Gemma Story, my reflective blog by Gemma Story

4th December 2015

gemmastory — 2015-12-04 16:23:35 UTC

During placement this week I was asked to help the children make Christmas cards for their families. I had to paint their hands with brown paint and they would print them down on card and the would be antlers on the reindeer and then stick some red Pom Poms down as the nose and some googly eyes. This was an adult led activity because I had to make sure the children were concentrating on what they were doing and had to make sure they were careful and asked their hands straight away after their hands were painted.

Unit 2.1 Identify reasons why people communicate 2.1

gemmastory — 2015-12-07 14:40:11 UTC

People communicate because you can't make friends with out communicating and people do this to make relationships with people and when someone knows someone well enough, trust will be built. People also communicate because if they are upset or want something they will go up to a practitioner and ask them or tell them. Children talk to communicate because a lot of children have many things in common. In a setting parents will also communicate with the practitioners to find out how their child has been getting on or if the practitioner has any other information for the parents. Communication is a one to one form of speech or interaction with anyone.

Unit 6 Creating an enabling play environment 4.3

gemmastory — 2015-12-11 14:41:38 UTC

Children learn and develop well in a play environment. An enabling environment means making something possible and the surroundings which they are in. The way I made sure The children felt safe in their environment was to make sure that the children connected with me, trusted me and felt like they could communicate with me. I also made sure the children would have enough space to play and that the setting which they were in was clean and free from mess. I made sure that anything the children weren't playing with was put away neatly on the shelves or hung up, so that the children wouldn't fall over the mess and hurt themselves. I helped children to make their Christmas cards and all the Christmas decorations. I also participated in story time to make sure the children were sitting down and listening, and I also sang the songs with the children and encouraged them to join in. My strengths in creating an enabling environment are communicating with the children and keeping the environment which they are in clean at all times, . My weaknesses are letting the children know if they do something wrong or something they shouldn't have done. In an enabling environment I find it easy to communicate with the children and ask them regularly what they are doing is they are drawing a picture who it is and many other questions. i also find it easy to tell children that they need to wash their hands or get a tissue or to zip their coats up when going outside to play.

Unit 2.1 Explain how communication affects all aspects of your own practice on placement 2.1 and 2.2

gemmastory — 2015-12-11 15:04:51 UTC

I would need to communicate with parents, staff and children. I'm my setting if I was unsure on what somethings purpose was I would ask 'what is this used for' and ' how does it help their development' I would always ask if I could do anything and say 'do you need any help' or 'do you want me to do that for you' by helping and showing an interest in what is going on in the setting results in good, positive relationships in the setting. I would communicate with staff or parents about if there was any problems with children and find out if any transitions would be being made soon depending on their age they might move school or they could move house at any time or could be getting and brother or sister. Parents confide in practitioners because they know the information they are recieving is true because they have been looking after their children all day and this shows a positive relationship between the parent and practitioner and trust. In my setting all the staff work together to give the best education and new skills to children. In my setting children's needs are always priority and are always supported for any needs the children might have or any requirements, for their development will be supported. When I communicate with parents or carers or a member of staff at my placement I always approach them in a friendly was and i am always happy to speak to them or tell they something they wish to know.

Unit 9 Personal and professional development 2.7

gemmastory — 2015-12-11 15:41:00 UTC

Before I started at my placement I wasn't very confident in what I was expected to do, all I really thought I had to do was to play with the children and that was it. However I now realise that I have to think of the health and safety aspects of the children and to make sure that they are in a safe environment and feel valued. I also realise that I have to let the children develop and teach them maths and English and pronounce words properly to them if they might struggle to say some words. At the beginning of term, I really struggled with the course and I think it was because I was learning something new that I never had done before, but now, 3 months later, I really understand what is expected of me and the work. I feel like I have learnt new skills and got a knowledge of understanding children in early years education and why it is important. Since being in childcare I have learnt a lot of new words and their meanings and I understand CPD and what child-initiated means and activities that are child-initiated. Also, since being at placement I feel like I have learnt from the child and really understood what they like playing with and who they surround themselves around.

