tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34173861770578926212024-03-05T12:12:24.682-08:00The isolated childminderSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-70506693580254757212014-07-09T14:33:00.000-07:002014-07-09T14:33:31.711-07:00conkers
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">On our way to
toddler group this morning we passed under the mature Horse chestnut tree down
the lane. Its branches extend out over the road but the trunk itself is in the grounds
of a house. The tree is a familiar talking point with the children all year round. We look for the first tight sticky
buds in Spring. We have watched the leaves unfurl over the weeks and then marvelled
at the flowers as they appear. (If you have never look closely at the Horse
chestnut flower you should.) Then we glimpse the first of the husks that will
contain conkers, and finally in the Autumn we collect the conkers that litter
the driveway of the house. For years now I have walked under the tree with different
children as company. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">Today I had a
conversation with a child very similar in many ways to the conversation I had two
years ago. But back then the child was familiar with the tree. She remembered
picking conkers with me the previous year. We talked about how I would pick
conkers in the Autumn from this tree, and the child would be picking conkers
from another tree. This is because she was moving on to nursery so wouldn’t be
with me. I was reassuring her that traditions carry on and she would find
another Conker tree and collect conkers with Mummy, or even with the children
from her new nursery.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">Today's
conversation was a little different because the child is too young to
understand that by the time the conkers start to fall he will be in nursery. And
he does not really have the memory of collecting conkers with me from this tree
as last year he was tiddly and small. So we picked up a small green husk that had
fallen from the tree and gazed at the many husks growing above us and I chatted
about conkers, how the leaves were moving in the wind and wondered aloud if
there were squirrels in the tree?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">Now personally I
fully support children going into nursery/pre-school provision. I believe it is
right that children can make that progression from a small setting such as mine,
with a nurturing environment that gives them the skills they need to make a success
of their time at nursery/pre-school. Nursery and pre-schools are a further stepping
stone to making that leap into being 'school ready'. Early Years
Entitlement/Funded Education/Free Entitlement whatever you want to call it, is
there to support children so when they get to school they are indeed 'ready'. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">Childminders have
been given the impression they have a place in the provision of EYE, an equal <span style="color: #333333;">place. Indeed it was said that the extended 2 yr old Free Entitlement would fail without Childminders signing up, there just wasn't enough places available to supply the expected demand. The push to ensure there are enough places to
provide the extended Free Entitlement for 2 year olds from September 14 has seen many
childminders, myself included opting in. Unfortunately things are not as rosy as they should be, and many
childminders have discovered that they are being asked to cover the hours that nurseries and pre-schools do not cover. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">The problem for childminders is not just confined to the FE for 2 year olds. I
had a chat with a fellow childminder a few weeks ago, she had been asked by a
parent to provide FE for a little chap she had in her setting & was looking
forward to it. We discussed the administrative challenges she was facing, and the fact that
<span>funding<b><span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for the early years entitlement (3& 4 yr old) did not cover
her hourly rate, but she was still keen.</span></span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">The
almost invertible has happened, the parent has changed their minds and the child is now going to nursery. The
childminder has been asked to pick up & provide an hour or so childcare a day. This
happens time & time again. Yes, of course there are childminders out there who have
been successful in providing FE and who have provided the Full Entitlement of
15 hours, or the majority of it. There are many childminders I am sure who have
a very positive experience of providing FE in conjunction with another setting.
But too often Childminders are being seen and used as the inferior provider, only
fit to provide breakfast and end of day care, or a taxi service. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">I
fretted over my decision to provide EYE or not. I worried about being disadvantaged
in the marketplace if I didn’t and I worried over the financial implications of
a lower hourly rate if I did. I was swayed by the knowledge that I would be
supporting families, families that had possibly been with me for some time.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: black;">I think the bottom line is that parents
do what they think is right for their children, and what is right for their
family situation. I do not know if I will ever be asked to provide FE. I am happy at present to focus on providing the very best childcare I can, for the very youngest children and fully support parents decision to take a place at nursery when the time is right. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">Would I consider providing just 1 or 2 hours of childcare if asked by a parent? No. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI Light";"><span style="color: black;">I guess I will be having plenty of conker type conversations
in the future.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-24138154784395213702014-03-04T12:06:00.003-08:002014-03-04T12:09:14.483-08:00weary of all the hype<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">In 2007 my fee
for an 8 hour session of childcare was £28.80. In 2014 my fee for an 8 hour
session of childcare is £32. Which is an increase of £3.20, something like a
12% rise over 7 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">However the news
today says that childcare costs have increased by 27% over 5 years. It does not
say that figure is an average, so my conclusion is that SOME childcare has increased
by 27% (at a guess </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">London</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">). But people will believe the hype. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">I will own up. After 3 years of keeping my
fees at the same level I will be increasing them soon. An 8 hour session will cost £33.28 from April. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light";">Still not an
increase of 27% though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-42019023766376034502014-02-14T12:26:00.002-08:002014-02-14T12:27:57.461-08:00from bad to fanciful<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">Troubled thoughts:<br />The
government is systematically trying to destroy childminding as we know it.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">Childminder agencies run for profit are not needed and will push up the cost of
childcare. The 'pilots' are barely begun, they all seem to have run unique
services which means there is no systems testing to ensure Childminder agencies
will work. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">With Childminders now leaving the profession in droves because of the uncertainty, the latest news is likely to be the final straw for many. Ms Truss may
claim the numbers were already declining but as Local
Authority support is now so reduced many childminders find themselves alone. There is anger and disbelief that the government is not listening to the childcare sector.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">The
latest proposals to allow 3 hours unregulated childcare is a safeguarding disaster
waiting to happen. All of us who have ever attended Child protection training
know this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">With Gove facing a brick wall over changing teachers contracts we now have Ms Truss ideas of expecting
childminders to care for pre-school children from 9-3 and then march them to
school to supervise a mixed age group of 30 school children till </span><st1:time hour="18" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">6
pm. This</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">
is the most fanciful idea yet. <br />Do parents really want their children in
'school' for 9 or 10 hours a day- 5 days a week? At least a toddler in nursery
for 10 hours a day can be assured their Welfare is paramount. Toddlers have
their individual needs met, their care routines are embedded in the EYFS. Are
we to see dormitories added to schools so the tired 5 and 6 year olds can nap?
