Teaching in Nursery - any tips?

[SleepymummyZzz]

PGCE student here looking for advice. Have just found out my next placement is in Nursery (was expecting Y2 but school had to change at last minute due to staff changes!). Have zero experience in Early Years apart from with my own daughters (which is obvs v.v. different). From researching their website they don't plan but teach 'in the moment' not sure how this will fit with my uni's extensive planning pro formas 😁 Any tips or words of wisdom gratefully received!

[hollieberrie]

I'm a nursery teacher! Its great fun Am out at the minute but will come back to this thread later and explain how i plan. Anything else specific I can help with?

[SleepymummyZzz]

Thanks so much hollieberrie! It is the planning that has thrown me, after just getting to grips with a very structured approach at my last placement. So if you could share your approach to planning that would be great! I am really looking forward to it, just be so different from all my experience so far! Am swotting up on EYFS development matters and have a couple of books by Alistair Bryce Clegg lent to me. Anything else that might be helpful to read?

[toomuchicecream]

Antiseptic hand gel :)

[originalmavis]

Machine wash clothes! No dangly earrings!

[hollieberrie]

Hi Sleepy. Dont worry, Nursery is loads of fun, you'll love it. This is the way i plan (have worked in 2 schools and done the same in both) but i guess maybe not all settings approach it in the same way. Your school will guide you, so don't worry.

We have a half termly topic which i choose (after discussion with my support staff - important to find something we think the children will really enjoy AND that we are all enthusiastic about and have lots of ideas for activities). E.g. Dinosaurs / Space / Winter / People who help us / Fairy Tales etc.

Then i try to tie-in as much of our learning as possible to that topic.
I break it down into weeks usually - e.g. Winter - a week on keeping warm, a week on freezing and melting, a week on animals who live in the snow, a week on wintery sights and sounds etc.

Then for each week i plan the following (covering the objectives we need to cover and linking to weekly theme as much as possible):

• 5 carpet time / circle time activities - usually 1 Maths, 1 Understanding of the World, 1 CAL / Literacy, Phonics (i dont link this to the theme) & 1 other
  
• child-initiated learning inside - covering all the 7 areas of learning - so what i'll have in the maths area, the construction area, the art area, water tray etc
  
• child initiated learning outside - again covering all the 7 areas of learning
  
• 2 adult-led small group activities - e.g. for Winter - keeping warm - perhaps a dressing teddies for winter activity and making vegetable soup.
  

Then all through the week we'll see where the children go with it and add ad change things so that its child led. The majority of the resources they can help themselves to if they want, and if they request something then we'll encorporate it.

God sorry that makes it sound so complicated and it isnt at all! :-)
I learnt on the job really, cant think of any reading. Getting familiar with Development Matters will really help.

[SleepymummyZzz]

Thank you so much for such a detailed reply, that is really really helpful That doesn't sound complicated but actually makes complete sense! Very excited to get started now! Have some oldish clothes ready and will stock on up hand gel. Feel much less nervous now I have an idea of how it is done in other settings

[Jesabel]

If your nursery do "in the moment" planning then they may steer clear of topics (quite a contentious issue in early years!). I would highly recommend books by Anna Ephgrave - both "Nursery Year in Action" and "Reception Year in Action" to get to grips with this approach.