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: security, association, belonging, dignity, hope, power, enjoyment and competence. 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." 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

In my classroom management course at the university, we learn how children must have their basic needs satisfied prior to establishing an at...

1:44 PM

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… 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">Children, Schools & Family Act</a>, as well as introducing a new <a href="http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/assets/0000/9007/CommonCore_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Common Core of Skills and Knowledge</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">Academies Act</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>. 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>. 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">So</a><a href="http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_social/Social-Trends40/ST40_2010_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">cial Trends</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">Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion</a> also has plenty of useful information regarding child poverty. 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">Born Creative</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">How Fair is Britain?</a> was the title of a report with many interesting sections for childhood and family professionals from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. 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. 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.<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

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 ...

3:10 AM

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... 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. 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 Oxford Review of Education, 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, wi...

7:46 AM

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 fr...

5:41 AM

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> <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> <div></div> <div>1. Present open-ended activities. 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> <div></div> <div>2. Ask the child for his opinion. 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> <div></div> <div>3. Conduct a daily share time activity. 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> <div></div> <div>4. Let the children be the teacher. 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> <div></div> <div>5. Help children understand the 'why.' 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> <div></div> <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 wou...

6:04 AM

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...

5:58 AM

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). Hope...

4:35 AM

Busy Week!

A bumper post today, to reflect the number of interesting studies that have come out in recent days. Without further ado... <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 The Foundation Years: Preventing Poor Children Becoming Poor Adults, 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 Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 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 Special Educational Needs: Reforming Provision in English Schools, <a href="http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images/publications/pdfs/SEN_-_Nov__10.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>. </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 ...

3:44 AM

New DfE Research

Last week saw the publication of the latest monthly batch of DfE research reports. Here are some of the highlights: <ul><li><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> 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. </li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR066-WEB.pdf" target="_blank">Towards Universal Early Years Provision</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">Parental Opinion Survey 2010</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. </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...

6:38 AM

Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development

This post is essentially a plug for an incredibly useful site for students on all early years courses. The <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/home.html" target="_blank">Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development</a> is a free-to-access site which is hosted by the <a href="http://www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca/mission.asp?lang=EN" target="_blank">Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development</a> at the University of Montreal. The Encyclopedia contains peer-reviewed articles and research summaries across 42 different early years topics such as play, attachment, parenting and many more. The site has an international focus with contributions coming from all over the globe, including 17 experts who are based in the UK. More information about the Encyclopedia can be found on <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/pages/PDF/2010-08_CEDJE_promo_Encyclo_EN.pdf" target="_blank">this flyer</a>. I'd strongly recommend that all students bookmark this site as the range of topics it covers mean that it is likely to be of use to you on many occasions throughout your course.

Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development

This post is essentially a plug for an incredibly useful site for students on all early years courses. The Encyclopedia on Early Childhood D...

7:17 AM

Not Present and Not Correct

Not Present and Not Correct

A new publication from Barnardos tackles the issue of school exclusions by claiming that excluding disruptive pupils can cost three times a...

6:58 AM

Curiosity

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-jlf551Sk8EsEAiDBTbrSMhJ9_BX7AIO9UpU-R8ZDkdyOX-awjOgNpCJEauDBMebv-2bgD4XqbJJKHekgKGkTdZ1Ny1UCxT1UA3qNZ2r1f0L0qj06jMFa5EowmuluLtP3VY1t4wIT54/s1600/Fall+2010+-+Brynlee%2527s+Brithday+002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544814452638708626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-jlf551Sk8EsEAiDBTbrSMhJ9_BX7AIO9UpU-R8ZDkdyOX-awjOgNpCJEauDBMebv-2bgD4XqbJJKHekgKGkTdZ1Ny1UCxT1UA3qNZ2r1f0L0qj06jMFa5EowmuluLtP3VY1t4wIT54/s200/Fall+2010+-+Brynlee%2527s+Brithday+002.JPG" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <div>Our cat, Esme, likes to sit by the glass door and watch what is happening outside. I'm sure she is naturally curious because she spends her life indoors. In some ways, watching the outside is like television for the cat. Esme is very curious about everything that happens indoors and outdoors. Young children are very similar. A child's curiosity about the world is natural as he tries to understand and learn about his surroundings. As I have been watching student teaching candidates this semester, I have been observing how some teachers encourage curiosity and interest, but many others do not encourage or even like that basic instinct in children. </div> <div>As a classroom teacher I always wanted to turn my students on to learning about the world and what they can do with new information. Unfortunately, most public school settings today are so structured around test scores that the child can only sit and wait for the information to be dumped in his head. Dumping knowledge has little possibility of sticking and making a difference in the child's life.</div> <div>That brings me back to Esme and her interest in the world around her. I leave the wooden door open (even when it's cold) so that she has the opportunity to look at the world through the glass storm door and satisfy that basic curiosity. Watching safely behind the glass will make sure that curiosity will not kill this cat! Allowing children to be curious and ask questions will not kill the desire to learn, but encourage the interest to grow and continue.</div>

Curiosity

Our cat, Esme, likes to sit by the glass door and watch what is happening outside. I'm sure she is naturally curious because she spends ...