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">I suspect
the Childminder Agencies will want to tender for the new extended school hours. How will
parents feel about their children's care being put out to tender? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">Children
will end up being in school for longer than their parents are at work. What
sort of childhood is that.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt;">Unbelievable?
no. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The DfE said it intended to amend the regulations in
April, with a view to introducing the new regulations in September.</span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-11133959593775642742013-12-10T12:21:00.000-08:002013-12-10T12:21:08.031-08:00love glitter<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We are well and truly immersed in glitter. It is everywhere. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Christmas comes but once a year, and in this setting it comes with oodles of glitter.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Glitter is fun. Special. Glitter is absent from the setting for about 9 months of the year, a bit like snow. When it arrives it makes the children giddy with anticipation and excited to use it to the full. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of todays activities was to decorate polystyrene balls using pva glue and sequins, on a tray. I thought it would be fun, but I knew within minutes that this was not a winner. One child backed away in confusion, one child painted the tray with the glue and the other child was very worried about getting the glue on their hands. I had not foreseen how difficult it would be for the children to hold on to the polystyrene shapes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As no one was enjoying the experience we all ended up in the cloakroom washing hands and playing with the soapy bubbles in the basin. And then all traces of sequins and polystyrene shapes were removed from the playroom.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thank goodness we still have plenty of glitter.</span> </div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-31677691260028516752013-11-29T12:43:00.000-08:002013-11-29T12:43:00.481-08:00Icebergs
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">You may have
noticed that I took a break from blogging. I'm back, not that I've been
anywhere. I have just been busy and other things have taken priority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">Childminding
is quite overwhelming sometimes. The amount of effort it takes to run even the
smallest of settings seems at times disproportionate to the number of children
'on the books'. I think it is due to doing everything single-handedly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">People
may think that once I close my doors at the end of the week that I have nothing
more to do than enjoy my weekend. Nothing could be further from the truth. Its
takes 15 minutes to tidy the playroom, deal with the nappy bin etc. Then I
carry my planning folder into my office along with the childrens folders and
spend the weekend writing observations, cross referencing where the children
are in their learning and thinking about the next week. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">At the moment I'm also preparing summative
'reports' as we near the end of another term. And I need to write up some notes
from a training I recently attended, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
as a result of the training I am reviewing a policy. I say reviewing, what I
mean is totally rewriting. I do a lot of research online, anything from formula
feeding protocol to the benefits of children being/playing outdoors. The list of jobs
is endless. True, not all I choose to do in my own time is completely
necessary, but as any small business person knows 'you get out what you put
in'. That applies to the children too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">When I last
bogged the world of childminding was sitting on the edge of a precipice. We'd
lost our Networks, Elizabeth Truss was attacking with calls for the 'French
system' and everyone was worried about the quality of childcare as we believed ratio's
were about to be eroded. Not much has changed, and then again everything has
changed. Childminding Agencies are being piloted in certain areas and will be
rolled out next year. There appears to be quite a lot of trumpet blowing about
what a great thing a Childminding Agency is. I do not believe a word of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">Ofsted have
also joined in the attack on childcare by 'toughening up' the inspection process.
I personally really do not think childcare is of such a poor standard in this country. I
have my own little theory on all this nonsense. Its not a matter of raising the
bar, its more about moving it so we have to find it again. So Ofsted will inspect
using the new Safeguarding, Safety and Teaching criteria. We will see an overall
lowering of grades given, but as settings adjust and learn what Ofsted are
looking for we will notice a gradual improvement once again in the grades. And
soon Ofsted will be able point out how they 'improved the quality of childcare'. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">This is the
tip of a massive iceberg of change taking place now. The problem is the government is not listening to my professional
colleagues, they are too focussed on money and statistics to notice the iceberg
will melt, and sink us all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semilight";">I've mixed metaphors.
Never mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-38254716313363510362013-02-21T14:09:00.002-08:002013-02-21T14:09:52.911-08:00The writing on the wall
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Children and Families Bill is going through
parliament, it has its second reading in the House of Commons on 25th February.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Part 4 deals with childminder agencies. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Incidentally this all comes at the exact same moment that the West Sussex Childminding
Networks disappear for good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Of course these two (networks and agencies) could
not occupy the same space. It was on the cards that Networks would be going,
although why they disappeared so abruptly is not known. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">-A</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">nd just to make it
clear: Networks and Agencies are in no way the same thing, although with some changes the Networks could have taken this role, and after all they were going a good (if financial unsustainable) job-.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Losing the networks has come as a bitter blow to
many experienced childminders who relied on the network co-ordinator to support
them. Not that childminders needed help with the day to day issues of running
their own business, because us childminders run our own small businesses very
successfully. Network co-ordinators helped with advice on which training or
qualification to go for next, dealt with the cascading of information from ECS,
they also provided encouragement to childminders to continue reflecting on their practice, and they assessed childminders before they became FE childminders. Network
co-ordinators also supported newly registered childminders by matching them with an
experienced childminder to be their 'buddies'. Since their inception the
Networks have raised the quality of childminding in </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">West
Sussex, they </span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">were a great success and were widely recognised as such. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Of course recently things started to unravel, funding was
cut and the areas each remaining Network co-ordinators covered increased to such
a ridiculous level it was unworkable. The writing was on the wall and
underlined in indelible ink, when the Childminding Conference was suddenly
cancelled, childminder training reduced and Forum meetings postponed it was only a matter of time before they were lost. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">What network co-ordinators <u>did not do</u> (because their job was about ensuring quality not profit) was find us work,
they did not do the childminders paperwork, nor charge parents and childminders for the services
provided. But it seems that is precisely what the agencies will do. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Agency childminders will not be individually
inspected by Ofsted, which begs the question how can the quality of care be
measured? If </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ofsted is the ‘sole arbiter of
quality’ but does not inspect the indivual agency childminders the grade given
to the agency will be </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">meaningless. Don't parents deserve better
information before they send their child to a childminder? If Agencies then
start grading childminders according to their judgement but have business
factors to take into account will there not a conflict of interest and their
judgement on quality be questionable?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Are childminding agencies a way of reducing costs
for Ofsted and privatising the whole registration system pushing costs onto
Childminders and parents? Yes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Childminders who remain independent will have their
work cut out keeping their business sustainable. They will probably be expected
to pay dearly to have individual Ofsted inspections and training may cost more
(If local authorities no longer have a role to improve quality they will have
no reason to subsidize training?). </span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Removing quality improvement from the remit of local
authorities will reduce the support for quality in Early Years
settings. And what will happen if the whole of Early Years, (nursery,
pre-school and non-agency childminders) are made to rely on the Ofsted
inspection rating as the sole test of whether they can offer funded early
education for two, three & four-year-olds? Settings will be able to ask for
another inspection (something that doesnt happen now) if they are disappointed
with the grade recieved and have since made steps to improve, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but they will be focused on meeting Ofsted's
standards not neccessarily the best exaimination of quality. Look at local
authorities quality assurance schemes and compare that to Ofsted requirements!
