Family Child Care

Digital Education Resource Archive (DERA)

One of the most frustrating things about being an education librarian (or any kind of Web user for that matter...) is finding that valuable links that you have saved, which connect to important reports or research are no longer working as the information has been moved to another place. Sometimes it's quite simple to find the original document again, but in a worst case scenario it's possible that it could have vanished from the Web forever. This is where a new service aimed at the educational researcher comes in. The IOE UK Digital Education Repository Archive (DERA) is a digital archive of all documents published electronically by government and related bodies in the area of education, and their aim is the permanent preservation of all electronic publications on education. Furthermore, the site owners are committed to making the collection permanently and freely accessible to all. The site already contains over 1000 documents, and can either be browsed or searched using keywords. The collection will continue to grow as more reports are added, and should prove to be invaluable to anyone researching education, so I'd strongly suggest that users of this site save it to their bookmarks for regular use. To visit the DERA site and learn more, <a href="http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Digital Education Resource Archive (DERA)

28Feb2011

Young Carers

Young Carers

A new report from the Department of Education examines how different local authorities have developed systems and support to address the needs of families with young carers. The research explores some of the positive outcomes linked to taking a family focused approach and showcases good practice …

28Feb2011

State of the World's Children 2011

UNICEF have just published their annual State of the World's Children report, which examines the conditions of children around the globe. The theme of this year's report is adolescence - UNICEF says that while huge investment in under-tens has produced gains in health and welfare, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/feb/25/unicef-state-of-worlds-children-adolescents" target="_blank">adolescents are still often marginalised</a> in development budgets and programming. The report also contains detailed tables showing how individual nations are performing in various important areas. You can read the full text of The State of the World's Children 2011 by <a href="http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/sowc2011.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. All of the previous annual reports are available in full from <a href="http://www.unicef.org/sowc/" target="_blank">this link</a>.

State of the World's Children 2011

UNICEF have just published their annual State of the World's Children report, which examines the conditions of children around the globe. The theme of this year's report is adolescence - UNICEF says that while huge investment in under-tens has produced gains in health and welfare, adolescents are st…

25Feb2011

Online Support

Just a reminder that this semester all UCB students have access to a new service from the library. Connect@UCB is an online help desk which you can visit to get support in finding useful information. Simply log on during the advertised hours and a member of staff will be available to help with your enquiry - perfect if you're unable to make it into College! The desk will initially be open each weekday from 10am - 12pm and 2pm - 4pm. To access Connect@UCB, you will first need a Wimba Pronto account - information about this software and getting a free account is available from UCBOnline. A user guide for Connect@UCB is available from <a href="http://tinyurl.com/66hw36z" target="_blank">this link</a>. <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2OQsMbSBCy4lpcus_GteQ6-FVHwCQpshEZbXu9riJ8fKFGvXsmtwHwbm7ri6NCLomvIXXaSDdzh0Us-EXXl3kObLdYz4x4EOJax737-1gUhZyrV6gb5NLuRaGRV4cEz7j4cdSRV6w/s1600/BlueBlueLogo.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572772850016778850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2OQsMbSBCy4lpcus_GteQ6-FVHwCQpshEZbXu9riJ8fKFGvXsmtwHwbm7ri6NCLomvIXXaSDdzh0Us-EXXl3kObLdYz4x4EOJax737-1gUhZyrV6gb5NLuRaGRV4cEz7j4cdSRV6w/s200/BlueBlueLogo.gif" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 174px;" /></a></div>

Online Support

24Feb2011

Severe Child Poverty

Severe Child Poverty

A new set of figures from Save the Children UK suggests that as many as 1.6m children in the UK are living in severe poverty. Now the charity is calling on the government to draw up an emergency plan to tackle the issue - in some cities, more than one quarter of children are thought to be affected.Y…

23Feb2011

Children's Songs

Something a little light-hearted for Friday... every week the Guardian newspaper has a column called Readers Recommend..., where readers are invited to send in suggestions for their favourite songs on a particular subject. This week the chosen topic is children's songs, and while I can't pretend to be familiar with all of the final list, it certainly looks like an interesting selection if you're searching for music that a child might enjoy. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/17/readers-recommend-childrens-songs-results" target="_blank">Here's the article in full</a>. Strangely the list contains no AC/DC, who my four year old niece claims are her favourite band... Have a look at the videos below for some more ideas on music for children. The first is from an album called Now the Day is Over, a collection of lullabies released by an American band called The Innocence Mission; the second is from a 1970s series with the fabulous title Schoolhouse Rock!, and introduces children to the joys of the three times table. Do you have any songs that you would recommend for children? If so, leave a comment below to share them with other readers. <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/p/feedback.html" target="_blank">Here's how to do it</a>. <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6fRS1YaK1Ew" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe> <iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aU4pyiB-kq0" width="420"></iframe>

