Page 39: Ten Top Tips for an EYFS Placement

 Page 39: Ten Top Tips for an EYFS Placement

As the summer holidays are drawing to an end, and it will soon be time to head back to university to complete my last year of teacher training, I have had the time to throughly think and reflect upon my time in the EYFS, cherishing my memories and learning experiences.

It is fair to say I really encountered a wide range of experiences through placement during a pandemic from initially working with a key bubble of children, to whole school and class re-opening, and a fair share of online learning due to class isolations. Throughout so, with guidance and shared expertise  from my school and mentors, I really became passionate about teaching in Early Years, and really started to develop some key skills and techniques that I am excited to develop further in the future.

Lets stop rambling, and delve into my 10 top tips for teaching in EYFS in this short, sweet and simple post! (all as equally important - this isn't in any specific order!)

1. Form individual relationships with each pupil, based upon observations and assessment in both group sessions and provision in order to tailor to specific targets and goals individually

2. Work as a team. Teaching assistants both 1-1 and whole class are an integral figure in the class. Work alongside your TA's using their ideas and assessments fully

3. Be flexible

4. Creativity is key, if you think a lesson/input could potentially be boring it will be. Be your own harshest critic and if you wouldn't enjoy being the pupil in the session, they certainly won't. Be as creative and imaginative as possible - in the EYFS, everything is possible!

5. Smaller and shorter more frequent teaching inputs over longer sessions. I personally feel 20-25 mins max! Pupils are more engaged for this time, and resultantly engage and benefit from the learning more

6. Outside learning is just as important as your inside provision, maximise this area to its full potential

7. Mix up your provision, to keep provision beneficial and engaging, ensure you are switching up, enhancing areas at a pretty steady pace. My top tip for provision, is to ensure areas are directly linked to your main teaching input and development matters goal for the week. For example if my communication and language lessons for the week were based around the life cycle of a butterfly, I would have a lifecycle tuff tray with a range of differing activities throughout the week so pupils have to chance to independently consolidate their learning and stem an interest further

8. Be nurturing. You are a key adult and role model in these pupils lives, at this vulnerable and young time. For many, not used to leaving parents/careers and siblings, be the nurturing role model you would have wanted for yourself/your own children. Demonstatre you care and support the children, not just through high quality teaching, but that vital further pastoral and nurturing role of any teacher, but specifically vital in Early Years

9. A slightly cringe, but expect the unexpected. The early years cannot be scripted, lesson plans will never fully go to plan, learn to adapt, and be prepared for anything

10. A light hearted one to finish, like the children, always remember your spare clothes - you never know what is going to happen in a day!

I hope you have found at least one of these tips interesting or helpful! If you were anything like me, who initially before stating a placement in the EYFS felt completely clueless and overwhelmed, I guarantee as soon as you get started and stuck in, you will fall in love with the teaching and the style of working with our smallest learners as much as me! It must be noted how every school is different, and this is another reason I love the BA three year course, having the opportunity to explore and 'fit into' a range of schools. In my EYFS placement, I really felt I slotted right into the team, allowing consistency and creativity to be clear across all teachers so pupils learning. Again, it can not be said how this is another reason I loved and enjoyed early years teaching. Learning from inspirational teachers, allow you to incorporate their practice, facilitate your learning as a student teacher. 

I will end today's page with what I believe is a key quote about teaching Early Years and the importance of so, in later learning for later life:

'The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child's own natural desire to learn' - Maria Montessori

- Miss Yeoman