They are two different things!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So what of Funded Education? and then there is the
sticky point of Tax credits and employer vouchers. Too many questions and not
enough answers as yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">One thing is apparent, Elizabeth Truss is ploughing ahead. There may be a Bill going through
Parliament, and a consultation in progress but that isn't going to stop her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I'm really not a political animal</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, but I am
passionate about quality childcare and I'm worried about the agency model. </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;">(As well
as the More Great Childcare consultation document, there is also a chance to
comment on the Children and Families Bill through a process being piloted
called public reading. <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/public-reading/children-and-families-bill" target="_blank" title="http://www.parliament.uk/public-reading/children-and-families-bill"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.parliament.uk/public-reading/children-and-families-bill</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-92081459312691750192013-02-11T04:20:00.000-08:002013-02-11T08:39:19.208-08:00advertising vacancies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">It is snowing hard, even though in the photo it doesn't look like it is.<o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiik-NFzsGBhgwZUAUfnSI0KMpixztfQdCnqYjt_DQYuNQJczA-rjobokpls59j48m9mWj6Q8OAWQhFkIsnCOh_6Hw3BaGHOeysJ91UpMlP8dmilfwr3RQrOk4qyIlabfZvAziMKhK2K0/s1600/820689_10151429733066842_588748596_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiik-NFzsGBhgwZUAUfnSI0KMpixztfQdCnqYjt_DQYuNQJczA-rjobokpls59j48m9mWj6Q8OAWQhFkIsnCOh_6Hw3BaGHOeysJ91UpMlP8dmilfwr3RQrOk4qyIlabfZvAziMKhK2K0/s320/820689_10151429733066842_588748596_o.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">My mission today was to put a postcard
advertising my vacancies in the window of the local store in the neighbouring
village.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">It had started to snow before I went out to
catch the bus. The bus was on time and I noted with relief that the road was
clear as we left the village. The road has a habit of flooding in the spot
where the road dips down into the rife, before rising again to a safe level. I
knew I was going to have to walk back along the road which is why I was feeling
relieved the road was clear. It was still snowing when the bus dropped me
almost outside the store, I paid £3 to have my postcard displayed for 6 weeks,
and then left to walk home. The bus doesn't do the return journey anymore. It
did until last year when some bright spark (or group of bright sparks)
decided<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was unnecessary. Now the only
way to get from my neighbouring village to my village is to either walk or get
the bus to the next village along and wait for the bus to return from the town,
and get on that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">But enough of buses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">I started to walk home and as I left the
village I entered a small wood. It was snowing even harder and the path was a
quagmire. Just inside the wood was a pile of twigs and branched, so I selected
a sturdy stick to help me stay upright because even with my walking boots on it
was very slippery. I stopped to take a photo of the snowdrops, and of the sheep
eating turnips in the field and so it took me a good 10 minutes to pass through
the wood. Its not really a wood as such, more a narrow corridor of wooded land
squeezed between fields and a road. When I reached the far end I left my
walking stick lent up against a tree for the next walker who comes by that way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">I had to walk along the road now. There's
no footpath and it is quite a busy road that twists and turns and narrows as it
approaches my village. Which means I spent a great deal of time stepping onto
the grass verge to avoid cars and lorries, and the closer I got to my village
the more tricky it became to find enough room on the verge to stand and not find
myself in the hedge. It is not a walk I do often, and I would never take
children that way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The whole outing took less than an hour. I
hope my advert generates some interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-55483346952535983402013-01-30T08:55:00.000-08:002013-01-30T08:55:08.997-08:00being reflective
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">today<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">negative: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">what was missing -
friendship and peer support. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm a very experienced
childminder, confident in my work (but always learning). Unfortunately
because of where I live (see my second ever blog post) I'm not able to meet
with other childminders very often. Peer support is so important when you work alone,
it provides the opportunity to </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">share ideas and find out about trainings etc.
Sometimes you just need to chat while the children socialise. Today I could
have done with a bit of peer support. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">positive: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">seeing the
characteristics of effective learning in action. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">I observed a child figure out for herself how to
do something.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I resisted that huge
temptation (that comes over us all) to wade in and offer help. I watched
her work it out and then practice doing it over and over until she had mastered
the skill. Brilliant! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></b></div>
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</span></div>
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
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</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-89555916432573354652013-01-28T07:02:00.003-08:002013-01-28T07:13:48.553-08:00I don't like......'reforms' to childcare by politicians<br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So
the long awaited announcement on 'reforms' to childcare will be made
tomorrow...after being leaked more efficiently than a dropped milk carton on
the kitchen floor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The
announcement will I believe to bring to fruition Elizabeth Truss plans that
have been hinted at over the past 9 months, to radically alter childcare. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Higher
ratio's- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The government wants to relax rules to allow nurseries, pre-schools
and childminders to take on more children and be able to exceed the customary
ratio's imposed in the EYFS12 (as the ratios have been going back into the
mists of time, being the safest most effective number of children for an adult
to care for while ensuring the children are supported fully in their learning
and development). The suggestion that more children and fewer staff <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will bring down the cost of the childcare to
parents is ludicrous. Of course it will not work like that, because correct me
if I am wrong but the number of children in the nursery will not rise
significantly because the EYFS space requirements will still have to be met? or
are we just about to make thousands of nursery nurses redundant? unless of
course the government see this as a solution to the crisis in the building industry
by building nursery extensions? or may be they expect to drop the space
requirements of the EYFS and pack more children in? (but children in early
years do not sit quietly at tables, they like to run, jump, climb, dance ,
move, crawl, spin and explore the environment using all their senses). Young
children need space, they need to be able to take risks, overcome physical challenges,
and they need an adult to ensure their safety while they do it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nursery
ratio's are already higher than a childminder (depending on age) because the
children are (generally) in rooms or groups, there is always another member of
staff to cover comfort breaks, and (generally) the children do not go out into
the wider community every day. But I find it hard to believe that any parent
would want cheaper childcare if it means leaving their toddler in the care of one
nursery nurse looking after 7 other toddlers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">At present
I can have 3 children under 5 year old here at any one time, and I can in
exceptional circumstances increase that number by granting myself a variation.
But I'm not superwoman and the quality of the care I provide is more important
to me than anything. The thought of routinely having 4 or 5 toddlers fills me
with grave concerns for the welfare of these very young children. I don't know
about anyone else but the last time I looked I only had two hips & two arms
to carry toddlers, and one lap. On a good day with a fair wind I might just be
able to provide quality childcare for four young children- if they were not
teething, had a good nights sleep and the weather was agreeable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But above all higher ratios, whether in a
nursery or childminders will compromise safety, and they will lead to poorer
outcomes for children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">More
'teaching'- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Strange one this. I already care and educate, its called the EYFS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nursery:
new staff – </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Apparently the Government is hoping they will be paid more than existing staff
- and they will have to have a C grade in GCSE Maths and English. There as been some
suggestion that early years in this country is somehow failing by Elizabeth
Truss (currently an Under-Secretary at the Department of Education, although
she was not in that post back in March/April 2012 when she began looking for a
solution to the childcare problem) because of the calibre of our early years
workforce, and Ms Truss has looked to Europe for an answer. I do agree there
are some valuable lessons to be learnt from European countries, mainly that
children do not start formal learning until they are 6 or 7 years of age! However
this fact has historically been ignored by all politicians over here. Although
if European children start school later but make better progress I would argue
it is the school not the childcare system that is wrong in this country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p>Mothers to become childminders-</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Government
want more Mothers to become Childminders. Well if you have a
workforce of mother's at home with their own young children it would indeed
make sense to encourage them to find employment that is compatible with being
at home. It remains to be seen if all these new childminders will find enough
work. I doubt it. I personally do not know many childminders without vacancies,
this fact speaks for itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Childminder
hubs (agencies) - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The 'agency model' was being talked about in the same breath
as deregulation for childminders. The guess (because we just don't know any
details as yet) was that childminders would join an agency that would match
them with parents requiring childcare. Fees might be negotiated by the agency,
they would certainly take a fee for the matching and in return monitor the
childminder, provide some training and save Ofsted needing to inspect every
single childminder- therefore saving Ofsted money. Questions yet unanswered:
What would be the point of taking childminders out of the open market? What
would be the primary goal of agencies? would it include raising the standard of
childminding? or providing cheap childcare for parents? Which childminders
would be the target subject of the agency- the Satisfactory childminders to
raise standards? or the Outstanding childminders?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would happen to childminders who do not
want to join an agency? Would those childminders still have access to training?
