Planning In the Moment
The cycle of observation, assessment, planning, observation is carried out on a moment-by- moment basis, as taught by Anna Ephgrave. Anna writes:
“When children are playing and selecting what to do themselves, they become deeply engaged. While this is happening, the adults should be observing and waiting for a moment in which they feel they can make a difference. They should then interact to ‘teach’ the ‘next step’ as appropriate for that unique child at that precise moment. Each time they interact with a child, they are observing, assessing, planning for, and responding to, that individual child. Such interactions are the most important and powerful teaching moments.”
We work in this way because …
“Babies and young children are experiencing and learning in the here and now, not storing up their questions until tomorrow or next week. It is in that moment of curiosity, puzzlement, effort or interest – the ‘teachable moment’ – that the skilful adult makes a difference. By using this cycle on a moment-by-moment basis, the adult will be always alert to individual children (observation), always thinking about what it tells us about the child’s thinking (assessment), and always ready to respond by using appropriate strategies at the right moment to support children’s well-being and learning (planning for the next moment).” From the National Standards document Learning, Playing and Interacting pgs22 – 23 The revised EYFS advises us to continue using this document.
We recognise that high level involvement occurs in child-initiated activity. When children show high levels of involvement, that is when there is progress and development occurring – when the brain is at its most active. High level involvement occurs most often when children are able to pursue their own interests in an enabling environment supported by skilled staff. Planning in the moment helps to make this possible.
The adults are there to facilitate learning. They do this through observations and interactions. Our staff know the children very well and have a sound understanding of child development. This ensures that the adults enhance and extend the learning at the appropriate level.
The Ofsted definition of teaching, as referenced in the EYFS, fit with our system of in the moment planning: “Teaching is a broad term which covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities: communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges. It takes account of the equipment they provide and the attention to the physical environment as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and can do as well as take account of their interests and dispositions to learning (characteristics of effective learning), and use this information to plan children’s next steps in learning and monitor their progress.”
The three Characteristics of Effective Learning also link well to in the moment planning when children are able to follow their own interests:
Playing and Exploring – do they investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’?
Learning Actively – do they concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements?
Creating and Thinking Critically – do they have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
We also like the approach taught by Alice Sharp – I am in the CID – Curiosity, Investigation, Discovery
If you are CURIOUS, I will INVESTIGATE
If I investigate, I will discover.
If I discover, I am thinking, I am learning.