7:31 PM

QR Codes

As promised, an explanation of <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/11/whats-this.html" target="_blank">last Friday's post...</a> The picture in the post is called a QR code. Essentially it's a 'super barcode', and is used to provide information on... well, whatever you choose. To decode it, you need to have a smartphone (eg iPhone or Android handset) with a barcode scanner installed. Simply read the code with the scanner and the information it contains will appear on your screen, whether it's simple text, a hyperlink, or something else. In the case of last Friday's post, the code contained the following relevant-to-this-site quote: 'Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed' - Robert Gallagher We are considering using QR codes within our library to provide quick access to different types of information, though this will depend on user feedback. If having read this explanation you have any thoughts to offer, please contact me at <a href="mailto:D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk">D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk</a> to pass them on. You can read more about QR codes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code" target="_blank">here</a>. You can experiment with them by generating your own from <a href="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/" target="_blank">this site</a>. And a couple of further examples to give you an idea of what's possible: scan the code below for access to a free ebook of Dr Montessori's Own Handbook. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Od64YQDhCRVWqTUcdpQS_fXHY7VGPuh1Nvlox6XDSO3gC13pzUfC5KyJQ_NFBaE76gLvMHDd9ln8CUDARz6izrs5l3R857uDgbnu-TODlIpyjrd7oEY5sZ1hyeH-sfQgMuVx_1StVA/s1600/DrMontessorisOwnHandbook.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543829942956603346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Od64YQDhCRVWqTUcdpQS_fXHY7VGPuh1Nvlox6XDSO3gC13pzUfC5KyJQ_NFBaE76gLvMHDd9ln8CUDARz6izrs5l3R857uDgbnu-TODlIpyjrd7oEY5sZ1hyeH-sfQgMuVx_1StVA/s200/DrMontessorisOwnHandbook.png" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a>Or if you'd like to buy yourself a Kindle for Christmas but can't afford one, you can now download free apps for a range of devices which mean that your PC / smartphone can mimic most of the functions of a Kindle, as well as giving you access to its full range of ebooks. Scan the image below to see what's available: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCyBtkNfSHz448oE6PdqaFQ5PmWIYLkICCH5JgY67d0WNczm6I1hW_4tpmfGzQr1kDzERYo7IMedNFarKnU7wLUNpuqpb7HhYwyrxEQ4COGebQjqoypJTil7qwZYcF7wTDr1ki5WPuw/s1600/KindleApps.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543832515910787778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCyBtkNfSHz448oE6PdqaFQ5PmWIYLkICCH5JgY67d0WNczm6I1hW_4tpmfGzQr1kDzERYo7IMedNFarKnU7wLUNpuqpb7HhYwyrxEQ4COGebQjqoypJTil7qwZYcF7wTDr1ki5WPuw/s200/KindleApps.png" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a> Technical lessons over for now - normal posts about childcare and education research will resume next week :-)

QR Codes

As promised, an explanation of last Friday's post... The picture in the post is called a QR code. Essentially it's a 'super barc...

3:54 AM

The Importance of Teaching - The Schools White Paper 2010

The Importance of Teaching - The Schools White Paper 2010

If you watched the news yesterday, you probably saw some coverage of the launch of the government's white paper outlining their plans to...

2:33 AM

Ofsted Annual Report

Ofsted Annual Report

Ofsted's annual report for 2009/10 is published today, with information on all aspects of education and childcare. Ofsted have set up a ...

3:57 AM

What's This? Part Two

Congratulations to Lisa Perrett on providing the correct answer to Friday's puzzle (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/11/whats-this.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>). To others who've attempted to solve it, it's nothing to do with Magic Eye posters... :-) Some clues: the picture - I've posted it again below - is called a QR code, and you'll need a smartphone to decode it. Again, if you can work out what it says, please contact me at <a href="mailto:D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk">D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk</a> - otherwise, an answer and explanation will be provided later this week. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqv3JxHgdlmGdTBFrpOHbAV-yAsu5kwtF3M3jSDTwdw-DWierj43moDtnDMN6g-N-2B-zylogTOkpwxqSrZglfQIn3kKk4PnwXdd3_b7_eN2WKQGPWSxHCJn3XWbyiHG_EPfbNe7WzA/s1600/qrquote2.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542372417084373810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqv3JxHgdlmGdTBFrpOHbAV-yAsu5kwtF3M3jSDTwdw-DWierj43moDtnDMN6g-N-2B-zylogTOkpwxqSrZglfQIn3kKk4PnwXdd3_b7_eN2WKQGPWSxHCJn3XWbyiHG_EPfbNe7WzA/s200/qrquote2.png" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a>

What's This? Part Two

Congratulations to Lisa Perrett on providing the correct answer to Friday's puzzle (see previous post ). To others who've attempted ...

5:50 AM

What's This?

We're always investigating new ways to communicate news & information with our users, so today's post is a bit of an experiment (and hopefully fun!) with a new form of technology. If anyone can decode the puzzle below, I'd love them to contact me - <a href="mailto:D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk">D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk</a> - with the details of what it says and who said it. No further clues for now! There's no prize as such, but if anyone solves the puzzle and is a fan of old, saggy, cloth-eared cats, then you can have the small <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagpuss" target="_blank">Bagpuss</a> toy that currently lives on my desk... :-) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDnFioyvA5c_Qm_CfPSgHxPG-fAxRsODud4HHPmtUsW1d0Td5kqY7eIyw4322CYlTXVoeFv8zV6MECtB2aIdZgyoLdzu_8hizjw_eiGtlsWbSjUoWj0ez-Vb0oYVb9Eve2FewRS47cg/s1600/qrquote2.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541259711223826578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDnFioyvA5c_Qm_CfPSgHxPG-fAxRsODud4HHPmtUsW1d0Td5kqY7eIyw4322CYlTXVoeFv8zV6MECtB2aIdZgyoLdzu_8hizjw_eiGtlsWbSjUoWj0ez-Vb0oYVb9Eve2FewRS47cg/s200/qrquote2.png" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a>

What's This?

We're always investigating new ways to communicate news & information with our users, so today's post is a bit of an experiment ...

5:52 AM

Reading By Six

Reading By Six

Ofsted's latest report highlights the success of using phonics as a tool to teach children how to read. Reading by Six: how the Best Sch...

2:02 AM

Children's Sector Reforms

Children's Sector Reforms

The latest government changes to childcare provision have been published today, with the announcement that children's centres will no lo...

