for them?

Can't it just be about the children? Can't it just be about spending time with them, giving them wonderful memorable moments that support them to grow and be happy and enthusiastic? And these aren't "my" kids! I just met them not so long ago and they are just delightful - even the ones that are a bit difficult! They are so much more chilled out that my old group, and I might add there are more of them AND there are more developmental issues ... and this feels like a working holiday compared to the hair-pulling I went through before! I don't feel so bad as an educator now! They were a difficult group! I struggled. I'm human. I walked.

I just don't get it!? Its not about YOU! Its not about YOU standing there TELLING them what they should LEARN! Its not about interrogating them on a subject and then calling it "their voice" or "their ideas" ...

They say way more interesting things than "the sky is blue" or "cows go moo" just because you did a whole theme on such and such.

But hey ... each to their own ... She would so hate working with me on a long term full time basis ... I would totally upset her prescribed boat of blandness.

Ok, that was a bit narky. Oh scrap it, I'm feeling narky! So, I'm embracing it.

Rant over.

Thanks for this space to express.

T.ink

(c) Teacher's Ink.

$1 Dinosaurs ...

I found some dinosaurs when I was wandering around BigW one weekend ... $1x4=$4 ... Not a bad investment ... Yeah I know, they're plastic not so fantastic BUT they're durable ... just imagine all the fun that would occur out in a rough patch of garden?

Four Dinosaurs Roar!

This is my favourite dinosaur ... Of all time! Its a stegosaurus! I think that its important that you have a favourite dinosaur. This is the dinosaur that one of my students from a couple of years back, dubbed the one that goes "ching-ching" with its tail ... I just LOVED that and I won't ever forget it. This is the Dino that goes Ching-Ching!

And this is Lukey's dinosaur ... Lukey LOVED the brontosaurus in our room ... it was a light blue ... lighter blue than this one ... it was his. His favourite, and his character when they played. All the kids knew it. They would find it after he'd discarded it, and they would take it to him even if he were playing in the sandpit or on his bed. Now that dinosaur belonged to Lukey, and Lukey belonged to him.

This makes me remember once something I'd wanted to do with the kids and the dinosaurs ... I never finished it mind you - things happened and time passed and the kids lost interest and I didnt have time to complete the project ... But we took the dinosaurs outside to the blushland reserve adjacent to our service. We set them up in different ways and took photos ... then we came "home" to school and we started to write a story using MS Publisher with the pictures ... I made speach bubbles for when the dinosaurs would have something to say ... it was hillarious!

So I share this idea with you ... Take some critters or creatures, dinosaurs or animals or people - set them up in spaces indoors or out and take photos of them ... Then write a story about it ... print and enjoy! Or you could be more organised than I was, and write the story first, then use the characters to illustrate it ;)

At some point (maybe) ... I will find where specifically this relates to the EYLF ... but just off the top of my head - this would be the children driving the curriculum - making choices, being creative, using technology, literacy and communication, as well as working collaboratively ...

Enjoy!

T.ink.



Just Another Day Book Sample

This is just another version of the same sort of thing that I would do from time to time ... I wouldnt write anything at all myself ~ I'd involve the children and interview them ... These are the sorts of things they would say ...

The Day Book ~ My Style Explained V.2

Like last time ... I've added numbers as reference points ... Numbers 1-4 are explained in my previous post as well as number 7 ... I'm hoping its not too confusing but I didnt want to cut and paste it and add numbers in different orders etc. I'm assuming you have read or will read V.1!

1.       See Previous Post http://teachers-ink.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/day-book-my-style-explained-v1.html

2.       See Previous Post http://teachers-ink.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/day-book-my-style-explained-v1.html

3.       See Previous Post http://teachers-ink.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/day-book-my-style-explained-v1.html

4.       See Previous Post http://teachers-ink.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/day-book-my-style-explained-v1.html

5.       This is where I got clever a couple of years ago when it was suggested that I show the children’s voice more – this was even before the EYLF ... So I would call some children over and simply ask them a few different version of essentially the same questions:

a.       What did you play today?

b.      What did you like playing today?

c.       What did you learn today?

d.      What was the best part of your day at school?

It really depended upon who I was talking to – their language and comprehension skills etc. But you get the idea ... ask an open ended question about their play and then write down what they have to say. This is their voice. Their words or voice reflecting upon their day.

6.       This is where the author of the daybook is acknowledged – and the staff for the day written as well. I’ve also previously written what types of music we’ve listed to, or what we had for lunch so it was all there for parents to read – a one stop shop.

