early learning journeys/stories - Silkysteps early years forum

#1 10-30-2007, 04:15 PM

:cheerful

hello just wondering if any one out there produces early learning journey books for parents. A scrapbook containing photos and things children have made at preschool for parents to take home say once a term to read and add their own contributions i have heard that lots of settings do and i was thinking of suggesting to my supervisor we do the same has anyone got any ideas on this would love to know before i mention it

cabin · #2 10-30-2007, 04:42 PM

Just bought scrapbooks at weekend!!!!!! Not 100% sure how we're going to do them yet though.... open to ideas too!
Pretty much thinking along your lines.. photo's pieces of work + short observations ~ just one sentence or so linking to stepping stones etc... although we're thinking of inviting parents in to discuss - we did a survey and this is what most wanted!

Interesed to hear other views too.
xxx

#3 10-30-2007, 05:28 PM

We have just swapped over to these and they are brilliant, we take photos and write on a piece of coloured paper what the child was doing what elg it fits into and if possible a next step we can aim for, we also do observations once a term and we take snippets from that and again put into the scrapbook. we send home a home involvement sheet each month and when they get returned with comments from what the child has been doing at home we again take snippets and put that in also. AS I SAY ONLY BEEN DOING A SHORT WHILE AND THEY ARE BRILL. (very cheap to buy from Espo)
Good Luck..

#4 10-30-2007, 06:34 PM

thanks for replies i dont mean to sound stupid but what is Espo i know that one problem will be the cost of the scrapbooks so if we could buy them cheap that would help also what does your home involvement sheet look like i am interested in that as some people only send home once a term. Another thought do these replace your next steps reports etc.

Thanks again

Teresa

Narnia · #5 10-30-2007, 07:52 PM

yes, we've just started these too, each child has a scrap book with a photo of themselves on the front, and 'my learning Journey' written on them.We do all of the things above, plus the parents have free access to add whatever they like, so , if they feel their child has done something interesting, reached a new milestone ...wahtever, then they are able to add it to the book.And, so are the children, if they like (we can scribe for them if necessary!).We leave a supply of pens, pencils,sticky labels,post it notes,pritt sticks, hole punch,well, you get the idea..........to enable notes to be left in the book.Parents are taking to it really well and it's a great way of involving them in their childs learning.

Narnia · #6 10-30-2007, 07:57 PM

forgot to say, we have a sign up, asking parents to respect the childrens privacy............and they may not look at anyone elses book without permission of the childs parent

Chelltune · #7 10-30-2007, 09:58 PM

My children's preschool do this, as a parent I love to see their book each term. We are either shown it by their keyworker or allowed to take it home for the weekend and return it. When they leave they are given the book. Its a wonderful keepsake.

DS is now at Primary School. Their teacher takes digital photos on a daily basis. At the end of year the children are given a CD of pictures to take home.

cabin · #8 10-30-2007, 11:18 PM

I got mine from Wilkinsons A4 60p each.

xx

sparky · #9 10-31-2007, 08:29 AM

We have been advised to start doing these with our children but i'm worried that some parents might not return them and then staff members will be upset if they have put lots of effort into the books. At the moment we build up a scrapbook for each child with photos and examples of their work which is given to them when they leave us for school. We also write reports once a term which gives progress on the 6 areas and targets for the next term and how they have met their previous targets.

It's so great to be able to get help and advice from everyone here.

Ruthierhyme · #10 10-31-2007, 10:57 AM

We used to do the same Sparky - we called them Busy Bee books and gave them out at the end of the year .. parents loved them and could look at them any time they wanted but they were stored in the room so that everyone knew where they were.

The very first year we did them was my Dd's last year at playgorup .. we still have it and she's nearly 15 now !!