5:35 AM

Children and Alcohol

The <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/" target="_blank">Joseph Rowntree Foundation</a> has been carrying out research into the relationship between children and alcohol, and recently published two studies on the topic. Both reports should be relevant to any readers who have an interest in this subject, and they are each freely available either in full or in a summarised version. <ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/alcohol-family-life-full.pdf" target="_blank">Family Life and Alcohol Consumption: a Study of the Transmission of Drinking Practices</a></li><li><a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/pre-teens-and-alcohol-full.pdf" target="_blank">Summary</a></li></ul> <ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/pre-teens-and-alcohol-full.pdf" target="_blank">Pre-teens Learning about Alcohol: Drinking and Family Contexts</a></li><li><a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/pre-teens-and-alcohol-summary.pdf" target="_blank">Summary</a> </li></ul>

Children and Alcohol

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has been carrying out research into the relationship between children and alcohol, and recently published tw...

6:40 AM

Born Creative

Born Creative

A major new report from the Demos think tank entitled Born Creative is published today, and explores the issues surrounding creativity in t...

4:47 AM

Connecting the Dots

I am attending the annual NAEYC Conference in Anaheim. I always enjoy this conference because it is wonderful to see such a large group of people come together to learn what are the best practices when working with young children. One of my favorite stories is The Dot by Peter Reynolds. Vashti, the young girl in the story, learns how a simple dot can lead you on a creative and exciting journey. I feel the same way when I attend conferences. I have been attending workshops and trainings for over 30 years and you might think that I have heard everything by now. It is just the opposite. I think I am just beginning to really 'get it' about working with young children. I made a goal early on that I would make a strong effort to learn at least one new thing at every conference that would make me a better teacher. That goal has helped me develop better teaching skills as an early childhood educator and now as an adult educator teaching students to work with young children. One example of this happened to me years ago when my school district sent me to a math workshop at Boise State University. Most of the workshops were labeled K-3 and did not have much content for me as a kindergarten teacher. However, I did learn to make little journal books at that conference. I used those books continually in my teaching from that point on and they became a major tool for teaching children to think and be creative. For me that long 3-day workshops was work every minute and dollar spent. It made me a better teacher by teaching me about a very useful tool. Those of you attending conferences and workshops should make a goal to find something that will profoundly improve your teaching and learning.

Connecting the Dots

I am attending the annual NAEYC Conference in Anaheim. I always enjoy this conference because it is wonderful to see such a large group of p...

6:22 AM

Class Blogs

Looking for ideas on how to use online teaching tools with children? An article from the Guardian website entitled <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2010/nov/04/class-blog-alex-wilson" target="_blank">Class Blogs: a Better Way to Teach?</a> contains plenty of suggestions for useful free applications and links to examples of how teachers are already including online technology in their work.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8hLcAjRUckt_vVxhH9QA9z4_7t8zlp5ZNrV5esAgs7DWMWq2e-lbm7DV9oNxLPX0UxJRGe9nvdjlzhNn8e0E-1-uqgpx2_6htKW3vq0kt8JVsQ1idDupUPBqatLZUc1zzPe1oiaXCw/s1600/ChildComputer.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536049531124047010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8hLcAjRUckt_vVxhH9QA9z4_7t8zlp5ZNrV5esAgs7DWMWq2e-lbm7DV9oNxLPX0UxJRGe9nvdjlzhNn8e0E-1-uqgpx2_6htKW3vq0kt8JVsQ1idDupUPBqatLZUc1zzPe1oiaXCw/s200/ChildComputer.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" /></a>

Class Blogs

Looking for ideas on how to use online teaching tools with children? An article from the Guardian website entitled Class Blogs: a Better Way...

5:51 AM

Playwork Education & Skills Strategy

Playwork Education & Skills Strategy

SkillsActive have today published a new five year strategy to encourage workforce development in the play sector . The document has been wri...

6:23 AM

New DfE Research

The end of each month usually sees the publication of a collection of new research reports from the Department of Education (DfE), and October was no exception. Below is a selection of the reports which were published at the end of last week: <ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR054-WEB.pdf" target="_blank">Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents 2009</a> </li><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR043.pdf" target="_blank">Improving the Outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Pupils: Final Report</a></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR045.pdf" target="_blank">The Use of Whole Family Assessment to Identify the Needs of Families with Multiple Problems</a></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR046.pdf" target="_blank">Redesigning Provision for Families with Multiple Problems – an Assessment of the Early Impact of Different Local Approaches</a></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR042-WEB.pdf" target="_blank">Extended Services Subsidy Pathfinder in Schools: Evaluation</a></li><li><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR049-WEB.pdf" target="_blank">Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Programme in Secondary Schools: National Evaluation</a></li></ul>Full access to all DfE research reports, as well as those published by the previous Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and Department for Education and Skills (DfES), is available from <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/" target="_blank">this link</a>.

New DfE Research

The end of each month usually sees the publication of a collection of new research reports from the Department of Education (DfE), and Octob...

3:29 AM

Early Intervention

<a href="http://www.c4eo.org.uk/" target="_blank">C4EO</a> recently published a new report which examines best practice in using early intervention to support at risk or disadvantaged children, families and communities. The report identifies 'five golden threads' which help to ensure that early intervention is deployed effectively. You can read the full text of Grasping the Nettle: Early Intervention for Children, Families and Communities by <a href="http://www.c4eo.org.uk/themes/earlyintervention/files/early_intervention_grasping_the_nettle_full_report.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. A <a href="http://www.c4eo.org.uk/themes/earlyintervention/files/early_intervention_grasping_the_nettle_executive_summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a> is also available. At the same time as researching this report, C4EO also carried out a survey of how early intervention is practiced in other countries, with a view to providing useful evidence for policy makers. You can read the findings of this project by <a href="http://www.c4eo.org.uk/themes/earlyintervention/files/early_intervention_wave_trust_international_review.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Early Intervention

C4EO recently published a new report which examines best practice in using early intervention to support at risk or disadvantaged children,...