7.       See Previous Post http://teachers-ink.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/day-book-my-style-explained-v1.html

So this is just another version of what my day book entries used to look like ...

Enjoy

T.ink.

The Day Book ~ My Style Explained V.1

I am titling this as "Day Book ~ My Style Explained V.1" because it's simply just that ... It's very general and I've written it using generic and nonsensical terms. I'm going to reflect more on this and either provide some different samples or some guiding questions. I have also done a few different things over the years, so I will create some mock-ups of those and post them in the near (or not so distant) future and title them V.2 and V.3 etc. If you notice, I have placed numbers in the sections. The numbers are used as reference points to explain my thinking behind those sections below the image.

1.   The Title ... You can say what you want here ... I used to say “Monday’s Story” or whatever day of the week it was ... You can have it focused on one aspect of your learning environment – you can use the terminology that you are familiar with for example I might have used “The Creative Child” (DOCS, 2005) and written about our experiences in collage or perhaps the buildings that were created in block area using stones, branches and pieces of fabric. The title can be simple, or it can be a headline designed to grab peoples’ attention!

2.   These are the =main= events ... it is not EVERYTHING that was engaged with on the day. This is just what was really important or where the most learning was observed by the educators ... It might not be the most important leaning that occurred – but you don’t have eyes and ears all over your head so you can’t see and hear everything that happens everywhere all day long.

3.    I don’t like being tied to a future idea ... or curriculum decision so I use “POSSIBLE future directions” ... Its just the ideas at the time of writing the day book entry ... overnight my ideas may change, indeed while driving to work the ideas may change – or the children may come up with their own ideas or in fact they may not want to move from the place of learning they were at yesterday. I think we get so carried away with: What are we going to plan next? When it is perfectly valid to just experience NOW! Notice that I used terms like: more, less, repeat, extend and then something new. Again, these are only ideas of where the possibilities might be. They are not set in stone!

4.   This is where I write about the main events in more detail. You can relate them to the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009) and the concepts held within the learning outcomes or any other aspect of the EYLF you’d like to refer to. You can paraphrase or you can quote directly. It’s up to you. There is no particular prescription about how this should look. What you do need to be talking about and reflecting up on is children’s learning – not so much the  specific outcomes, but the processes. I like writing this as a narrative because it means that its a story, its personal, its reflective, you are speaking to your audience and sharing your thoughts, but you are also able to refer to the past, present and future in your expression. And that is "linking" and making connections within your curriculum. Remember curriculum is:

"Curriculum encompasses all the interactions, experiences, routines and events, planned and unplanned, that occur in an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development" DEEWR, 2009 pp. 9).

5.   This is where there is a space for families to write a comment to the children or the service. They can share ideas or what they are thinking about what the children are doing. I would strongly encourage you to ask families to share their voice in the day book. I remember one mother’s comment about rainbows which to this day, touches me. She was one of the main parents to read the day book and be involved. Imagine how her child felt, knowing that her mother took such a strong interest in her school.

If you have any questions or comments, please post them here or email them to me! I'd love to hear from you: teachersink [at] gmail dot com

T.Ink

You're Programming Wrong!

“You’re doing it wrong” is what they were told about their programming ...

So who is telling them that they are doing it wrong? Well, it wasn’t the previous manager who has 15+ years experience working in children’s services. It wasn’t the “validator” who assessed the service last year and found them to be a service delivering high quality care and education (who liked the system and methods).

It’s the new manager. This is her first job as a manager. She is also young and hasn’t had her degree for very long, nor has she got a great deal of experience in a variety of services. I think they were desperate to hire someone consistent. It certainly doesn’t look good when you can’t find staff for your service. Out of everything she could have done to improve the team, the service, support the transition to the NQS, she chooses to attack the programming and planning and declare that its “wrong”? Really? Is that the best way of managing? Um, no, it’s not. The methods that she has suggested were also bulky, cumbersome, time consuming, not presented professionally and is just going to encourage people to return to scribbling decorations on a blank page to fill the empty spaces because they can’t think of anything substantial to write. If educators can’t fill one page of a daybook with reflections, how are they going to fill double or triple the space? I know that she’s simply getting them to work the way that she is used to, but it’s not about her.

The programming that a service does should be created by the team for that particular service – what works for them? What physical resources do they have available to them? (slide shows on photo frames or computer screens? Printers? Computers? Photocopiers? Time to write?) What is their philosophy? How is that reflected in the interactions with children? How does all this relate to the EYLF? That programming that a service does should not come from ONE person whoever that person is!

