Family Child Care

Survival in School

In my classroom management course at the university, we learn how children must have their basic needs satisfied prior to establishing an attitude where learning can be nourished and supported. When we think of basic needs, we usually think of food, water, shelter, safety, etc. However, there are basic needs in the classroom, as well. Those basic needs include: <em>security, association, belonging, dignity, hope, power, enjoyment and competence</em>. Teachers need to routinely ask themselves, "Do my students feel safe? Can they associate with others comfortably and do I make them feel like they belong to the group? Do I treat them with respect? When they are here, do they feel hope associated with learning new things? Do they help make decisions so they feel a measure of power in my class? Do they enjoy being in our classroom and do they feel success on a regular basis."<br />Sometimes we educators are so consumed with teaching the appropriate skills that we forget there needs to be a fertile ground for those new sprouts of knowledge to grow. If the child feels uncomfortable about any part of the school day, he may not be learning at his capacity. In fact, he most assuredly is not. I hope those of us who work with children will take this holiday break to rejuvenate ourselves and be committed to creating the optimal learning environment. One where the children have basic needs met while expanding with new skills and knowledge.

Survival in School

21Dec2010

Round Up of 2010

As it’s nearly Christmas, it must be time for the annual round-up of major developments and new research published in the children’s sector during the last year. After all, you might have missed some of these the first time round…  <p class="MsoNormal">What you can’t have failed to miss was the change of government following the general election in May, with the Department for Children, Schools and Families being rebranded as the <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Department for </a><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Education</a>. Labour did manage to squeeze out a final piece of legislation before leaving office in the form of March’s <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/26/contents" target="_blank"><i style="">Children, Schools & Family Act</i></a>, as well as introducing a new <a href="http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/assets/0000/9007/CommonCore_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Common Core of Skills and Knowledge</span></a> for all those who work with young children, while the new government has so far passed the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/32/contents" target="_blank"><i style="">Academies Act</i></a> (concerned with the flagship policy of <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/06/free-schools.html" target="_blank">‘free schools’</a>) and published a <a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/CM-7980.pdf" target="_blank">white paper on the future of education in the UK</a>.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal">The autumn Spending Review regarding public services also had many implications for the children’s sector. The ICT agency <a href="http://www.becta.org.uk/" target="_blank">Becta</a> was closed (though its website is still online until the end of January), and the <a href="http://www.qcda.gov.uk/" target="_blank">QCDA</a> will be closed at the end of March, with its functions transferring to the Department for Education. In addition the <a href="http://www.gtce.org.uk/" target="_blank">GTCE</a> was due to be wound up in ‘the autumn’ (though it still seems to be functioning at the moment), and in November it was announced that the <a href="http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/" target="_blank">Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC)</a> would have its funding withdrawn, although it intends to continue as a sector skills body; the <a href="http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">School Food Trust</a> faces a similar uncertain future. To see how some in the children’s sector reacted to these changes, have a look at this <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-on-spending-review.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal">In ongoing projects, the <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/studies.asp?section=0001000200010012" target="_blank">Millennium Cohort Study</a> continues to produce information on childhood in the modern UK, while the link to the latest edition of <a href="http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_social/Social-Trends40/ST40_2010_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">So</span></a><a href="http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_social/Social-Trends40/ST40_2010_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">cial Trends</span></a> has picked up a lot of visitors for this site from search engines! The annual Joseph Rowntree Foundation report on <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/poverty-social-exclusion-2010-full.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion</span></a> also has plenty of useful information regarding child poverty.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal">Picking out a few reports to highlight from the hundreds that are featured on here each year is tricky but here goes… an Ofsted report in September picked up headlines for claiming that <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/The-special-educational-needs-and-disability-review" target="_blank">thousands of pupils are wrongly labelled as having special educational needs</a>; the thinktank Demos published <a href="http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Born_Creative_-_web_-_final.pdf?1289392179" target="_blank"><i style="">Born Creative</i></a> in November, which called for greater emphasis on creativity in the Early Years Foundation Stage; <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/key-projects/triennial-review/full-report-and-evidence-downloads/" target="_blank"><i style="">How Fair is Britain?</i></a> was the title of a report with many interesting sections for childhood and family professionals from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal">Closer to home, Birmingham’s children’s services received a <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxcare_providers/la_download/%28id%29/5370/%28as%29/LAC/lac_2010_330.pdf" target="_blank">poor inspection report in July</a>; a link to a <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/09/progressive-education-in-1940s.html" target="_blank">1940s video on progressive education</a> seemed popular with site visitors. And a major <a href="http://www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeducation/pdf/15349_ECE-Blocks_v5.pdf" target="_blank">CfBT Education Trust report</a> examined the effectiveness of 28 different early education programmes around the world; this is particularly relevant at the moment, given Dame Clare Tickell’s current review of the EYFS, which is due to publish its recommendations in the spring.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal">And that’s your lot for 2010. All that remains is to wish all site users a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.</p><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PFpwXMWkpI0?fs=1&hl=en_GB"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PFpwXMWkpI0?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>

Round Up of 2010

15Dec2010

Sure Start: Success or Not?