3:48 AM

Fathers & Education

A recent request for information on fathers' involvement in their children's education turned up a host of resources, so it seems a shame not to share them with blog readers. If this is a topic that interests you, then read on... The Teacher Training Resource Bank is a site aimed at students on PGCE courses, although much of the material on there will be useful to other students too. The site has an e-librarian who puts together lists of resources in answer to questions from the site's users, and an enquiry on fathers and education has resulted in a lengthy number of suggestions which you can view by clicking <a href="http://www.ttrb.ac.uk/ELibrarianQuestionDetails.aspx?TextSize=Medium&QuestionId=4416" target="_blank">this link</a>. Tim Kahn of the Pre-School Learning Alliance has put together some reports in this area - among such items are <a href="http://www.pre-school.org.uk/document/745" target="_blank">Fathers’ Involvement in Early Years Settings: Findings from Research</a>, <a href="http://www.pre-school.org.uk/document/742" target="_blank">Where’s Dad? Exploring the Views of Children, Fathers and Mothers on Involving Fathers in Early Years Settings</a>, and <a href="http://www.pre-school.org.uk/document/751" target="_blank">Involving Fathers in Early Years Settings: Evaluating Four Models for Effective Practice Development</a>. The old DfES and DCSF produced a number of reports and briefings that are related to this topic: <ul><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/6726/ACF21C0.pdf" target="_blank">Engaging Fathers: Involving Parents, Raising Achievement</a></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5C39FCD7-8075-40FD-9A08-06614F4FEB1D/14909/TheImpactofParentalInvolvementon365kb2.pdf" target="_blank">The Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education</a></li><li><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RW004.pdf" target="_blank">Raising Achievement: Do Parents Know They Matter?</a> </li></ul>Last year the National Literacy Trust put together a research paper entitled <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0000/0770/Father_review_2009.pdf" target="_blank">Why Fathers Matter to their Children's Literacy</a>. The Family & Parenting Institute has put together a <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/parentalEngagement" target="_blank">short piece on parental engagement</a>, together with links to yet further reading. Further information on various issues surrounding the role of the father can be obtained from the <a href="http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Fatherhood Institute</a>.

Fathers & Education

A recent request for information on fathers' involvement in their children's education turned up a host of resources, so it seems a ...

2:18 AM

More on the Spending Review

The previous post dealt with the details of cuts to children's services following last week's Comprehensive Spending Review. Now the magazine <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/" target="_blank">Children and Young People Now</a> has asked a panel of experts, featuring such figures as the heads of the National Children's Bureau, the Child Poverty Action Group, the 4Children charity and many others, to outline what practical impact they believe that the cuts will have on their services. To read their views, click on the links below. <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036239/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Spending Review: the Sector Delivers its Verdict</a> <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036456/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">CYP Now Expert Panel Responds to Spending Review</a>

More on the Spending Review

The previous post dealt with the details of cuts to children's services following last week's Comprehensive Spending Review. Now the...

2:56 AM

7 Connecting Habits of a Lead Teacher

In our classroom management course this week we were talking about setting up classrooms that avoid punishment (punitive discipline). I had the opportunity to review the works of one of my favorite researchers, William Glasser. He was a great educational thinker and often stated that we will not improve schools unless we provide curriculum that is attractive to students, use nonpunitive discipline and emphasize quality in all aspects of teaching and learning. The portions of his research that had the most impact on me over the years are his standards for separating 'boss' teachers from 'lead' teachers. Boss teachers rely on what Glasser calls the 7 Deadly Habits: criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and rewarding students to control them. I think we are all familiar with teachers that fall into this category. Rather than falling into the rut of being a 'boss' teacher, Glasser suggests that we become, 'lead' teachers. A lead teacher relies on the 7 Connecting Habits: caring, listening, supporting, contributing, encouraging, trusting, and befriending. The most successful classrooms are the ones led by lead teachers. I have told my student teachers that if they start using one of the deadly habits, combat the temptation with one of the connecting habits. Our goal is to be lead teachers and provide a nurturing atmosphere for the students.

7 Connecting Habits of a Lead Teacher

In our classroom management course this week we were talking about setting up classrooms that avoid punishment (punitive discipline). I had ...

11:40 AM

Spending Review - Children's Services

This afternoon has finally seen the publication of the government's spending review with details of cuts in most areas of the public sector. Among the various headlines it'd be easy to miss the details relating to children's services, but fortunately some sites have summarised the main points. In particular, the Children and Young People Now website has put together a number of useful short articles: <ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036175/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Education Department's Non-Schools Budget Cut by 12% over Four Years</a></li></ul><ul><li> <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036170/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Severe Cuts to Youth Justice Funding Could be Avoided, Sector Leaders Claim</a></li><li><a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036178/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Government Creates £100m fund for Voluntary and Community Organisations</a></li></ul><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036167/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Government to Protect Sure Start Centres and Introduce Early Intervention Grant</a></li></ul><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1036174/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin" target="_blank">Child Benefit will Not be Scrapped for Children Over 16</a></li></ul>A brief summary of the main points is also available from the Nursery World website; here's <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1036161/BREAKING-NEWS-Comprehensive-Spending-Review/" target="_blank">the link</a>. The BBC website also has <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11584239" target="_blank">an article</a> regarding the implications for education of all types. The Telegraph has a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/spending-review/8035164/Spending-Review-what-it-means-for-the-Department-of-Education.html" target="_blank">detailed article</a> on the implications faced by the Department of Education. There will undoubtedly be plenty of news stories and discussion columns devoted to this area over the next few days. If you find a particularly interesting one, why not share it with other readers by leaving a comment (<a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/p/feedback.html" target="_blank">here's how</a>) beneath this post with a link to the information?

Spending Review - Children's Services

This afternoon has finally seen the publication of the government's spending review with details of cuts in most areas of the public sec...

