‘Listening to children’
I think my setting is good at listening to the children but there is always room for improvement.
Since starting this course, actively listening has become a big part of my daily routine. I talk to the children as soon as they come into the classroom in the morning and listen to them when they tell me about their morning so far, their evening before or the weekend – or whatever thought is in their head at that moment, it might be the unicorn they are having round for tea later, or superman that they saw on the way to school! Sometimes these conversations begin to involve the whole of the class and can inform planning and provision for later in the day.
When having circle time, I ensure that each child has a chance to talk. I ask questions based on what they are telling me and make notes afterwards so that I can remember for another time. This shows the children that I am interested in them as a person and have listened and taken account of what they say.
Our day is heavily timetabled and there is little scope for impulse and in the moment planning, however, when possible I do incorporate aspects from the childs thoughts, interests and ideas.
I think this helps the children to know that we are listening to them and that hopefully, if they had a problem that they needed to talk about they would be more inclined to approach me and tell me than if I had just dismissed what they were saying and had not actively listened to them.
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