What benefits would there be to joining an agency, and what disadvantages would
there be? And would childminders who did not join an agency still have Ofsted
inspections? Would parents use an agency if they have to pay a fee on top of
the childminders terms and conditions? Would childminders (who are
self-employed) be free to continue to set their own terms? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">There are many other
questions. My first one is I wonder if Ms Truss really understands childminding
in this country and does she value childminding as it stands? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am very
uncertain about the future of childminding, and about my future as a childminder.
Our hope lies within the early years sector. The uproar already expressed even before
the announcement has been made will I hope make the government pause for
thought. And it will have to pass through parliament. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Out
of all of this muddle one thing is becoming clear. The guiding principle that
The Child should remain at the centre of everything we do, and that we should
focus on ensuring positive outcomes for All Children, has slipped from the
governments agenda. It is now more about convincing parents that cheaper
childcare will help them into work, will keep them in work, and is the best
thing since sliced bread. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-72738017586162254492013-01-15T14:09:00.002-08:002013-01-15T14:09:45.539-08:00a few activities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I discovered it is possible
to make white playdough (as opposed to the beige colour playdough you get if no
food colouring is added ) simply by using cornflour in the place of flour. I
wanted a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hint of sparkle so added a good
measure of white and silver glitter. The recipe worked well despite my slight
panic when the mixture looked so wet in the saucepan that I doubted the
instructions and didn't use all the water. I realised my mistake as the
cornfour absorbed the water and solidified as it cooked, and the result was
slightly drier and definitely crumbly. But it was pure white. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Unfortunately I didn't take
a photo of just the playdough, every picture shows a child too so I can
not share them. But I can say that it was a great success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Today we played with shaving
foam, I added a few sequins and bits & bobs for some fine motor skills practice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another sensory/messy play
activity the children enjoy is Gloop, which is a mixture of cornfour and water. Sometimes I
add glitter or sequins to it. It has very interesting properties, seemingly a
liquid but solid beneath the surface. We are going to try an adaptation of the
usual recipe: 500g corn flour, 350ml hair conditioner; when I've bought some
hair conditioner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And finally, a few of the
baby's favourite things: wooden spoons, pegs, jar lids, honey 'spoons', wooden &
metal bowls, sensory bottles and wooden eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-86264001368638552052013-01-08T12:26:00.003-08:002013-12-04T12:11:46.455-08:00the List<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm so proud of myself. My first day back and I've kept to my <u>List</u> beautifully. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact I've ticked the first item on my <u>List</u> which is 'allow yourself 15 minutes of tidy up time and 'writing up' after the last child has gone, then shut the playroom door'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many things on my <u>List</u>, but non more important than Point Number One. </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight I am working on some ideas for tomorrow's activities and I must make another batch of playdough, this time I will not be adding the usual food colouring but I will add white and silver glitter instead. </span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-30866760290360212532013-01-04T05:37:00.001-08:002013-01-04T05:37:31.311-08:00The challenges of 2013
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">New Year
resolutions. I often feel I should make some and then before I know it the new
year is here and I rush into it without any planning on how I'm going to
achieve the 'Lose weight, take more exercise and eat more greens' mantra. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Putting my
personal health goals aside for the time being, the question is what are my
resolutions/goals for childminding? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Well I've been reading comments on some of
the childminding forums and it seems the most popular resolution has been to
reduce paperwork and keep on top of the accounts. They are both very valid aims and mine is similar as it is to be more efficient. I tend to procrastinate and time management is
not my strong point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So how to
achieve this goal? <u>Lists</u> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I have decided that is the only way to go. I will
have a to-do list,<span style="color: #505050;"> I</span><strong> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal;">will prioritise items on the list
into important/urgent, non-urgent, and things that I would like to achieve but
that are not essential.</span></strong></span><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">My aim is to become</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">effective (probably still stressed)
but not overwhelmed and stressed- which is how I feel now sometimes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Over
the holiday period we have decorated the playroom. Furniture has been moved
around, a large piece of furniture has been discarded and I am now in the
process of trying to put it all back together again. I childmind from one large
room, I call it the playroom but in reality it is our conservatory and is part
of our home- we use it too. Getting the home/work balance right is difficult, I
often feel it is 80% a childminding environment and only 20% part of our home.
For example the children need a low table to paint on and have playdough, but
it needs to double up as a snack table, and it needs to be within view of the
Tv (only put on during snack time) but close to the toilet for hand washing
after painting and not on the rug so that I do not end up with banana,
playdough or paint trodden in. That is just one consideration, there are dozens
of other decisions to be made for childminding about the placing of furniture, the type of necessary
furniture or the spaces available and their uses. How my family might want to use that room is always
the last consideration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I work from
home in an environment that is set up for children, every decision that is made
about home is made with the considerations of childminding in the forefront.
