CALLING ALL EARLY YEARS PEOPLE!!! I NEED INSPIRATION

[Dannat]

I have applied today for the position of Teaching Assistant in a reception class starting in January. I saw the job advertised on the local authority site and dashed to the school to apply because the cut off point was 12 today. I had to fill the forms in, which was fine, but then I had to write a covering letter off the top of my head! I have a standard one on the computer which I print off and adapt according to the roles I am applying for, but I was somewhat unprepared today!

Anyway, I have been invited to attend an interview this coming Tuesday whereby I have to read a story to the children currently in reception which gets them involved. The recommendation is that it is between 15-20 minutes long although it can be shorter so obviously I want to go for the recommended time. I am then going to have a 20 minute interview with the DHT (who is the reception teacher) and the HT. I think I will be ok at this bit!

I have been out of practice now since November 2007 and I have never worked in a school setting before. I have a few vague ideas but I need something really exciting and involving for the children. I don't know if there is a current theme or topic going on, but I think I have free reign when it comes to the choice. I was thinking of ringing on Monday to ask if there is a specific area they would like me to look at, but then the interview will be the following day so not sure if there would be enough time to prepare...

Help me please! What can I do? I was initially thinking along the lines of a story sack of some description but then I am not very confident in using these and I am likely to be nervous too, so that might not be such a good idea.

I really want this job. Now I have finished my FD, I can see my goal of becoming a teacher in sight and I am going to need this school experience if I am to apply for a PGCE, which will be in two years time once I have completed my degree from September next year. I have told them this at the school so it has GOT to be good.

Please help me!

Thanks in advance!

[mrsmaidamess]

I read stories to reception children a lot (am an HLTA in an infants)...and they should stay engaged for that long, providing you choose the right story.

I would choose something where they have bold pictures to look at, things you can point out as you are reading, and ask them about. This will make a story last longer too.

Have you thought about what you are going to say to them before you start, to get their attention, and perhaps introduce who you are?

[Dannat]

I was thinking of using "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and I know it is a bit obvious, but there are so many things in there that I could use. I was thinking of talking about healthy eating, which in turn helps us to grow so from the caterpillar to the butterfly iyswim? It sounds better in my head . I thought of maybe bringing in as many of the fruits as I can get hold of in the story and encouraging the children to taste them and then asking them why I haven't bought in any of the other foods. I thought that might encourage some kind of discussion.

As for introducing myself and the activity, I have no idea. I only got the call about half an hour ago!

[SugarSkyHigh]

I have a preschool.... I am sure lots of practitioners will agree with me when I say that a surefire winner is something with a repetitive refrain, that you can get the children to anticipate & join in with at the end of each page. Ideally something with some actions too. Mr Magnolia?

Some of the books by Nick Sharatt are great for rhyming/alliteration etc. e.g. Pointy Hatted Princesses. You can say in your interview afterwards that it is engaging/exciting language for the children.

[SugarSkyHigh]

actually reading the OP again, i think my recommendations are a bit short

on the other hand, you could probably string them out a bit

[mrsmaidamess]

Very Hungry caterpillar is a nice book but I wouldn't bother with the fruit idea, nice as it is.
How are you going to do that with perhaps 30 children sitting on a carpet in front of you, and keep order? It sounds like a better activity for a small group.

I think you should just stick to reading and engaging with the children, thats what they will be looking for, not different activities.

[RupertTheBear]

The hungry caterpillar is a lovely book but the majority of reception children will know it inside out already and might lose interest! Maybe a less well known book would be better.

[mrsmaidamess]

When you introduce yourself I would say who you are and why you are there and that you have heard that XXXX class are the BEST listeners and the BEST sitters. That way you are shoping you have' high expectations for behaviour and are making them clear to the children' Thats the sort of stuff you have to spout on about in early years.

I do twinkly fingers to get my group settled. 'Show me twinkly fingers...twinkle them on your head...twinkle them on your shoulders...twinkle them on your legs and twinkle them on your lap'. Its those sorts of things you need to think about too.

What if a child shouts out in the middle of the story? What will you say? What if someone is kicking someone else?

Hope I'm not scaring you too much...but its best to have a plan in place before it happens!

[mrsmaidamess]

IS there a Christmas book you could read?

[techpep]

We're going on a bear hunt has got to be a winner, that way you dont have to worry about good sitting. If there is enough room, have the children standing up, ready to act out the story. Swish-swashing their arms, tip-toeing, it has to work. The more they move and the more noise they make, the better.

[Dannat]

Hmm, I see your point about fruit tasting with a group of 30 children! I also didn't think of allergies. Can you tell it's been a long time since I have had to use my brain ?

I am liking the bear hunt idea.

MrsMaidamess, I love the twinkling fingers idea, and am thinking I could adapt that a bit by using the teddy bear, teddy bear touch your nose poem because then I could link it in to the bear hunt story.

[juneybean]

Hmm wrt christmas book ...there may be jehovah's witnesses?

I think bear hunt is a good idea, if the book has ellipses, I usually will ask what the children think will happen next you know what I mean?

[chloemegjess]

The grufalo is my favorate story for that age. And you can get really into it with voices etc. There is actually a finger pupet version but not sure you would be able to get hold of it.

I think just go to the liberary and see what you can get - just have a really good look and see what is best to suit you.

[TreeandMistleJoe]

Oooo Chloemeg, forgive me for stalking you but I just found a thread you started ages ago over ob the parenting board and had to reply, how's things going??? (ps not really stalking you 'tis coincidence I promise! lol)

[corriefan]

I agree with the not eating fruit idea, definitely too much to try and do, but lovely in theory.

I also agree that the bear hunt story is a good one. Read it through and get them to read along, they will soon pick it up, even if they can't read well. Get them to focus on the reading and predicting at that point, tell them you expect them to stay seated and read calmly. Then get a few suggestions as to some actions they could join in with. Then they could think up their own environments you have to go through and add those to the story with the same repetitive pattern.

As the others have said, get some strategies ready to bring them back down, don't ignore bad behaviour and don't speak until they are quiet!

Good luck.

[chloemegjess]

Lol, not sure what message you mean? Sorry I am on here all the time quite often! Don't worry, I don't think you are a stalker!

[corriefan]

Oh and another thing observers sometimes like is if you talk about the front cover first, the author and the illustration, the ideas the children get from it or if they know the story (some will whatever you read).

[Mummywannabe]

If you do the hungry caterpillar i went on a fab maths course, basically different shaped/sized caterpillar models (smarties tube/toblorone( SP?))and leaves with various sized/shaped holes. The children can predict whether each bug will fit in each hole it had eaten.