Unit 9 - Assessment criteria 2.6 professional development

gemmastory — 2016-02-01 14:12:30 UTC

In placement I have helped set up activities and I greet parents and make sure that children self register themselves and am polite to parents and i also help set up snack and make sure I check if each child wants snack, if they don't I will write it down on the board. I also appreciate everything that children do and notice that their development is increasing, I will say "well done", "wow" or "very good" so that they know that they've don't something correct and they have made a good effort. I make sure that the surrounding in which the children and in is always safe for them, I make sure I clean away all the toys once a child has finished with them, however I will encourage them to tidy away as well. I will always make sure I fulfill a child's needs and put them first and make sure they don't hurt themselves. In my placement I have also done observations and observe how a child is doing within the setting and how the behave and how fast they are developing. The aspects I find east of working in a early years setting is fulfilling a child's needs and if they ask me to read them a book I will say yes and read them a book. I don't really find anything difficult in a early years setting.

Unit 9 - Aseessment criteria 2.4

gemmastory — 2016-02-01 23:03:40 UTC

Reflecting on my work helps me to realise what I struggle with and what I am good at in my setting. It gives me a better understanding of what I need to do in order to achieve something e.g. The confidence to meet people I've never met before and work with them. I really wasn't comfortable at first but by reflecting on my work I realised that I had fit in quite well

Unit 1.1 -Assessment criteria 6.3 -Reflect on own role when supporting healthy eating in your placement.

gemmastory — 2016-03-04 14:01:14 UTC

I always have to check if a child has any dietary requirements. Some children may not be allowed a certain food and some children cannot have milk, so I have to ensure I give them only water. In my setting children can make their own porridge with a practitioner and once it has been cooked it will be shared around by four children in a Tupperware box from home. I make sure all children eat healthy and have fruit and veg whenever they have their snack, I will also ask the child if the food is nice and they always say yes.

Unit 1.1 - assessment criteria of 6.4 - Make recommendations for healthy eating in your placement.

gemmastory — 2016-03-04 16:39:55 UTC

I would make recommendations for healthy food putting into consideration the ages of the children and how much fruit and vegetables they should be having a day. In my setting I work with children aged 2-5 and in the age range 2-3 children should be given 4 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, I would give them half of what they would need. In the age range 3-5 children should be given 3 servings of vegetables and 2 pieces of fruit a day to make sure that they maintain a healthy balanced diet. Children should be given milk or water to fulfill their dietary needs. I would make sure that every child has at least one piece of fruit and veg. I would try different fruits and veg that children might not have had before so that they can try different healthy foods.

Unit 12 - 4.1 - reflect on your own role in relation to managing children's behaviour in your placement

gemmastory — 2016-03-15 20:01:46 UTC

When on placement I identify lots of different types of behaviour and try my best to deal with them, if I feel as if I didn't do my best with dealing with a child's behaviour I will watch how another practitioner manages with a child if they do a similar type of behaviour. If children want to play with the same toy and start fighting over it I will go down to their level and tell the child who was playing with it first that they can continue to play with it and I would encourage the other child to play with something else, if not I would tell the child who was playing with it originally that they have an allocated time left to play with it until it is the other child's turn. If a child has behaved in a good way I will praise them and tell another practitioner about their behaviour. I will always remain calm when around children and I will never shout at them.

ADDED:
There are many ways to reflect on your practice, these include: observing children's behaviour and identifying inappropriate behaviour and reacting to it in the correct way. Also, modelling positive behaviour for the children to reflect on and regularly asking other members of staff for feedback on your work. If the right behaviour is being modelled this can encourage the children's behaviour and will teach them what is good and wrong. Children can find it very difficult in an environment where there is a lot of other children as it can be hard to seek attention from peers and share equipment and resources. If a child is angry or upset as a practitioner you should remain calm and not retaliate or provoke them. A practitioner should always remain calm and promote the correct behaviour.
In placement, a little boy was playing with a toy and another boy wanted it so he came up to the little boy who had the toy and started snatching the toy off him and kicked him, I immediately saw and spoke to the boy and told him that is not what we should do and that is not a way to treat our friends, I ensured that he gave the toy back to the little boy and apologised. I checked that the boy didn't have a mark of his leg and informed a higher member of staff. In my setting, in the outside area we have a line where the children are not allowed to go over and neither are the adults, the children know that if they do go over this line they will not be allowed to play outside for a limited amount of time. I followed this procedure in my setting because it is something that my setting encourage it supports behaviour management.