Childminders will know what I mean. I know there are plenty of other
types of businesses that are run from an office, workshop or studio in the home, they
like me often have regulations around health & safety & environmental health
but they do not have the EYFS and Ofsted to deal with or the needs of young children to provide for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The placing of
furniture is one thing, how to leave the childminding mode behind at the end of
the working day is not so easy, in fact for me it is impossible as I think it
is for many childminders. The lists might help me use <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">office </span>time more effectively but no doubt I will still spend a great deal of time thinking
about childminding, it is what I do and what I enjoy doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">There are
two new challenges/threats this year. One is the expected announcement on the
deregulation/changes to childminding, which I will say no more on until the
facts are published. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The other
challenge will be how the new 'nursery' opening locally in May this year will
affect my business and what I can do to weather that storm. I can not compete
but neither do I plan to fall into the 'wrap-around provision' trap <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">of rushing around picking up and dropping
children here there and everywhere</span>. My aim
has always been and will continue to be, to provide an oasis of calm for children
in their very early years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Happy New Year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-86302895894279308152012-12-20T13:40:00.000-08:002013-12-04T12:13:10.622-08:00a taste of Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Christmas
for everyone is a busy time of year. For childminders the run up to Christmas
is full of glitter, handprints and parties......children's parties that
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Running our
childminding businesses single-handed (without a committee or management to
oversee the business side of things) means we are generally run ragged by the
end of term, and if we've managed by some stroke of luck to avoid the seasonal
illness that always come just as the festive season is gaining momentum then we
count our blessings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I say 'we',
I know I have been lucky (touch wood) because<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> I've just had the sniffles </span>. The children have had heavy colds from
....half term, and I've been busy blowing noses and washing my hands almost non
stop since then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I will sigh
a big sigh of relief once the door closes at the end of the day tomorrow, not
because I will be glad the children are gone- far from it. I will be relieved
that the planning and execution of Christmas went off without a hitch. Not only
will the children be taking home all the crafty bits & bobs they have been
doing over the past 3 or 4 weeks, but they will have made a present for their
parents and have a disk of photo's of all their activities over the past term
to share with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Every parent has been consulted about their child's
progress and a review has been produced which will inform the planning next
term. Their Learning Journals/Journey folders are up to date and brimming full
of their achievements both great & small. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EiKB6QqDXPRovWHMGCWgDH2AuSFzGydymYgzM3fnPCwyD97ruTLXSVwCnCITBWUtkv4bJz1qvjL6Y4epEY1Fp_N4HoP1gs0JAIaZ83FaSbSvsp-hV2yh0wrAeHlgfPMkKnli2XrJ1ds/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EiKB6QqDXPRovWHMGCWgDH2AuSFzGydymYgzM3fnPCwyD97ruTLXSVwCnCITBWUtkv4bJz1qvjL6Y4epEY1Fp_N4HoP1gs0JAIaZ83FaSbSvsp-hV2yh0wrAeHlgfPMkKnli2XrJ1ds/s200/IMG_0386.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-__PoWtsM1PymYgiZ0NCHArm4cQTP7-gU2kHdfcRN8XT-kKe20_VHePhQBD4oJweEd97mWH6chIx7PXLX633YUOF8TDTlZrTiV0xiETbaPUfXYfYdscA4CZJA4cCvUIIdnZ7-PQmNuo/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-__PoWtsM1PymYgiZ0NCHArm4cQTP7-gU2kHdfcRN8XT-kKe20_VHePhQBD4oJweEd97mWH6chIx7PXLX633YUOF8TDTlZrTiV0xiETbaPUfXYfYdscA4CZJA4cCvUIIdnZ7-PQmNuo/s200/IMG_0388.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">When I
close the door on Friday I will have a few days of not thinking about childminding
(well not much) then once the festivities are over the playroom will be getting a deep clean
and I will begin planning (loosely) for the next stage of Learning and
Development. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The doors open again on the 8th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Merry
Christmas everyone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-54151159806735760822012-12-08T12:47:00.001-08:002012-12-08T12:47:23.055-08:00chaos, craft and camaraderie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdlcrqkfILriNesJpfej5DCm_va3iiq8lduSfFmDkDvhlJ-PrdTV_wBkFHbJ91Grh2cuXaQL4wHnFk8-3nK64XRLgtN5nQrRUxj-m_Tv3apUFjR380cJURIdEYqc5i_c2aCWulQZUm9E/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdlcrqkfILriNesJpfej5DCm_va3iiq8lduSfFmDkDvhlJ-PrdTV_wBkFHbJ91Grh2cuXaQL4wHnFk8-3nK64XRLgtN5nQrRUxj-m_Tv3apUFjR380cJURIdEYqc5i_c2aCWulQZUm9E/s320/IMG_0380.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Its really
nice to meet other childcare practitioners and share practice and ideas. Even
when we come from such diverse settings there is a camaraderie and willingness
to listen and learn from each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I'd never
heard of Placing and Arranging before, but while on a course the other day the
ladies on my table got chatting during the lunch break and it came up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Our conversation
had moved from subject to subject and then someone mentioned Placing and
Arranging. I found out that it is literally placing and arranging small object.
Beads, paperclips, pom poms, buttons etc (in fact any sort of small
embellishment) is placed onto a surface of either card, fabric or cork and once
completed the arrangement can be recorded (photographed) and the child can
start again if they wish. As I'd never heard of it before (although we have
done something similar with sticky-backed-plastic) I wondered how the children
felt about not being able to take their arrangement home, but apparently no-one
had ever had a problem. It sounded like a nice creative activity and said I
would be trying it with the children, which I did as you can see. I have since
learnt that it the term is used when working with a light box too, but as I do
not have the budget for a light box it is something I didn't know about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway the
subject of Christmas then came up. The general consciences was that doing
crafts over the Christmas period that can then be used as gifts for parents is
quite difficult these days without the old style production line of prepared
activities. You know the type of thing; a Father Christmas cut-out, neatly
painted and stuck on a greetings card perfectly central and upright- allegedly
produced by a 2 year old. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The line of acceptability in craft activities these
days is quite clear; shapes that have been cut-out by an adult and are placed
to produce a recognisable object ie Father Christmas is frowned upon, but
something that a child has created from resources that an adult has
prepared/sourced so the child can create something original is valued. If you
look up the word 'creativity' you will find it means 'originality' and as each
child is as individual as a flake of snow then their creations should be
equally unique and valued. But while some may value the brown splodge because
we know the process of creating it was long and involved and it consisted of
many layers of primary colour paint, others may just see a brown splodge. The
key is ensuring that the child's creativity shines through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Someone on
the table bemoaned the loss of 'circle time' at her setting. She said it makes
it very difficult to produce the end of year nativity as the children never get
enough time to learn the carols or practice sitting still. Which lead on to
whether or not a pre-school or nursery room should look and sound chaotic, or
should there be some order? Being a childminder without the first hand
knowledge or experience of working in chaos I was interested in this debate but
couldn't really offer my personal opinion....(although I feel nothing worthwhile can
be produced in a chaotic environment)....but I kept quiet because some
practitioners were obviously convinced that free-flow play is always chaotic. One
lady was very adamant that free-flow shouldn't be chaotic and that resources
should be tidied away as they go. I think all settings agree that getting the
balance right is proving tricky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">At another
gathering I was talking to a childminder about planning. She was a teacher
before becoming a childminder so I thought I'd extract some expert opinion on
the subject. It turns out she is just as undecided as the rest of us on how to
approach planning, but admitted she has squirreled away her folder of themes-
just in case one day they become acceptable again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I'm not
making any particular point other than it is obvious we are all doing the best
we can to implement the EYFS as we understand it, but also as we perceive
Ofsted will view our efforts. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But I do
wonder sometimes if we throw the baby out with the bath water and focus too
much on the froth left behind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-83520792875586856372012-12-02T12:46:00.000-08:002013-12-04T12:13:55.143-08:00Christmas starts here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sara finds
another use for milk bottle lids <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">(we do send
them to charity too)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">gloop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">stained glass
Christmas tree<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-37160103286805060682012-11-29T13:58:00.002-08:002012-11-29T14:06:36.322-08:00crossing the road to a new toddler group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We did something different today. We visited a toddler
group that I have not </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">visited
for over a year or more and that the children with me have not been to before.
I felt we needed a change. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The old toddlers had become stale and I
felt the children were not really getting anything out of it. Every week they
would disappear into the playhouse and spend the whole morning playing in
there. I wasn't so unkind as to try to coax them out of there, or to push my
way into their game although I did offer ideas, such as fetching paper and pencils so
they could write shopping lists when they were emptying the kitchen cupboards
in the playhouse. But their play remained stubbornly inside the playhouse
and I was surplus to requirements (after sitting outside a few
times listening and taking notes, and occasionally peeking over the top of
the playhouse). It was time to consider the benefits of attending the
group. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So this morning after explaining to the
children that we would visit a 'new toddlers' and reassuring them that it
wasn't very far away and that I knew the lady who runs it....we set
off with the baby in the pushchair and the two children walking. In the village
we crossed the road, as usual there were lots of questions....'Sara what that?'