Children's Songs

Something a little light-hearted for Friday... every week the Guardian newspaper has a column called Readers Recommend..., where readers are invited to send in suggestions for their favourite songs on a particular subject. This week the chosen topic is children's songs, and while I can't pretend to …

18Feb2011

Multiple Intelligences

In 1983 Howard Gardner introduced his theory of multiple intelligences. The intelligences include: Linguistic ("word smart") Logical-mathematical ("number/reasoning smart") Spatial ("picture smart") Bodily-Kinesthetic ("body smart") Musical ("music smart") Interpersonal ("people smart") Intrapersonal ("self smart") Naturalist ("nature smart") He has suggested additional intelligences over the years, but the bottom line is that we are all good at something and learn in different ways. It is always interesting to have my university students do a multiple intelligence inventory. Some participants are surprised by the high and low scores that become evident during the inventory. Other students think the inventory does a good job of summing up their intelligence strengths. When we do this inventory, I always stress that the lower scores on their inventory are not weaknesses, but areas that may not play a key role in their daily lives. They also may be areas that have been difficult for them to use for learning. However, we know that intelligence can change. I know that my inventory scores are much different now than they would have been when I was in my 20s. This is mostly due to what I have chosen to do with my life. Linguistic and spatial skills have become more prominent in my life while logical thinking and music have become less of a focus for me. We use the multiple intelligence inventory so that I can show my students that children have many learning styles and different opportunities to excel. When a child has a rounded view of life's choices, he can make educated life decisions in the future. Children who are not exposed to different learning areas do not understand all the choices that life can provide and they may have a difficult time learning new skills. This is another important consideration when working with young children.

Multiple Intelligences

In 1983 Howard Gardner introduced his theory of multiple intelligences. The intelligences include:Linguistic ("word smart")Logical-mathematical ("number/reasoning smart")Spatial ("picture smart")Bodily-Kinesthetic ("body smart")Musical ("music smart")Interpersonal ("people smart")Intrapersonal ("sel…

17Feb2011

Transitions Information

For those of you who have been enquiring about information on transitions in recent days, today's post should be very useful. For links to reports and guidance on a range of different transitions, read on... A good starting point is <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Early_childhood_transitions_research_A_review_of_concepts_theory_and_practice?pubnr=627&download=1">Early Childhood Transitions Research: a Review of Concepts, Theory and Practice</a>; this is a 2008 publication from the Bernard van Leer Foundation which gathers together much of the literature already published on this topic. The previous government carried out plenty of research on various transition types. Here's a list of them with links to the relevant reports, though bear in mind that if any official policies are stated, then they may not necessarily be the policy of the current government: <ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/SSU-2005-FR-013.pdf.pdf" target="_blank">A Study of the Transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1</a></li></ul><ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RR431.pdf" target="_blank">The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project</a></li></ul><ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/publications//eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR019.pdf" target="_blank">What Makes a Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School?</a></li></ul><ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/publications//eOrderingDownload/RR443.pdf" target="_blank">Transfer and Transitions in the Middle Years of Schooling (7-14): Continuities and Discontinuities in Learning</a></li></ul><ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RR131.pdf" target="_blank">The Impact of School Transitions and Transfers on Pupil Progress and Attainment</a></li></ul><ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/str_tt_prtnshp_prgrss08308.pdf" target="_blank">Strengthening Transfers and Transitions: Partnerships for Progress</a></li></ul>Two other documents that may be useful are <a href="http://www.pmldnetwork.org/resources/Transition_Guide.pdf" target="_blank">A Transition Guide for All Services: Key Information for Professionals About the Transition Process for Disabled Young People</a> (a publication from the Department of Health under the previous government) and <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Support-for-care-leavers" target="_blank">Support for Care Leavers</a>, a 2009 Ofsted report which examines how effective strategies and services can help improve the quality of life for care leavers and assist them to make successful transitions into adulthood and independence. Finally, the <a href="http://www.teachingexpertise.com/" target="_blank">Teaching Expertise</a> site has plenty of articles which are filled with practical tips on managing various transitions within education. There are far too many to list them all here, but if you do a search for 'transition' in the site's search box then you'll find lots of reading to keep you busy for a while.