8:16 AM

Special Educational Needs 2010

The Department of Education has just published Children with Special Educational Needs 2010: An Analysis. This is the second edition of an annual report which provides detailed information on children with SEN in England. Already the report has made a few headlines for claiming that <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11573192" target="_blank">almost one in four primary school boys has special educational needs</a>; this is a particularly interesting statistic in light of last month's Ofsted review which claimed that currently thousands of children have been misdiagnosed with SEN (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/09/special-educational-needs-and.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details). However, the new publication also contains plenty of information on topics such as achievement at different key stages, breakdowns of SEN pupils by factors such as gender or ethnicity, and data on exclusions. To read the report, <a href="http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STA/t000965/osr25-2010.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Special Educational Needs 2010

The Department of Education has just published Children with Special Educational Needs 2010: An Analysis . This is the second edition of an ...

3:36 AM

Millennium Cohort Study

The <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/studies.asp?section=000100020001" target="_blank">Millennium Cohort Study</a> is a mammoth ongoing research project which is examining the lives of 19,000 children born in the UK during the years 2000/01 (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2008/10/millennium-cohort-study.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details). Today sees the publication of the fourth report from the study, and it has made headlines for the findings that it has made <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/15/fifth-uk-children-severe-poverty" target="_blank">regarding child poverty</a>. However, the report also has plenty of information on topics such as parenting, cognitive development, child health, child behaviour and much more. To access the latest report (and all previous reports) from the Study, click on <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/studies.asp?section=0001000200010012" target="_blank">this link</a> and then click on the PDF icons on the right hand side of the page to look at the different reports. The latest one is labelled MCS4.

Millennium Cohort Study

The Millennium Cohort Study is a mammoth ongoing research project which is examining the lives of 19,000 children born in the UK during the...

2:51 AM

Starting a Family Revolution

In April 2009 the <a href="http://www.thefamilycommission.org.uk/" target="_blank">Family Commission</a> (set up by the <a href="http://www.4children.org.uk/" target="_blank">4Children</a> charity) began work on an in-depth inquiry to investigate all aspects of family life in the UK. The project has examined evidence from a number of sources, including interviews with over 10,000 families, submissions from the public, seminars with high ranking officials and more. Yesterday saw the publication of the Commission's final report. Some of the findings, such as fears about family finances and closure of Sure Start Centres are highlighted in this <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1034369/Inquiry-calls-family-revolution/" target="_blank">Nursery World article</a>. The full report, entitled <a href="http://www.thefamilycommission.org.uk/resources/FamilyCommission_final_report_2010.pdf" target="_blank">Starting A Family Revolution: Putting Families in Charge</a>, can be accessed from this link, while a <a href="http://www.thefamilycommission.org.uk/resources/FamilyCommission_StartingAFamilyRevolution_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a> is also available.

Starting a Family Revolution

In April 2009 the Family Commission (set up by the 4Children charity) began work on an in-depth inquiry to investigate all aspects of fami...

2:18 AM

Fall Colors

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIS_99xmGJXqBZu31kJGvViQkrFXlAR2DcdEMjEjWxgtVRBbfA7whBtFYyhWAIHQV-QYQiEfCsIU6-SPC_KJNxu3AaQ4JPli-BZkDnNQg06Q_iQ2InoRRgGXpO1cMyJV3jqmD3dX0rqw/s1600/2008+002.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527745905905221170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIS_99xmGJXqBZu31kJGvViQkrFXlAR2DcdEMjEjWxgtVRBbfA7whBtFYyhWAIHQV-QYQiEfCsIU6-SPC_KJNxu3AaQ4JPli-BZkDnNQg06Q_iQ2InoRRgGXpO1cMyJV3jqmD3dX0rqw/s200/2008+002.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <div>I'm always jealous of people who live in climates that are more mild during the winter (I don't enjoy cold much any more). However, one of the things I love about our climate is the wonderful colors that we see during the autumn. Since we are surrounded by mountains, it is a lovely site to see. We live at the base of a mountain and it is amazing to watch it change daily. I remember all of the fall activities that I did in the classroom using those leaves.</div> <ul> <li>Gluing leaves on pictures to represent the autumn</li> <li>Placing larger leaves under thin paper and doing leaf rubbings with the side of a peeled crayon</li> <li>Having the children replicate the colors of the leaves by color mixing </li> <li>Laminating leaves for use in the science center</li> <li>Looking at the leaves under a magnifying glass or microscope</li> <li>Leaf glitter (finely crumbled leaves glued on projects)</li></ul> I remember when another teacher told me about leaf glitter. I laughed thinking it was a weak idea. Then I watched what happened when I crumbled leaves and allowed the children to use the crumbs just like they would use glitter. They were thrilled and we had to continually make more! Who knew such a simple idea would be such a hit. The biggest plus was that it was so much easier to clean up than regular glitter. Those of you who are surrounded by the colors of autumn and work with young children, make the most of this time of year. For those of you who live where leaves don't do much changing, I'm sorry. You can give me a rough time during the winter when you are having a picnic.

Fall Colors

I'm always jealous of people who live in climates that are more mild during the winter (I don't enjoy cold much any more). However, ...

8:39 PM

How Fair is Britain?

Yesterday saw the publication of How Fair is Britain?, a mammoth report from the <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/" target="_blank">Equality and Human Rights Commission</a> which looks at equality in all areas of modern UK society. At 790 pages long it might be expecting a little too much for most people to read it in full, but links to some of the most relevant material for blog readers are below: <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/triennial_review/how_fair_is_britain_ch10.pdf" target="_blank">Chapter 10: Education</a> <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/oct/10/britains-divided-school-system-report" target="_blank">Britain's Divided Schools: a Disturbing Portrait of Inequality</a> (Guardian article summarising education issues raised by the report) <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/triennial_review/how_fair_is_britain_ch9.pdf" target="_blank">Chapter 9: Health</a> <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/triennial_review/how_fair_is_britain_ch13.pdf" target="_blank">Chapter 13: Care and Support</a> Readers interested in detailed information on these topics may also be interested in the latest edition of Social Trends (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/07/social-trends-2010.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details).

How Fair is Britain?

Yesterday saw the publication of How Fair is Britain? , a mammoth report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission which looks at equal...