'can I help **** when we get to the prickles?' (a few stray twigs overhang the
footpath here) 'where is the toddlers?'....and then as we walked past<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the school 'we haven't been here before have
we Sara?'. Which was odd as we have, but we always walk on the other side of
the road and I suppose it all looked very different, so we had a conversation
about that, and about the school having the same name as the village, and which
school the children would be going to when they are old enough. And then we
arrived at the new toddlers. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cUAAUcoS6yQK_iCbFJdPp0ZBILnjdeA-y13JT8zsWsLMOimqmA1pzi-vvw2f4F1sMHGPvwznARi80y6FWfjOTmOSgiXPMytU_qzF1QSuUeLAwSRsx6c3fVChphsfmIhgm1MAp5wKRto/s1600/IMG_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cUAAUcoS6yQK_iCbFJdPp0ZBILnjdeA-y13JT8zsWsLMOimqmA1pzi-vvw2f4F1sMHGPvwznARi80y6FWfjOTmOSgiXPMytU_qzF1QSuUeLAwSRsx6c3fVChphsfmIhgm1MAp5wKRto/s320/IMG_0335.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As expected one child dived right in and the other
child followed a little reluctantly but determined not to let the friend out of
her sight. Within a short space of time the more confident child was
chatting to the helpers and settling down to do some painting....as if we
had always gone there. The other child followed her lead and was obviously
taking it all in and quietly confident, confident enough to welcome help
getting her apron on. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The baby smiled at everyone who came close. And then it
came to me, the children were having such a great time because of positive
relationships, even after such a short space of time the staff had learnt the
children's names and this showed they were welcoming and available. The
environment is unexpected too- for a church hall. Enabling is the right word.
Enabling environments isn't just about having the right equipment and access,
it can also be about atmosphere and feeling comfortable enough to use all of
the space in any way that you might want to use it. Even when that means
spreading toys and biscuit crumbs everywhere. Yes, the only thing wrong with
this toddlers is they still provide biscuits instead of the 'healthy option'
.....oh well, I'm sure the parents won't mind.<o:p></o:p></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-69397121923618162132012-11-22T14:14:00.002-08:002012-11-22T14:14:46.889-08:00Expectations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7krAcORCF0xorPcc6QGteZJjKNpXOLN7UbAH3j82_VidlD_JHx1MM7GZXLgsRWMo4c19gGqJprN8d4yQ7VW1-zIxgbdsKRrENRmDzxqAh5ofVCaLm0iJt8oMSOedxJM89IZAQz3C893M/s1600/PICT1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7krAcORCF0xorPcc6QGteZJjKNpXOLN7UbAH3j82_VidlD_JHx1MM7GZXLgsRWMo4c19gGqJprN8d4yQ7VW1-zIxgbdsKRrENRmDzxqAh5ofVCaLm0iJt8oMSOedxJM89IZAQz3C893M/s320/PICT1434.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I got myself into a right tiz recently. So much
so that I found myself almost buying a EYFS activities book! Yes shocking I
know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It all started with the revised EYFS. You know
the promises of reduced paperwork? boy I was looking forward to the reduced
paperwork. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Well they lied. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It took a while for it to register because in
readiness for the revised EYFS I had written a 'list of things to do' and was
up to my eyes in revising policies and changing observation forms, writing articles
for the newsletter to tell parents about the change, devising a 2 yr record
check form...etc etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Once I had done everything on my list up to a
certain point I realised that I was in fact adding things to my list and it was
running away with me. And when I looked at the way I was implementing the
revised EYFS on a day to day basis my list started to grow again- why? because I
realised that the focus of the EYFS has changed. There has been a fundamental
shift to teaching and school readiness and an expectation that I will do
Planning (with a capital P) and 6 to 8 week assessments and next steps etc etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I have been registered for over 20 years. I
'minded' children in the beginning. You know the old one about children
learning at their mothers knees (or apron hem) by counting and sorting
socks into pairs. That was the line spun to me when I started childminding, it
was ok to do a certain amount of housework because I was only 'minding' the
children and they could help me by counting the socks I was pegging
out on the line. (What is it with socks?). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So the first few years of 'minding' were
spent being a mum with an extra child or two around. Slowly the idea
of providing educational activities as part of childminding crept in (no doubt someone will disagree and say I was always expected to educate, but
that's not how I remember it). No one said I had to do any further training. In
fact I had been minding some years before it was even compulsory to have a
first aid certificate (although I got together with other
childminders to provide first aid training years before that because it
seemed the sensible thing to have). </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Slowly training did become available, the first
was child protection. Then, as it filtered down from more progressive areas
of the country a Level 3 Certificate in Childminding Practice came along, and I was one of
a group of childminders in my area to be the first to sign up to take this recognised
qualification. I loved going to college and one tutor in particular had a
profound effect on me and my attitude to childhood. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It wasn't long before I was
Planning. I have very fond memories of those themed based activities. The
Three Billy Goats Gruff. The 12 Days of Christmas. Gradually though I stopped
'doing' themes and started truly following children's interests. In recent
years I have relaxed into PLOD's. The children are doing well, ok sometimes I
seem to lose the plot and we drift but on the whole learning takes place anyway
without me even thinking about it- because the children are doing it naturally
(autonomous</span><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">learners).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cue the revised EYFS and me reading the Statutory
Framework and losing all confidence in what I am doing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">My one sheet of retrospective planning and
simple observation form that did me so well for at least the past 5 years
started to flow into individual planning sheets, group planning sheets, parents
planning sheets, 3 different types of observation sheets, tracking,
assessments, medium term planning sheets etc etc and I began to worry that I didn't
know what I was doing anymore! so I started hunting round for a system that
would help and I had the crazy idea that what I needed was a book of EYFS
activities all neatly categorised and full of learning intentions. Until I
clicked on an example page, and it took me to a page of wavy lines for children
to trace.....and Bang it dawned on me that this was the very thing I had
decided years ago that I was Not going to do. I do not do colouring in sheets, worksheets and tracing, unless a child asks to do one....and they rarely have because they are too busy learning through play. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So the panic over. Sense, common or
otherwise, has been restored. I will continue to follow the children's
interests and I will stand back to give them space to go where they want
to, and we will drift occasionally. I am not a 'get children ready for
school' farm. I am getting children ready for life, to be confident, kind,
honest, fair and respectful individuals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-90443944672342580012012-11-19T06:14:00.001-08:002013-12-04T12:14:20.511-08:00forums and time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Last week I
lost one of the childminding forums I visit, it was a bit like having the rug
removed from beneath your feet or finding the wrong filling in your sandwich.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But another one came along to fill the void so all's well and good. I have many
online friends and luckily a high proportion of them have found it too. I find
online communities a very useful support system, as I mentioned before living
here and being a non-driver I sometimes feel cut off from the rest of the
childcare world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But in this world of faceless communication I am very careful
not to get lulled into a false sense of security when visiting the forums. I
know it is important to be on guard for 'trolls' or worse, and for that reason
I have a robust internet policy in place and (hopefully) my wits about me. And of course I
never divulge any personal information about the families or children I care
for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Over the
weekend I have been busy creating a sleep corner for the babies who come here.
