New to Programming using these templates

[beckyleigh]

Hi,
I have just started Family Day Care, not that long ago. I have been trying different programming methods, when I stumbled across this site. I think the templates are fantastic! The EYLF is kind of all new to me. I was looking at the "Weekly Program" on here and the "Learning Stories". I notice that the principles and practices are in the Learning Stories, but are they not needed to be part of your weekly plan also? Does anyone have an example of how they have used the templates on here as part of their programming, just for an idea? Any help appreciated. Thanks

[Lorina]

Hi Beckyleigh,

Welcome to Aussie Childcare Network! Great to have you on board!

Thank you for your feedback of our templates! Very happy to hear that you like the templates!

In regards to your question on why the Principles & Practices are not available on the Weekly Curriculum Plan is because the curriculum plan is made up of a variety of different experiences and it will be difficult to pin point which Principles and Practices falls into each experience on the curriculum plan. The reason why it is on the Learning Story is because when writing the learning story you are speaking about one specific experience which you can validate through each one of the Principles and Practices. If you would like when you are using the Daily Reflections template you can just add it in the box at the end when writing up the daily reflection. I have also made a note to add the Principles and Practices field to the Daily Reflections template in the future. This way when you are evaluating on the daily experiences you can add it to where it is necessary based on the evaluation you have written.

Hope this helps answer your question,

,
L.A

[beckyleigh]

Hi,
Thanks for the prompt reply Yeh, I can totally understand what you are saying. Like I mentioned, it's all new to me, has been a learning curve for a while trying to work out a way to do my programming. When I came across this website, all the templates are awesome! I'm just trying to find a way to work it into my program now. I love the "learning stories" that have the eylf on there and the principles and practices. The only thing I'm having trouble with, is where do you write your follow up? It has analysis and extension of learning, but no box to write your follow up in? or would you use a different template for follow up experiences. On the learning story it has a box at the top where you can write the date for the follow up. Which then I thought, cool, there was another template that showed a separate box for this kind of thing, but then it didn't have the principles or practices on it lol. Sorry for the long blurb, just trying to work out an easy option without having to create a new template. I'd rather try and use the fantastic ones you already have on there. Love the portfolio pages too, they are great

[beckyleigh]

Sorry, will just give you a description of what I do now for my learning stories. I have a box for "what is happening" a box for the photos of the observation, another box for "analysis" and then I have a box with "Future planning - where to from here" - which is where I put a follow up date and what activity I did, with pictures. (hope that makes sense).
Where as on your one that I really like, it has "extension of learning" which I am thinking is where you write down what you could do. Then I'm guessing you incorporate those experiences/activities into your main program. But then, do you come back and do a follow up report for that child's portfolio, since it was from that observation that was taken, or is the evaluation on the main program enough, as it says where it's come from and where it links. Sorry if that's all a little confusing lol, just trying to branch some ideas lol

[Lorina]

Me Again,

Alright with the Leaning Story template if you are using it for an individual child and adding an experience in "Extension Of Learning" you have a couple of options in regards to the follow up. You could either a) choose another template to continue it from one of our observation templates or you can even write a brief follow up in the Daily Reflections on the specific day. When writing the follow up in the Daily Reflections it's brief (couple of sentences) and acknowledges that the child achieved the outcome, when using an observation template it's likely that the child needs to continue practising the goal you set out and using the observation template will enable you to record this. When using the Learning Story template it's not necessary to have an extension experience if not needed. For example if you are doing a group learning story on an event such as Father's Day to include into portfolios this necessarily may not need an extension of leaning experience, so in this case just leave it blank...

Also the way you describe you do your learning stories is right... You write it, add your extension ideas, add these onto the main program (making sure that the follow up date on the learning story matches the date of experience you add onto the main program), do your follow up then you can either choose to evaluate it within the daily reflection (daily diary) or if wanting to extended it further from the follow up use a one of observation templates. Just to add if you want to include the Principles and Practices yo can do so in the evaluation itself when you are describing how the child achieved the learning outcome you intended. This is one way to get around this issue for now...

When writing up Learning Stories I wouldn't use it all the time as part of a child's observation. It's good to have different methods and different types of documentation to use for recording observations. In my opinion learning stories should only be used to record specific events or special interests or experiences that the children engage in. You can use it as part of your observations but just don't rely primarily on writing Learning Stories all the time...

Hopefully this hasn't confused you...

,
L.A

[beckyleigh]

Thanks again!

I understand what you are saying. I think I just have to get into the habit of using this style, and then I'll be right. Yeh, I have never used learning stories all the time, where I used to work, we made sure we had at least one learning story per month for each child, and then scattered other observations through their journal/portfolio. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks I can work it all out. Thanks again for your help Really appreciate it

[beckyleigh]

Have been using the program templates now for a couple of weeks, and love them!! Just another little question though. Today I had an observation, but doesn't require pictures, it's more just a written observation of listening to a particular child's language skills. Would you just use the normal template but don't put pictures in? I thought you may of had a template that didn't include pictures, but I couldn't see one? But just thought I'd check

[Lorina]

Hi again Beckleigh,

Happy to hear that the templates are working well with your group of children!

At this stage we don't have a template available without the photo's option however I have added your suggestion to my "to do" list and I will look into creating one for the future. However, this won't be available until next year... Maybe for now you can just take a photo of the child talking...

Thanks for your suggestion,

,
Lorina