5:56 AM

Serious Games

Serious Games

One for the ICT experts among our readers today - Futurelab have just published a literature review which examines the topic of how digital...

4:45 AM

Achievement in the Foundation Stage

Achievement in the Foundation Stage

A new research report entitled Achievement of Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile has been published today by the Departme...

5:36 AM

The Finish Line

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUh-njIp-dBjr-yUC_2B1icr07AaCeHx7w72V-_c6QLydzCVRgguixm6MDfwyUFgoL9haG858k9JjxD4tWExwMt65ZS6f5yLEDp1oXYNNjuz_-jaOWDiqtENkT0tlDsGL_-FQnmVay2g/s1600/me.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522362151418107202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUh-njIp-dBjr-yUC_2B1icr07AaCeHx7w72V-_c6QLydzCVRgguixm6MDfwyUFgoL9haG858k9JjxD4tWExwMt65ZS6f5yLEDp1oXYNNjuz_-jaOWDiqtENkT0tlDsGL_-FQnmVay2g/s200/me.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <div>I ran my first half-marathon on Saturday. I just have one thing to say, "13 miles is a long way!" I try to avoid driving 13 miles. My daughter-in-law encouraged me to run the race with her and it was fun to have company. At times during the race I felt like I could conquer the world. At other times I felt every year I have passed on the age calendar. As I was running, I thought about how close running a race is to actual life. At times you can run with others who will encourage you along the way. There are other times when you need to go it alone (my daughter-in-law and I parted company after 6 miles). The most important factor, however, is to keep going so that you make it to the finish line.</div> <div>We early childhood educators are doing just that for young children. We should be helping children become resilient and strong enough to sometimes 'go it alone.' If we teach them well, they will not only succeed during their alone times, but may help others along the way. My daughter-in-law helped me get started on Saturday so that I could stick to the task and make it to the finish line on my own.</div>

The Finish Line

I ran my first half-marathon on Saturday. I just have one thing to say, "13 miles is a long way!" I try to avoid driving 13 miles...

8:21 AM

Teaching Resources

A big welcome to all of the new PGCE students at UCB. As promised in this morning's session, here are some of the websites out there which have particular relevance to your chosen course... Hopefully you've already realised the importance of the Times Educational Supplement (aka TES). The TES <a href="http://www.tes.co.uk/" target="_blank">website</a> gives you free access to thousands of news stories and feature articles on all aspects of school life that have appeared in the weekly publication since 1994. The site also contains job listings, lesson plans, a discussion forum, and other interactive features. For further news and features about the profession, try looking at the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/teaching" target="_blank">teaching section</a> of the Guardian website. The previous Labour government set up the <a href="http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Teachernet</a> website to support the teaching profession, and it contains a mass of information about all aspects of the job, from classroom management and ICT to whole school issues and continuing professional development. The site also contains plenty of links to other useful sites, and can be used to download official education-related publications. Like many government webpages its future is currently uncertain, but for now at least it remains a useful resource. Also very useful is <a href="http://www.teachers.tv/" target="_blank">Teachers TV</a>, which broadcasts programmes on all aspects of school life, and often has themed weeks where a series of programmes on a particular topic are shown. Although the service is now based purely on the internet (until earlier this year it could be watched on Freeview), the channel continues to produce new programmes of a high standard. The <a href="http://www.ttrb.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Teacher Training Resource Bank</a> contains materials to help support your professional development; these can include news stories, research reports, government guidance documents, QTS standards and much more. The 'Glossary' section of the site is also very useful in helping you to make sense of all of the jargon that you'll need to get to grips with during your training. Other teaching-specific websites that may come in handy include the <a href="http://www.tda.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Training and Development Agency for Schools</a> (TDA), which is responsible for the professional development of the school workforce, and the <a href="http://www.gtce.org.uk/" target="_blank">General Teaching Council for England</a> (GTCE) , the professional body for teachers; again, both of these organisations face uncertain futures, with the GTCE likely to be abolished by the end of the year. Also worth a look is <a href="http://www.teachingexpertise.com/" target="_blank">Teaching Expertise</a>, an "information and learning website for teachers and other education professionals" which has been put together by the publishers Optimus Education. As the PGCE contains a significant element of SEN content, you may want to familiarise yourself with the work of the <a href="http://www.nasen.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Association for Special Educational Needs</a> (NASEN). Students can access their publications through the library's online resources, but the NASEN site is also worth viewing as it provides news stories, research summaries, and links to the websites of similar organisations. Teachernet also has an <a href="http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/" target="_blank">SEN area</a> with important information, and the Guardian's <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/specialeducationneeds" target="_blank">Special Educational Needs area</a> contains relevant news stories. For reference purposes, you may also want to occasionally check the <a href="http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/" target="_blank">National Curriculum</a> and <a href="http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/earlyyears" target="_blank">Early Years Foundation Stage</a> sites; these contain detailed information on what skills children are taught at different levels, as well as providing supporting materials. A recent publication which has caused a stir is <a href="http://www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeducation/pdf/15349_ECE-Blocks_v5.pdf" target="_blank">A Systematic Review of Research on Early Childhood Programmes: A Best Evidence Synthesis</a>. This is a report which was published by the <a href="http://www.cfbt.com/" target="_blank">CfBT Trust</a> that examines 28 different early education programmes around the world and concludes that <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/ByDiscipline/Childcare-and-Early-Years/1026376/Instruction-outshines-play-says-study/" target="_blank">instructive and teacher-led programmes are more effective than play-based ones</a>. Some organisations have already queried the findings, what do our readers think? Finally, don't forget to check this blog regularly for details of new reports on teaching as and when they're published. You can view a list of previous posts relating to teaching by clicking on 'Teaching' in the 'Hot Topics' list on the right-hand side of this page, while the 'Links' page available at the top of the screen contains more generic education and child-related sites which are worth a visit. That should keep you all going for now. If any readers are aware of a particularly useful teaching-related site that isn't mentioned here, why not share it by putting a link to it below this post in the form of a comment? Here's <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2007/06/leave-comment.html" target="_blank">how to do it</a>.