I found a small cot that would fit into the available space, it came with a cute
quilt but no sheet. I have since discovered why. Small cots do not take
standard cot sheets! and small cots sheets are not easy to come by. Thankfully
I'm handy with the sewing machine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I hunted around for a theme to decorate the
space and found some really lovely wall stickers with rabbits, owls, and stars......the
choice was seemingly endless and after some hours of searching and not being
able to make up my mind, I decided I would paint a design free-hand and keep
things simple. Because by this time it was late afternoon and I was literally
running out of time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">That's the
problem with the internet, you can spend hours on it without realising the time is flying by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Still, I am
a procrastinator so that's ok :)</span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-76668990338068464382012-11-12T14:16:00.000-08:002012-11-12T14:16:35.636-08:00new storage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Yesterday I
succumbed to temptation and bought a new storage unit. We had been to our
local discount store the day before and happened to see it while shopping for
bird food. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Now there
was nothing wrong with the toy storage in the playroom, I have an Ikea Expedit
unit which as all childminders know is probably the best toy storage unit
available in that price range. But alongside it we also have a mix-match of
units and tables in white melamine finish and fake oak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, I
happened to see this unit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0R3Sb2eGta2s5hp1qyswJLoDAMcWAXuvOY1f99R3A4R0oC4qgVLhDV8ytWepN2F1D5Ek9ib7bNvo_tVZRAfnLwt8eQAwSRFSUNFO2aKscnXymWCI1AwyWd0u7krfTDg9syl9KS2o8TI/s1600/PICT1376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0R3Sb2eGta2s5hp1qyswJLoDAMcWAXuvOY1f99R3A4R0oC4qgVLhDV8ytWepN2F1D5Ek9ib7bNvo_tVZRAfnLwt8eQAwSRFSUNFO2aKscnXymWCI1AwyWd0u7krfTDg9syl9KS2o8TI/s320/PICT1376.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It has the
Expedit<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'look'. And at £49 it was a
steal. So yesterday we returned to the store, and then spent the rest of
the day putting it together and rearranging the rest of the room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">My playroom
is a good size but even so when one new piece of furniture is added every other
piece of furniture has to be rearranged to accommodate it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I'm happy
with the playroom. The far wall is now completely lined with units, and I
now also have a forward facing bookcase thanks to Steve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Ever since attending an inclusion
training last year I have been planning to get a forward facing bookcase. I even
had the idea of using the spice rack that I'd seen online as a cheap alternative
to the real thing. But I think everyone else had the same idea because when I went to buy one they were out-of-stock. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">In the end all it needed to turn an old shelving unit we had
in the kitchen to the famous forward facing bookcase was a piece of dowel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The
children are going to love it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjeDLZQcc2433BpUskxG1HIIOIaNCyPwd022JVFaUkiyt9g6-ojrzqIpUxims5QnMQMqQGztP-0ILAcgzlAe3ocNpDxVBZzW5qno5v3upra4YSffIEqLZdbhHKAYbU93r7Dlh_lbM5wc/s1600/PICT1384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjeDLZQcc2433BpUskxG1HIIOIaNCyPwd022JVFaUkiyt9g6-ojrzqIpUxims5QnMQMqQGztP-0ILAcgzlAe3ocNpDxVBZzW5qno5v3upra4YSffIEqLZdbhHKAYbU93r7Dlh_lbM5wc/s320/PICT1384.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-68034564361751329572012-11-09T14:59:00.000-08:002012-11-09T14:59:09.869-08:00the season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Just a
couple of photo's today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU2kkxqTGQ9oBf5kHbi0Ob_VOaltzkY-uTtOQlQN4HyLmflAV09PcJOgiv1CU6G-5ahx2LfOHoByO9kcKus6zeniMZGzgzh-yZIGpzRCZIndpTXxmac7v3NlP4NVPL73FmFs_J6DrSO0/s1600/PICT1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU2kkxqTGQ9oBf5kHbi0Ob_VOaltzkY-uTtOQlQN4HyLmflAV09PcJOgiv1CU6G-5ahx2LfOHoByO9kcKus6zeniMZGzgzh-yZIGpzRCZIndpTXxmac7v3NlP4NVPL73FmFs_J6DrSO0/s320/PICT1272.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Our horse
chestnut is almost bare of leaves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIezLYU0I4z1oeMZc45MUFKBlh2-1nSgJzQLIOExARcayD6amwJj7R2a4kUPmUYemzpvD9LZTwyWBy2X6lwrwerJlbfE_N03WWyXfJ5-yLZ-SjF4lWwEwNYqTllqusJLy2c_ei8Q5NvtA/s1600/PICT1203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIezLYU0I4z1oeMZc45MUFKBlh2-1nSgJzQLIOExARcayD6amwJj7R2a4kUPmUYemzpvD9LZTwyWBy2X6lwrwerJlbfE_N03WWyXfJ5-yLZ-SjF4lWwEwNYqTllqusJLy2c_ei8Q5NvtA/s320/PICT1203.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Heuristic
play with pumpkins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-17341694124361891112012-11-08T09:22:00.001-08:002013-12-04T12:15:05.020-08:00Computer issues, birdwatching and painting<div class="yiv2134105740MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">That horrible feeling that hits you when the computer throws a wobbly and you suddenly realise it isn't going to come back. </span></div>
<div class="yiv2134105740MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">And not just any computer (we are lucky enough to have a very beat-up laptop in the house and a very old computer sitting in one of the spare rooms). No, this is the Work Computer. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Every document I use was on that computer, and they have been developed individually by me for my business. My logo, accounts and childminding paperwork. Then there are the scores & scores of other documents from every conceivable childcare source that I filed away for reference. And photographs. Nightmare. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The diagnoses was a hard drive failure, thankfully everything was retrievable. And so I have a new computer and everything is back to normal...except it will not allow me to upload photo's to my blog. So this is coming to you via the very beat-up laptop that is literally held together by a clamp.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I looked out of the window today and saw a Blackcap. I'm talking birds here. I don't ever remember seeing one before so I rushed to take a photo of it while it ate the purple berries of the Callicarpa</span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">bush. The photo was blurry, my work camera isn't designed for that kind of photography, its great for observation photo's as I can print directly from the camera, but low light or small birds in the distance is not its strong point. </span></div>
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<div class="yiv2134105740MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352393651356_131" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352393651356_130" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Living here on the edge of the village means we do get a good variety of birds visit the garden, and I do enjoy feeding them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">you might
just be able to make out the starling on the window feeder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352393651356_132" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I was visiting a childminding friend way back in the Spring when I first saw birds actually using a window feeder. Previously to that I had dismissed them as a gimmick after buying one for my mother-in-law and her saying she hadn’t had a single bird visit it. But then I couldn’t resist buying a little cup feeder from shop in Hay-on-Wye, not because I thought the birds would use it but because I thought it looked sweet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The birds didn’t use it, and it fell off the glass. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But remembering my visit to my friends and watching half a dozen starlings squabbling over the raisins she was putting in her feeder I thought I would try again, this time with a different model. I found quite a selection of sturdy looking feeders on a well known online store and it arrived within a week.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I still wasn’t entirely sure that the birds would use it but I attached it to the playroom window, and to tempt the birds close I bought a tub of dried mealworms. I also hung a feeder from the small hibiscus tree that sits close to the house.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Within a day the starlings found the window feeder. They don't seem put off by the children pointing and running up to the window at all, even though the playroom is a conservatory with floor to ceiling windows.</span><br />