RR (3/5/16) REFER - Be specific to real situations. Extend and ensure you reflect on YOUR OWN ROLE.

14.6.16 - Pass - good work Gemma - N.Pardoe

Unit 3 - 4.4 - reflect on your own role when on placement in how to manage risk

gemmastory — 2016-03-15 20:02:06 UTC

When managing risk in my setting I will inform a higher member of staff of the risks and ask if they would like me to fill out a risk assessment sheet. This is for the safety of the children to make sure that they are safe and feel safe in the setting at all times. I will ask the practitioner what actions will be taken about this risk, it is easier to take action to risks inside than it is outside, but is more dangerous outside, especially if there is concrete on the ground. I will ensure that I can provide an enabling environment for the children by making sure that the setting is clean at all times and to encourage children to clean up what they have been playing with so it is safe for other children and practitioners.

ADDED:
As a practitioner I should realise the risks in the setting and then raise my concerns to a higher member of staff e.g. The manager. I should then reflect on the changes that have been made if they were made and also see if it has changed anything for the safety of the children and see if it has been beneficial to them and kept them safe. This could be anything from a crack in the floor outside which could make the children trip up to a shelf being too low and has dangerous equipment on it. This is to ensure that I minimise risks in the setting for the safety of the children.
Before class starts and children start to come in I will walk around the classroom and ensure that there is nothing dangerous or harmful to the children in the setting, if there is I will place on a higher shelf. I ensure that all paint and chalk is in the easel and all rugs and mats are down on the floor completely and there are no corners sticking out. I encourage children to manage their own risk that I would be identifying, if a saw a child playing with something and just walking away from it I would encourage them to come back and clean it up as they are managing their own risk and others, I would explain to the child so they understand why we should pick up our toys and put them back. I understand the difference between children being able to manage their own risk and when it is a safety issue that I have to address. such as, if there is a low shelf a child could bang their head on it and It would be down to myself to make the appropriate adjustments.

RR (3/5/16) REFER - Not enough! Extend and ensure you reflect on YOUR OWN ROLE.

14.6.16 - pass - well done you have explained how you manage risk. N.Pardoe

Unit 1.2 - 3.3 - Reflecting on an activity which supports children's exercise outdoors

gemmastory — 2016-04-22 17:51:09 UTC

In my placement, when we go outside children are supplied with a lot of facilities and different things to do in the setting. During an activity I ensure that everyone is included and that no one is being left out. I always do activity's with children which supports exercise, I plan an activity and do it with the children, what I did was I had a ball and I made sure that we threw the ball around to everyone and once the ball went round everyone once I would grab the ball and all the children would run after me and this would mean that this helps them to exercise and because it is fun for children they all join in. I would ensure that I get everyone involved next time and not just a few children so It can help on everyone's exercise.

I felt that this activity was planned well as once the activity was finished one child later said 'can we do that again, that was really fun'. however, I would try to get more children involved as I think it may have been more fun for the children. I was happy with how this went and the delivery of the activity and I felt like I presented it well to the children. I made good use of the outside area and the children had a lot of room to move around. This helped to develop their gross motor skills and hand - eye coordination through a physical activity that I arranged outside.

14.6.16 - PASS - good reflection well done! N.Pardoe

Unit 1.2 - 3.4 - Making recommendations for the outdoor provision for my setting

gemmastory — 2016-04-22 17:53:58 UTC

In my setting I make recommendations for outdoor provisions in my setting, this could include improvements or equipment that would be beneficial for children. My setting is child - initiated as children can do anything independently. I would think about how much the children would be able to do at their age and how confident they would feel. Also if they would have the ability to do an activity that is not in their age range of activities that they are capable to do. Children of the age of three or four might be able to walk across crates in confidence and independently, whereas, a child that is the age of two or under may need to hold a practitioners hand as they do not have to confidence and are worried they may fall.