Teaching Resources

A big welcome to all of the new PGCE students at UCB. As promised in this morning's session, here are some of the websites out there wh...

6:40 AM

Community Family Support Resources

A big welcome to all of the new Community Family Support students at UCB. If you'd like to know about websites which will be invaluable to helping with research during your course then read on... Sites containing free research information in your subject area are plentiful. I really can't praise the <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/" target="_blank">Joseph Rowntree Foundation</a> enough, as their website is packed with news stories, reports and countless other resources on various social issues. Also well worth a look is <a href="http://www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk/" target="_blank">Social Care Online</a>, a freely accessible database of research that can be either searched or explored through subject headings; this service is provided by the <a href="http://www.scie.org.uk/" target="_blank">Social Care Institute for Excellence</a>, who are also behind the relatively new <a href="http://www.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv/default.asp" target="_blank">Social Care TV</a>. Other free sources of detailed reports and much besides include the <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/" target="_blank">Family and Parenting Institute</a> and the <a href="http://www.cesi.org.uk/" target="_blank">Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion</a>, while the <a href="http://www.swap.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Social Policy and Social Work</a> gateway to research contains an impressive collection of links to sites covering all social issues. The website of the <a href="http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/index.aspx" target="_blank">Economic and Social Research Council</a> also contains information on both its own research and the projects of other organisations. Picking out official / government websites is a little tricky at the moment, as the change of government following this year's election means that it is difficult to work out at present which information on government websites represents current policy. However, the <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Communities and Local Government</a> website is worth bookmarking, and there should also be useful materials available from the <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/" target="_blank">Equality and Human Rights Commission</a>. Other organisations you may find useful include the the <a href="http://www.thefamilycommission.org.uk/" target="_blank">Family Commission</a>, which is carrying out research into family life in the UK, and <a href="http://www.family-action.org.uk/" target="_blank">Family Action</a>, a charity which supports disadvantaged and socially isolated families. Also useful is the <a href="http://www.esds.ac.uk/longitudinal/access/facs/l4427.asp" target="_blank">Families and Children Study</a>, which provides very detailed statistics on family issues. If you'd like a couple of sites which will help you keep up to date with your topic then you can read the archives of <a href="http://www.communitycare.co.uk/" target="_blank">Community Care</a> online for free. Similarly, all of the new and past content of the Guardian's Society supplement can be accessed from <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society" target="_blank">SocietyGuardian</a>; the site also contains additional features which are not available in the print publication. And finally, here are some recent reports on family-related topics which may be helpful in bringing you up to speed with current topics affecting your subject area. <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/Filestore/Documents/publications/10_Years_of_Family_Policy_WEB_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Ten Years of Family policy: 1999–2009</a> is a useful briefing of government initiatives over the last decade; <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR113.pdf" target="_blank">Impact of Family Breakdown on Children’s Well-Being</a> is an evidence review carried out for the (then) DCSF in 2009; similarly, <a href="http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Families%20Evidence%20Paper%20v0%2032%20181202.pdf" target="_blank">Families in Britain: an Evidence Paper</a> was published in 2008 - while many of the policy outlines it contains will now have altered, it is full of facts and figures which highlight issues facing families in the UK today. Or for something a little shorter, follow this link to download a copy of <a href="http://www.ippr.org/members/download.asp?f=%2Fecomm%2Ffiles%2Fwhen_times_are_tough.pdf" target="_blank">When Times Are Tough</a>, a brief insight into how four low-income families manage their daily lives. I'm off for a lie-down...

Community Family Support Resources

A big welcome to all of the new Community Family Support students at UCB. If you'd like to know about websites which will be invaluable ...

4:00 AM

Classroom Management

<a href="http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=28426&es=10490500000"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518735565605926162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1CtB9Q8I5ZpB0WW2LhmQK2hhLiE3GKfxZXzWkxgQIugf_Xmej-txIMiYEByuiynohUVMGbbF3-qZKKPeD_Wwm4F6iqe_AP3VIslwKyKgJcJ2KAX9MC1DsmjFuEN_3V0bDNewBrZVP5k/s200/28426b.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> I was instructing my student teachers this week about setting up a classroom to avoid negative behaviors. I often use information learned from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) at Vanderbilt University. I mentioned in earlier posts that I was trained by the center when we were working on social and emotional strategies in Head Start. We saw a marked increase in the ability of teachers to curtail negative behavior in the classroom, when they used the strategies suggested by CSEFEL's research. This past week we were talking about classroom setup and how important it is to have a well thought-out schedule and a concrete way for children to know what is expected during the day. I love having a schedule in the room (horizontal and visual for PreK-2), but I also mentioned the success I had using a 'Center Board,' similar to the <a href="http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=28426&es=10490500000" target="'_New">commercial one you see above</a>. Children in classrooms which are set up in centers can identify what centers are open and available for the day. I've seen a form of this used in upper grades, as well, showing the children visually what activities/assignments they need to work on for the day. I think a center or assignment board, coupled with a solid posted daily schedule helps children feel stable in the setting. Stable children do not exhibit negative behaviors as often as children who don't know what is going to happen next (CSEFEL, 2006).

Classroom Management

I was instructing my student teachers this week about setting up a classroom to avoid negative behaviors. I often use information learned f...

1:50 PM

NCB Blog

The <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Children's Bureau</a> (NCB) has recently started a blog to share information about the work of the organisation and generate discussions about general children's issues. Early signs are that it'll be a useful resource, with posts on topics such as the closure of the ContactPoint database, the importance of protecting playgrounds, and the recent report from the School Libraries Commission (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/09/school-libraries.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details). Given that the NCB acts as an umbrella for organisations such as the <a href="http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/" target="_blank">Anti-Bullying Alliance</a>, <a href="http://www.playengland.org.uk/" target="_blank">Play England</a>, the <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/sef/home.aspx" target="_blank">Sex Education Forum</a> and many others, it's probably reasonable to assume that the blog will touch on a range of subjects of interest to all who study or work with young children. To view the NCB blog, <a href="http://blogncb.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.