It's easy to be baffled by research... Take the example of <a href="http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/earlyyears/surestart/whatsurestartdoes/" target="_blank">Sure Start</a> - the programme has been featured numerous times on this site, with some reports concluding that it has had huge benefits for young children, while other publications have been more critical of its achievements, and others still saying that it is successful, but not necessarily for the children that could benefit from it most. Confusing stuff for even more experienced researchers...<br /><br />Anyway, the latest study into Sure Start has argued that the programme and other similar early years initiatives introduced over the last decade have had <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/14/sure-start-children-eary-years" target="_blank">little impact on children's early language and numeracy</a>. Researchers from Durham University tracked data from test scores at 472 state primary schools over 8 years to reach their conclusions.<br /><br />The findings are published in an article entitled 'Changes in Children's Cognitive Development at the Start of School in England 2001 - 2008'. This features in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Oxford Review of Education</span>, which UCB students can access via the InformaWorld service.

Sure Start: Success or Not?

It's easy to be baffled by research... Take the example of Sure Start - the programme has been featured numerous times on this site, with some reports concluding that it has had huge benefits for young children, while other publications have been more critical of its achievements, and others still s…

14Dec2010

Teachers / Safeguarding

Teachers / Safeguarding

Two new reports which should be of interest to many of the site's visitors:Safeguarding Children: Literature Review is a new report from the NFER which examines changes in safeguarding practice since the Laming Review of March 2009.Survey of Teachers 2010 is a publication from the General Teaching C…

13Dec2010

Helping Children Become Thinkers

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXyzIXe3CaohZ-XdIsoTPYFUUYsDnUb1pwLIhnHLkvx2YQOasJ2YdY9hWx3DM6PNWGN7rtWvBdV8ojqH7aNssmtkz058xsoYTgwXXpPTP0c8I_LbWpb8T-dvNGmQezx7vThWZQ8SMg6U/s1600/013.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549062087817575634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXyzIXe3CaohZ-XdIsoTPYFUUYsDnUb1pwLIhnHLkvx2YQOasJ2YdY9hWx3DM6PNWGN7rtWvBdV8ojqH7aNssmtkz058xsoYTgwXXpPTP0c8I_LbWpb8T-dvNGmQezx7vThWZQ8SMg6U/s200/013.JPG" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Several people reading my last post asked me to elaborate on encouraging curiosity in young children. Using my years in the classroom, I would like to suggest the following list of opportunities to help children develop thinking skills:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>1. <em>Present open-ended activities</em>. Instead of having the child do a self- portrait by giving her a page with the outline of a body, give her several colors of construction paper, scissors and glue to create a picture of herself. The possibilities are endless.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>2. <em>Ask the child for his opinion</em>. When issues occur in the classroom, instead of issuing commands, turn the discussion to the children. "Friends, we are having trouble remembering to clean the art center when we are finished. Do you have any suggestions for what we can do about this problem."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>3. <em>Conduct a daily share time activity.</em> When I was teaching, I gave the children an opportunity to verbally share any information item they would like to that day (no show and tell items, just verbal sharing). I did insist that the children listen to the speaker (listening skills practice) and encouraged anyone to share. It was not a requirement, but an opportunity. It only took 3-4 minutes and was a great beginning to the school day. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>4. <em>Let the children be the teacher.</em> Children learn many more things from their peers than they do from adults. I found the value of using other children as teachers early on in my teaching career. I routinely partnered my students so that they could share with each other during an activity. The thinking and discussion were so valuable that I looked for other opportunities to allow children to 'teach' each other.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>5. <em>Help children understand the 'why.'</em> Discuss with children why they are learning what you are teaching in the classroom. "Girls and boys, why do you think it is important for us to learn the letters of the alphabet?" A routine why discussion will help children develop the thinking skills of reasoning and understanding the foundation of learning.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Helping a child develop thinking skills will open up the world to him, much like opening the shell of a clam.</div>

Helping Children Become Thinkers

Several people reading my last post asked me to elaborate on encouraging curiosity in young children. Using my years in the classroom, I would like to suggest the following list of opportunities to help children develop thinking skills:1. Present open-ended activities. Instead of having the child do…