I'm lucky that we have a fairly large garden and we have room for a bird table in the wild garden and another bird feeding station half way up the garden. We have the usual birds visit: great tits, blue tits, starlings, blackbirds, robins, sparrows, dunnocks, magpies, greenfinch, chaffinch and long-tailed tits. We have also had yellowhammers that look for all the world like budgies from a distance. We also have squirrels. They sit on top of the wooden post which holds all the feeders and help themselves to the birdfood. They also dig up the grass to bury cob nuts. The children like to watch them and I must admit they are comical little things even though I know some people class them as vermin. </div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352393651356_135" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-89599945520343103882012-11-02T15:21:00.001-07:002012-11-02T15:24:30.722-07:00I forget to mention....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">You may
remember me getting all irritated and tetchy about childminders only being
allowed to borrow items from the CFC Toy Library for a fortnight. And I pointed
out that originally we had been allowed to have items for 6 weeks like other
professionals. Well it seems my CFC have made a mistake, they should be lending
resources for 6 weeks to childminders. I have been told to tell them. I will
smile sweetly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">My other
bit of news is I have Penny Tassoni’s latest book <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Practical EYFS Handbook, which I’m busy reading. The layout is the same
as the old one so it is reassuringly familiar and she has a very easy to read
style of writing (unlike me) and I love the way she understands childminding. I
have also ordered The EYFS: A Practical Guide for Students and Professionals by
Vicky Hutchin. I have been good recently so deserve a treat – or two. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I have been told off again for my rambling way of expressing myself in
words. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In all honesty it is the only way I can write. It’s the way my brain
works, totally inefficient, longwinded and rambling, and yes I'm like this in real life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-72520192320967483872012-11-02T13:26:00.003-07:002013-12-04T12:15:29.307-08:00a different day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Today
things were slightly different than they usually are. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">For a start it is
half-term which more often than not means less work for me as the majority of
the children are term-time only. And as it happens I have only worked one day
this week. However I have still been busy with ‘things’ and I’m not sure where
the time has gone.... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Today for example I had some family visitors, namely an 8
year old girl and a 10 year old boy. I’m quite comfortable dealing with this
age group but in my working life all the children I care for are under 5 years
of age, and most of them are under 3. So my resources reflect the age range I childmind for,
but as I must also consider a slightly older age range and how I might meet
their needs (not that I have any intention of having older children but you
never know when disaster will strike and I will be called on- well that’s how I
look upon it) I do have a box of what I call the ‘older child bits and bobs box' stored just in
case. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So getting
back to my visitors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">What to do
with them. Well my box of bits and bobs came out, and as I know one of the
children does enjoy craft I raided my sewing room too before they arrived. Yes, I
have a sewing/craft room, but I’m afraid it is much underused these days….but one
day……. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway the
box of bits and bobs box was ignored, but the collection of card and
embellishments was immediately taken to the table and the 8 year old started
decorating a card for a friend and was happily engrossed for about an hour. I
thought the 10 year old would like to play on the Wii, but instead he asked if
he could use a camera as he wanted to make a video. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">He used
Star Wars Lego figures and vehicles in the making of his video, but he also
created an animation by taking a photo, moving the figures slightly then taking
another photo and repeating the progress. The finished ‘film’ was amazing, and so
full of his sense humour. </span></div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-7184018009408155722012-10-29T14:28:00.003-07:002012-10-29T14:28:55.935-07:00family
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I met some relations today. People that I don’t remember
ever meeting before. Although that’s not to say I haven’t met them, for a start
they are all older than me by at least 10 years so who is to say they didn’t visit
me when I was small? They may have. </div>
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My day started by me sharing a car with my cousins (who I've known all my life- just in case you thought these were the relations I didnt know). Anyway, we had
40 miles to travel and my younger cousin had made scones for the journey but alas
did not bring a thermos of tea. Tea drinking is almost an occupation with me
and I must admit I was gasping for a drink by the time we had arrived at our
destination. I should have thought about bringing a flask myself but I had
spent the morning before I was picked up deciding what to wear. I never quite
know what to wear at a funeral but I think I made the right choice today.
Sometimes you get instructions 'wear bright colours' or 'so & so wanted
informal wear'. But this time there were no instructions so I decided to wear black.
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A childminder doesn’t often wear black. It picks up fluff
and shows other unmentionable stains. But I rummaged through my wardrobe and
came up with a black skirt I haven’t worn in at least 6 years, and a black cardi. </div>
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Today’s family gathering was a sad affair. However it was
also a celebration, this lady had lived a long, full and worthwhile life. I
have good memories of her.</div>
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The relations I met for the first time today were – I was
going to say ‘like family’ but of course that’s what they were and greeted me
with warmth and affection. </div>
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The reason I’m mentioning it here is that one of my
interests is genealogy which is the study of ancestry, but my interest goes
further than just pushing back the family tree as far as I can go in terms of
years. </div>
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I am fascinated by the people who came before me, who they
were, what they did, how they lived and who they married. It’s the nosy parker
in me. I get ridiculously attached to these people long dead and search each
census with trepidation of what I might find. A child appearing as a baby in
one census but disappearing from the next too often means death at a young age.
A husband with a new wife and children but missing the children from the
previous marriage is also disturbingly common, it often means the first wife
has died and her children may have been dispersed among other relatives, or
sent to work as servants and farm labourers. They may even be found in the
Workhouse. When life seems to have dealt them a raw deal I weep for them even
though I never knew them.</div>
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Family is very important to me, living or dead. And I can
now add faces and personal memories to the names of the people I met today because
they are in my family tree, and that means so much to me.</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3417386177057892621.post-12155882404218029392012-10-28T12:52:00.000-07:002013-12-04T12:15:55.714-08:00Bug hotel Ⅱ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent the morning building a new bug hotel after the first
one was demolished by a cat jumping on to it from above!….I hope mark two
is sturdier.
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Unfortunately as I dismantled the old one into the wheelbarrow a large number of minibeasts were disturbed and they scurried around in the wheelbarrow trying
to find a new hiding place. </div>
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Hopefully most of them went back as I rebuilt it. And they certainly need a warm dry hiding place with the weather we've been having recently!</div>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13699722720209715620noreply@blogger.com0