Transitions Information

17Feb2011

Guardian Teaching Network

Guardian Teaching Network

A major new free resource has become available to teachers today, with the launch of the Guardian Teacher Network. The site contains materials from the learn.co.uk website, which had previously been accessible only to subscribers. You must register to use the new site, but this is free and only take…

15Feb2011

Connect@UCB

This semester all UCB students have access to a new service from the library. Connect@UCB is an online help desk which you can visit to get support in finding useful information. Simply log on during the advertised hours and a member of staff will be available to help with your enquiry - perfect if you're unable to make it into College! The desk will initially be open each weekday from 10am - 12pm and 2pm - 4pm. To access Connect@UCB, you will first need a Wimba Pronto account - information about this software and getting a free account is available from UCBOnline. A user guide for Connect@UCB is available from <a href="http://tinyurl.com/66hw36z" target="_blank">this link</a>. <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2OQsMbSBCy4lpcus_GteQ6-FVHwCQpshEZbXu9riJ8fKFGvXsmtwHwbm7ri6NCLomvIXXaSDdzh0Us-EXXl3kObLdYz4x4EOJax737-1gUhZyrV6gb5NLuRaGRV4cEz7j4cdSRV6w/s1600/BlueBlueLogo.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572772850016778850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU2OQsMbSBCy4lpcus_GteQ6-FVHwCQpshEZbXu9riJ8fKFGvXsmtwHwbm7ri6NCLomvIXXaSDdzh0Us-EXXl3kObLdYz4x4EOJax737-1gUhZyrV6gb5NLuRaGRV4cEz7j4cdSRV6w/s200/BlueBlueLogo.gif" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 174px;" /></a></div>

Connect@UCB

12Feb2011

Impact of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Impact of the Early Years Foundation Stage

New research from Ofsted has examined the impact that the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has had on provision and developmental outcomes for young children. The report forms part of Ofsted's evidence to the ongoing review of the EYFS by Dame Clare Tickell, and found that th…

10Feb2011

Childcare Costs

The tenth annual childcare costs survey from the <a href="http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">Daycare Trust</a> has found that the cost of a nursery place for a child over two has risen <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/09/nursery-charges-rise-childcare" target="_blank">twice as quickly as wages</a>. The survey, compiled from figures submitted by family information services in England, Scotland and Wales, examines by region the cost of childminders, nurseries and after-school clubs as well as the availability of childcare. The full report is not freely available online, although you can read a press release containing the main points and the Daycare Trust's recommendations for the future by <a href="http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/pages/rapid-rise-in-childcare-costs-adds-to-family-finance-woes.html" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. The Trust is also behind the <a href="http://www.payingforchildcare.org.uk/" target="_blank">Paying for Childcare</a> website, which provides information on the different types of financial support available to help with costs of childcare.

Childcare Costs

The tenth annual childcare costs survey from the Daycare Trust has found that the cost of a nursery place for a child over two has risen twice as quickly as wages. The survey, compiled from figures submitted by family information services in England, Scotland and Wales, examines by region the cost …

09Feb2011

Washing a Baby

Washing a Baby

The silent film clip below shows a nurse from 1905 demonstrating how to wash, change and feed a baby girl. It seems that they were less gentle when handling infants a century ago, although the child seems to respond pretty well, at least until she's weighed...…