10Dec2010

The Children Left Behind

The Children Left Behind

Last week saw the release of The Children Left Behind, a UNICEF publication which compares inequality in child wellbeing in 24 of the world's richest countries. The report argues that child poverty in the UK could best be addressed by tackling low wages, and concludes that countries like France and …

09Dec2010

EYES Update

EYES Update

Recently I've noticed an increase in the number of searches being carried out using the EYES service (see right hand side of page). Hopefully you're all finding it useful, though as I rarely get given feedback it's hard to tell! Anyway, I've just updated EYES by including some new sites and removing…

08Dec2010

Busy Week!

A bumper post today, to reflect the number of interesting studies that have come out in recent days. Without further ado...<br /><ul><li>Last Friday saw the publication of the government's independent review into poverty and life chances, chaired by Labour MP Frank Field. Among the recommendations are <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/03/new-mothers-fathers-parenting-classes-frank-field" target="_blank">parenting classes for new mums and dads</a>, as well as a host of other suggestions. The report is entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Foundation Years: Preventing Poor Children Becoming Poor Adults</span>, and can be read by <a href="http://www.frankfield.co.uk/files/download.php?m=documents&f=101203100838-TheFoundationYears.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>Also on the subject of child poverty, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published their annual <span style="font-style: italic;">Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion</span> report. Among the findings of this year's volume are the discovery that while the number of children living in poverty has fallen, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/dec/06/children-poverty-working-parents" target="_blank">the number of children in poverty despite having a working parent</a> has actually increased. You can read the <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/poverty-social-exclusion-2010-full.pdf" target="_blank">full report here</a>, or a summary of the content is <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/poverty-social-exclusion-2010-summary.pdf" target="_blank">also available</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>Still on the topic of poverty and life chances, new research from the Institute of Education argues that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/07/social-class-parenting-study" target="_blank">social class has a larger effect on children's performance at school</a> than 'good parenting' techniques; the data in the report is drawn from the <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/studies.asp?section=000100020001" target="_blank">Millennium Cohort Study</a> and it can be read in full by <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/core/documents/download.asp?id=1420&log_stat=1" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>New research from the OECD concludes that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/07/uk-schools-slip-world-rankings" target="_blank">the UK is slipping down the world education rankings</a> in a number of key subject areas, despite spending some of the highest amounts per student. These findings are part of the PISA 2009 report which can't be accessed in full, but you can read an <a href="http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/34/60/46619703.pdf" target="_blank">executive summary</a>, as well as an overview of the <a href="http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/33/8/46624007.pdf" target="_blank">OECD assessment of UK schools</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>Finally, a new report from the Policy Exchange thinktank claims that the right support for children with special educational needs should take priority over a policy of <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1044063/What-not-where-important-special-needs-support-says-think-tank/" target="_blank">'inclusion in mainstream education at all costs.'</a> To read the full text of <span style="font-style: italic;">Special Educational Needs: Reforming Provision in English Schools</span>, <a href="http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images/publications/pdfs/SEN_-_Nov__10.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /></li></ul>

Busy Week!

A bumper post today, to reflect the number of interesting studies that have come out in recent days. Without further ado...Last Friday saw the publication of the government's independent review into poverty and life chances, chaired by Labour MP Frank Field. Among the recommendations are parenting c…

07Dec2010

New DfE Research

Last week saw the publication of the latest monthly batch of DfE research reports. Here are some of the highlights:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR067.pdf" target="_blank">The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and their Families</a> </span>takes a detailed look at the Sure Start scheme, and states that it has <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/25/surestart-good-families-children-health" target="_blank">offered health benefits for children who attend a centre</a> and their families, although problems regarding school 'readiness' are also highlighted. A <a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RB067.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a> of the report is also available.<br /></li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR066-WEB.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Towards Universal Early Years Provision</span></a> analyses the take-up of children's services by disadvantaged families; it concludes that many such families do not access the full range of support available to them due to <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1044064/Low-take-up-free-entitlement-poor-areas-blamed-lack-information/" target="_blank">a lack of information</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>The <a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR061.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Parental Opinion Survey 2010</span></a> investigates the opinions of parents on a range of issues regarding their role, support services and their children. Again, a <a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RB061.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a> is also available.<br /></li></ul>

New DfE Research

Last week saw the publication of the latest monthly batch of DfE research reports. Here are some of the highlights:The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and their Families takes a detailed look at the Sure Start scheme, and states that it has offered health benefits for childre…

01Dec2010