Program and Planning For Preschoolers

[laurajack]

Hi,
I have just recently started at a Integrated Service which is all new to me, I have just came from a 3 and 4 year old kinder program kindergarten only. I I am employed as a Teacher for 3 year old program and an assistant for the 4 year old program.My concern is my programming and planning is it enough?
How i present my program is in a A3 folder, I take photos of the child at play or their interest i try and get all 22 children and stick them in the folder and write a description. I then complete the Reflection of the Day template that i got of your sit, and love it i find it user friendly.I write about what we are doing inside and the outside environment and the interest of the children activities etc. I link this all to the outcomes that are provided on the bottom of the template.But i am struggling with a program plan template and do i need to add this to my folder.I also have the folder displayed so parents can look at what their child is doing in the kindergarten environment. Can you suggest anymore please.
Cathy

[Lorina]

Hi Cathy,

When you completing "a program' your basically writing the experiences the children will be engaged in throughout the week which can be based on their interests, intentional teaching, feedback from the children/families etc. This will be displayed so you basically have an idea on what you need to setup and a plan of the days experiences. At times, the program doesn't always has to be followe because the children could come up with something completely different to what you have planned and in that case, go for that. So, for example: in the "Reflections Of Our Day " in the extension ideas you added "More Instruments To The Stage" and "Making Lady Bugs" so you can add to a "weekly program".

Taking photos of each child and writing about each child is way too much and it sounds like jottings for observation purposes rather than a program. It must take alot of time to do that each day! So, instead try a weekly program and each day use a "Reflection of Our Day" to write about what happen and then add the extension idea you have come up with each day in the follwoing weeks program.

Here are some program ideas:

Weekly Plan Of Significant Learning
Weekly Diary I know it's a "diary" however you can tweak it to use it as a program plan...
Daily Diary Another diary which can also be tweaked to use as a program...

I'm just throwing ideas at you so you can see what works for you and hopefully give you an idea of what type of programming you can do...

Let me know if you have any further questions,

,
Lorina

[Cathyg]

Thanks Lorina for your reply.
My program is for only one day a week so really it does not take that long for me to put it together. But I will really take on board what you have emailed to me. In my reflections of the week I do write what we are doing or what we have done and the I add to the extension idea. But I think I would like to try and use the weekly plan of significant learning. And as I mentioned I try and take a photo of all the children on that day, but sometimes it might only be say 8 photos as they are doing group activities. maybe I could take a photo of my folder and attach it so you can have a look.
Thank you ,
Cathy

[Lorina]

Hi Cathy,

Since you have found something that works for you, you should stick to it, there isn't a right or wrong way to do it. As long as you can show that you are planning on an ongoing basis for individual and group children based on needs, interests and abilities and linking these to the EYLF then that's all that matters! There are so many different ways to program it really depends on your preference...

Also I noticed that you have 2 different accounts... Laurajack (first post) and Cathyg (secondpost) would you like me to delete one?

,
Lorina

[Cathyg]

Thanks Lorina,
Mmm not sure how I managed to have two accounts, but yes maybe I will just stick with one account, you can delete Laurajack account, but will I still be able to see all and you post.

[Lorina]

The LauraJack account was created 6 months ago and the Cathg account was created 3 weeks ago...

Yes, even if you delete one of your accounts you will still be able to see everything etc.

I'll let you know once I have deleted it...

,
Lorina