What’s wrong with this line: “You’re doing it wrong?”  ... That’s not great management. It’s insensitive and passing judgement upon others. Even if they were doing it wrong, you don’t put it to them like that! You work WITH them as a team and brainstorm ideas – that’s reflection. That ‘reflection’ sits within the EYLF and is what we are required to do. But to tell someone that they are doing it wrong? That’s wrong.

One of my previous interview questions related to this ... and my answer was – I tend to be quite reflective and have lots of ideas. I’m however not going to walk into a new space and start changing things just because I have a new idea. I don’t know what happened before in this space – I don’t know the history of the room or program. I need to work with the team and the children and in consultation make changes. Yes, there are changes that MUST be made at times, but there are also changes that can occur over time. So, yes, you get what you want as a professional, but you do it in a way that everyone comes on board with you, and together you create change. In the meantime, I’ll just write my ideas down and wait for a good time!

You certainly don’t tell people they’re doing it wrong. People will be invested in their way of “doing it” and if you tell them it’s wrong – well you are going to put noses out of joint and upset people. Not a smart move.

I'd also like to add, that from what I've seen on  visits to quality services, at previous work places, and on the internet about how different people are programming - there are so many different ways it can be done, and as long as you can show an understanding of what your system is, and it meets the requirements - then you are doing it right. You are doing it right for you!

End of rant.

Stepping off soap box.

T.ink

~*~ Indoor Gardens ~*~

Gardening ... I love gardening. I love nature and plants and animals. I set up a terrarium with my preschool group earlier this year. We used an old plastic aquarium. The kids really got into it! Unfortunately it didnt have an air-tight lid which meant it needed to be sprayed alot - and since I took some leave - everyone forgot and many of the plants died.

We also experimented growing wheat seeds in jars which was very successful. You could see the wheat grass, but you could also see the roots in the soil. I found that idea on the internet. The children then took it in a different direction and I remember Miss K suggested that we plant them in the garden ... we did, and they grew. Master X suggested that we grow them in water ... we did, and they didn’t grow. But it was a lesson learned.

I learned a lot and it didn’t cost much. It took time. It took thought. It took planning. It took minimal resources. It’s about being resource*FULL.

Acutally I think back to one of my managers - she wanted the lunch tables to look pretty ... with the three to four serving bowls that the current cook was giving us at each table it wasnt possible with the space we had on the tables and I didnt see the point of putting something on the table that would only get removed right away ... but I was just thinking - jars with plants in them would have been the perfect alternative to the vases with flowers that were suggested. Whether as jars of wheat grass or spider plants or ferns ... I'll keep this in mind for my next employment committment (if I make one!).

Here are some photos of the terrariums I made for myself at home ... They are pretty simple ... just google image "terrarium" and you will get so many awesome ideas! I found a great deal of inspiration for this through google ... I =heart= google.

Here is my assistant ... responsible for quality control and being generally curious about everything.

I used spider plants because they were accessible (i.e. in my garden) and they were small and affordable! I figured if the plants didnt make it, then I could replace them easily enough without disturbing the substrates.

So yeah ... it was pretty straight forward and easy ... I havent added little special things yet like painted stones or trinkets or little figureines ... I thought I would save that for the larger one I will do ... I found some jars at The Reject Shop for $5 with lids - including a funky cookie jar which was rippled ... not sure if it was the best option for a terrarium because the plants would be all distorted ... I ended up buying little mini tea sets  and a bird tote instead! But there are options out there that are super affordable! All the gardening materials I purchased at Bunnings. My assistant was found 12 months ago as a 12 week old kitten on the street at midnight by a neighbour. I'd be lost without him.

If you dont have a space in which you can garden - I know that some services don't have access to gardens - this is a way for you to do something on a small scale inside. And because they are enclosed, they are relatively easy to maintain - i.e. they don't dry out quickly.

If the plants do die, or fail to thrive, this is the time to have those conversations with the children about why that might be happening! Then you are really tackling hypothesizing and problem solving and really engaging with the natural materials!

Now in regards to the EYLF ...

"Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world: Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment:

= explore, infer, predict and hypothesise in order to develop an increased understanding of the interdependence between land, people, plants and animals

= show growing appreciation and care for natural and constructed environment

= explore relationships with other living and non-living things and observe, notice and respond to change

= develop an awareness of the impact on human activity on environments and the interdependence of living things."

Educators can promote this through:

·        " provide children with access to a range of natural materials in their environment

·         model respect, care and appreciation for the natural environment

·         find ways of enabling children to care for and learn from the land"

EYLF, 2009 pp. 29

T.ink.