NCB Blog

The National Children's Bureau (NCB) has recently started a blog to share information about the work of the organisation and generate d...

4:53 AM

Progressive Education in the 1940s

Something a little different today. The video below is a 1940s newsreel from the US which covers the topic of 'progressive education'. If you've got 7 minutes to watch it in full, it's a fascinating and entertaining snapshot of some of the ideas which were gaining credence in education at that time, some of which are still applicable to the modern day. There's also an appearance from the renowned theorist John Dewey. For further information about historical approaches, Derek Gillard's website <a href="http://www.educationengland.org.uk/" target="_blank">The History of Education in England</a> is packed with useful articles and the full text of such important publications as the <a href="http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/warnock/index.html" target="_blank">Warnock Report</a>, the <a href="http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/plowden/index.html" target="_blank">Plowden Report</a>, and many others. <object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/opXKmwg8VQM?fs=1&hl=en_GB"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/opXKmwg8VQM?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>

Progressive Education in the 1940s

Something a little different today. The video below is a 1940s newsreel from the US which covers the topic of 'progressive education'...

6:41 AM

School Libraries

A report from the School Library Commission draws a link between successful schools and well-run libraries, but argues that at present many such facilities <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11304759" target="_blank">are a wasted resource</a>. To tackle this issue, the report calls for library staff to work more closely with teachers and other support staff, and for schools to designate a governor who is responsible for overseeing the development of library facilities. To read the full text of School Libraries: A Plan for Improvement, <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0000/5718/School_Libraries_A_Plan_for_Improvement.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjek_N_5W-sVLWWW74s-wHiJbAz0HS64QVvbr9Ah12FJ7UHF9X_7LCOwkJ7Yogm2svn0ssXzUD4aHrcs1UA1j7ji_5lHanhCYBX1t-efr3ZFOCUuSoXpgkUG4NKjjkRNj_hoFYRHnKw/s1600/ChildReading.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517086099160681570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjek_N_5W-sVLWWW74s-wHiJbAz0HS64QVvbr9Ah12FJ7UHF9X_7LCOwkJ7Yogm2svn0ssXzUD4aHrcs1UA1j7ji_5lHanhCYBX1t-efr3ZFOCUuSoXpgkUG4NKjjkRNj_hoFYRHnKw/s200/ChildReading.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 168px;" /></a>

School Libraries

A report from the School Library Commission draws a link between successful schools and well-run libraries, but argues that at present many ...

2:58 AM

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review

A major review from Ofsted has grabbed the headlines this morning, after it concluded that thousands of pupils are being wrongly labelled as...

3:02 AM

New from OnTheWeb

The latest edition of OnTheWeb (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2007/05/be-alert.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details) is as usual packed with details of new reports and research relating to education. Here's some of the highlights: <ul><li><a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/content/download/11407/134357/file/Children%20missing%20from%20education.pdf">Children Missing from Education: The Actions Taken to Prevent Children from Missing Education or Becoming ‘Lost to the System’</a> is a new report from Ofsted.</li><li>Another recent publication from Ofsted is <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/content/download/11399/134289/file/Outstanding%20local%20authority%20children%27s%20services%202009.pdf">Outstanding Local Authority Children’s Services 2009</a>, which contains case studies of best practice in children's services departments which have been rated as 'excellent'.</li><li><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/Report_CWF4.pdf" target="_blank">The Children’s Workforce: A Data Scoping Study</a> is a detailed examination of the make-up of staff who work in children's services.</li><li><a href="http://www.barnardos.org.uk/unlocking_the_gates.pdf" target="_blank">Unlocking the Gates: Giving Disadvantaged Children a Fairer Deal in School Admissions</a> is a new briefing from Barnardos.</li><li>The Children's Society has published a major new study entitled <a href="http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/resources/documents/Research/21485_full.pdf" target="_blank">Safeguarding Young People: Responding to Young People Aged 11 to 17 Who are Maltreated</a>.</li><li>Participation Works has published <a href="http://www.participationworks.org.uk/files/webfm/files/npf%7E/npf_publications/An%20Equal%20Place%20at%20the%20Table_jun10.pdf" target="_blank">An Equal Place at the Table for Children and Young People</a>, which investigates how children's views can be taken into account when designing services which may impact on them. </li></ul>

New from OnTheWeb

The latest edition of OnTheWeb (see previous post for details) is as usual packed with details of new reports and research relating to educ...

6:02 AM

Effective Early Childhood Education Programmes

Effective Early Childhood Education Programmes

New research from the CfBT Education Trust examines the effectiveness of 28 different early education programmes. The broad conclusion from...

8:09 AM

Positivity in Practice

Positivity in Practice

While dealing with a recent enquiry I came across a new(ish) report from the NFER which may be of interest to some readers. Positivity in P...

7:48 AM

Practitioners' Experiences of the Early Years Foundation Stage

A new detailed study into the Foundation Stage has found that early years practitioners are <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1025260/Dont-change-EYFS-practitioners-say/" target="_blank">strongly in favour of the EYFS framework</a>. The research, which was carried out by the Institute of Education between September 2008 and March 2010, set out to tackle such questions as how the EYFS influences daily practice with children and families, and whether it has helped to offer improvements in care and education. To read the full report, <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DFE-RR029.doc">click here</a>. Also new from the Department of Education is <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/FinalChildDFEwebsite.pdf" target="_blank">Childhood Wellbeing: A Brief Overview</a>, which summarises the literature in an area which has attracted growing interest in recent years. For previous posts on this topic, <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/search/label/wellbeing" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Practitioners' Experiences of the Early Years Foundation Stage

A new detailed study into the Foundation Stage has found that early years practitioners are strongly in favour of the EYFS framework . The r...

3:05 AM