08Feb2011

Manifestations

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nlv9BE9A0yhAux6mT3pjkk_a2ev_JInnBhYBADoh5pp_as85AQpQTX2OwxcD82fN5D9klJi1lvF3XB7bVsPzzrKKlGWSzP6aA5LAvWnFXeImabjyWIlE_t09KPTjfRX6odIdKWm9GFs/s1600/11moonovermanifest.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570734271866623890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nlv9BE9A0yhAux6mT3pjkk_a2ev_JInnBhYBADoh5pp_as85AQpQTX2OwxcD82fN5D9klJi1lvF3XB7bVsPzzrKKlGWSzP6aA5LAvWnFXeImabjyWIlE_t09KPTjfRX6odIdKWm9GFs/s320/11moonovermanifest.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 48px; height: 70px;" /></a> I began teaching children's literature to college students in 1997. As the years have passed, I became convinced about how important it is for teachers and parents to read children's and adolescent literature. Whether you are teaching 5 year-olds or 15 year-olds, I don't think there is any better way to remind yourself how children function than by reading literature featuring young characters. Each time I read a new children's novel I feel a deeper connection to kids. I believe that good teachers read children's literature. I just finished reading the current Newbery Medal winner, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. Abilene Tucker, the main character, is sent by her father to the town of Manifest for the summer. True to it's name, the town and citizens reveal to Abilene their unusual history and how her father fits into their existence. The town folk also have a few things manifested to them as Abilene searches through the history of the town. I think the manifestation that came to me during reading is how children interpret what they are told using what background knowledge they have acquired. It reminded me again that when you tell a child something, your interpretation of those instructions may not be the same translation in the child's head. Children can create an entirely different experience out of the simplest suggestion. You learn a lot about children by reading. Check out Moon Over Manifest and see what is manifested to you.

Manifestations

I began teaching children's literature to college students in 1997. As the years have passed, I became convinced about how important it is for teachers and parents to read children's and adolescent literature. Whether you are teaching 5 year-olds or 15 year-olds, I don't think there is any better wa…

06Feb2011

BERA Insights

BERA Insights

The British Educational Research Association (BERA) has launched a new series called Insights; these are reports which gather together research findings on topics of current concern in education. The first two Insights are entitled Violence in Schools: What is Really Happening and Social Inequality:…

04Feb2011

Behaviour and Discipline in Schools

Another post for those of you who have been asking about behaviour management in recent weeks... The <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/" target="_blank">House of Commons Education Committee</a> has just published a new report investigating behaviour and discipline in schools. The committee focused on a number of areas, including how to support positive behaviour, the nature of challenging behaviour, and how to involve parents and carers in managing their children's behaviour. To read the full text of Behaviour and Discipline in Schools, <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/516/516i.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>. Don't forget that you can read previous posts on this issue by clicking on the 'Behaviour' link in the Hot Topics menu on the right-hand side of this page. The TeachingExpertise site also has a <a href="http://www.teachingexpertise.com/area/behaviour-management" target="_blank">collection of articles</a> on this topic.

Behaviour and Discipline in Schools

Another post for those of you who have been asking about behaviour management in recent weeks... The House of Commons Education Committee has just published a new report investigating behaviour and discipline in schools. The committee focused on a number of areas, including how to support positive b…

03Feb2011

Hello!

Hello!

Hello is a campaign to make 2011 the National Year of Communication. The idea behind the campaign is to increase understanding of how important it is for children and young people to develop good communication skills. Throughout the year, different months will focus on different themes to raise awar…

02Feb2011

Munro Review of Child Protection

Today sees the publication of the latest report - <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/downloads/Munrointerimreport.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a> to read - from the Munro Review of Child Protection. The Munro Review was commissioned by the government in June 2010, with a brief to examine current procedures for safeguarding children and the role of social workers; more details are available from it's <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/" target="_blank">website</a>. The Review's first report - <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/downloads/TheMunroReviewofChildProtection-Part%20one.pdf" target="_blank">Part One: A Systems Analysis</a> - contained an analysis of current problems in the child protection system and how they had arisen. The new publication has the theme of 'The Child's Journey' and outlines potential reforms which the government should consider to improve support services; already it has attracted headlines for its recommendation to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12323806" target="_blank">reduce the 'tick box' culture</a> that it describes, while Community Care has highlighted a suggestion that all children's services should be <a href="http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2011/02/01/116198/munro-wants-unannounced-inspections-for-all-services.htm" target="_blank">subject to unannounced inspections</a>. However, topics such as multi-agency working are also addressed. The final report from the Munro Review is due in April. Further information on similar publications can be found by clicking on the 'Child Protection / Safeguarding' link in the Hot Topics menu on the right-hand side of this page.

Munro Review of Child Protection

Today sees the publication of the latest report - click here to read - from the Munro Review of Child Protection. The Munro Review was commissioned by the government in June 2010, with a brief to examine current procedures for safeguarding children and the role of social workers; more details are av…

01Feb2011