Characteristics of effective learning is anyone else struggling with this...

[NotInTheMood]

I am writing my very first report and only just started a job in jan so am still new to all this. I am particularly struggling with what to write for critically thinking it is just knowing what sort of things to write and what exactly does it al mean.

Who told you what to write and did they give you any training. I base my assessments around areas of learning, but everyone does theirs differently, unless they are using a proforma provided by their LA.

On mine I've broken them into the individual headings so for Creatingand thinking Critially I've got sub headings of 'Having their own ideas', 'Making links', 'Choosing ways to do things' and I used the Development Matters booklet to think of bits to put i.e.

'Having their own ideas' - X is becoming more creative in their pretend play and decides for themself what woud like to do/what direction wants the play to go in, just needing help with providing certain items/areas setting up

'Making links' - X tests ideas by carrying out the play they've set up, adapting bits along the way as they feel necessary.

'Choosing ways to do things' - X will plan how wants to do things, or example, decided to use a particular paint roller to make a 'track' but when something doesn't look quite right, needs an adult to help overcome/correct the problem.

No idea if this is right but parents were happy with it and that's all that I care about :)

I went on an introduction to EYFS which gave me an insight but the child I am focusing on has little communication skills so difficult to write about plus I am writing it on behalf of someone else as I am only a cover but have working with more then the other person. It was initially meant to be a practice report but i do not think this is the case now. I am hoping to get a few more observation done this week of my own. As part of the format we have to write the characteristics then the prime areas and then specific. I could write a report easily but struggling to write in the characteristics.

Lol thank you I am glad I am not only who is unsure. I think. Have a reasonably good picture of the child but need to focus on him more this week. It's just know what to write and which box. I could easily write a straight forward report. Arrraaagghhh it's been driving me insane.

LOL I know what you mean. You don't have to write the specifics in the report though, just the prime. I did want specifics mentioned but without all the writing so what I did was write a little bit on the page before next steps just saying what age range they were in for each bit.

I hate writing these things, it's the wording that gets me, I know what they can and can't do but it's writing it up that I struggle with! Good luck :)

I can see why you're struggling now. You're using someone else's format and writing about a child you don't work with every day. You sound like you're doing all the right things, so try not to worry about it too much.

Sometimes I have to put in an assessment that I simply haven't observed a child doing something (ie shapes) and then their parents can add in what they have seen, to make up the full picture.