ADDED:
I ensure that the child's safety is key and that everything outside is safe for the children. I will ask if the children are able to get more outside room on the grass as they have more room for activities and I will also see if it is possible to have more outdoor facilities and while doing this I have to think about why the action should be taken, equipment needed for the change and areas for improvement. This is for the future development of the child and to ensure that they are getting the best outdoor provision.

I think that children would benefit from having some extra equipment, climbing frames and slides as their outside area is very restricted and I think that they would benefit from a larger outside area. They would be able to do this as my placement have a lot of land but they only allow children to have a limited amount of it, I would talk to my placement about this and then they would look further into this. This would allow children to have a lot more room to run around and exercise. Also, a slide and a climbing frame would benefit the children because they would be able to climb up the slide and the climbing frame and this would help them to use different parts of their body and gross motor skills. Also, a bigger grass area, this would allow them the space to put the extra equipment in. Someone would need to fit the climbing frame in and lay down a sponge flooring to ensure their safety if they were to fall. This would be at a cost to the setting so they would need to think about how they would cover the cost for this. It would take a few months to carry out because the need to cover the cost, find the appropriate climbing frame and get it fitted in.

RR (3/5/16) REFER - Not enough! Extend and ensure you reflect on YOUR OWN ROLE.

14.6.16 - Pass - you have addressed recommendations for outdoor provision - N.Pardoe

Unit 4 - 4.2 - The impact of own attitudes, values and behaviour.

gemmastory — 2016-04-22 17:57:17 UTC

Everyone should treat each other with respect and not bully each other. No one should be discriminated depending on anything this could be because someone has a disability, gender, race, age. It is important to treat everyone the way you want to be treated.

ADDED:
Behaviour that is rude and discrimination normally happens without realising that you have done it. if you discriminate someone because of their race, gender or disability, you may not even realise that you're doing It. I will make sure that in my setting that I will not mistreat anyone who is a different gender, race or has a disability. I will also ensure that the children do the same and include everyone when doing an activity.

In my setting I don't let my own views and opinions affect my practice towards children. If I believe in something and a child believes in something else I will not say to them that I think they're wrong, I will always keep my opinions and what I think is right or wrong to myself, by doing this im ensuring that im treating everyone equally in regards to their needs and abilities.

RR (3/5/16) REFER - Not enough! Extend and ensure you reflect on YOUR OWN ROLE.

14.6.16 - Pass - well done you have extended to cover the criteria - N.Pardoe

Unit 1.3 - 7.1 - Support children in personal physical care routines in relation to; Resting and/or sleeping.

gemmastory — 2016-05-10 12:34:16 UTC

In my setting I have helped practitioners to get children to sleep. After children have their lunch they have to wash their hands and their faces as they are still at a young age. Once that is completed I will then take children to their beds and they will have a toy from home with them and sometimes some of them have dummies. I will only let the children have these during sleep time. Then i will lay the children down and rock their backs to try and get them to sleep, once they have fallen asleep I will write down on a time sheet what time the child went to sleep and check if they are still asleep every 10 minutes. Some children have a restricted time to sleep so when that time is over I will have to wake that child up, once they have woken up I will write down on the time sheet what time they woke up.

14.6.16 - Pass - well done you have explained how you address this routine in your setting. N.Pardoe

Unit 11 - 2.3 - Reflect on outcomes of observations carried out in own setting in relation to: An individual child, Indoor provision, outdoor provision.

gemmastory — 2016-05-17 08:45:04 UTC

During the observations that I did at my placement, I observed a little girl doing some activities which included painting. I looked at a sheet of the stage of development depending on the child's age and see what they should be able to do at that age. I then wrote it down on a check list and had to see if they were capable of doing it and check of if they did it, the options were usually, sometimes or never. I observe other things that the child does in the setting, such as listening to a book that is being read to her and dressing up. When the child moves outside I still observe her but not as one to one I observe her from inside thensetting while the child is outside. The little girl always seemed to stay to the same thing and enjoy that the most which for this case was the sandpit and she then moves and starts to do some running. Next time when I observe a child I will ensure that I tell me mentor when I am doing it as she was unsure when she reflected of my work. I will also ensure that I don't assume things about the child as when I observed the child outside I said that she enjoys how If feels and I didn't actually know if she did or not.