Assessment/communication with parents by Childcare

[Razzberry]

Im just wondering if the childcare centres you use give you a portfolio of your childs work? or if you have regular access to their observations and programming for your child?

Im really starting to think the place my daughter goes is a dud!

[NicNac]

Yes, yes and yes. They also do a parent teacher night- we thought that was pretty funny for an 18 month old.
The amount of work they put into the portfolio is amazing- don't know where they find the time!

[AliBaby]

We get a very detailed portfolio with recorded observations, photos, artwork, examples of cutting, writing, etc in it. We also get two reports per year and parent /teacher night. I also have regular chats with staff. I feel very informed. Change if you aren't happy.

Nicnac- I agree, the time spent on the portfolios is just incredible and they are such a Lovely keepsake of Preschool years.

[Catastrophic]

Big Portfolio at the end of the year...

and also a daily report that is written in a book and has pictures demonstrating what the children have done for that day.

[Floweryfields]

At my centre we have individual portfolios which parents are invited to view whenever they wish throughout the year. We have daily learning stories/obs on display, a laptop with a slideshow of photos from the day in each room and a daily program of what children have done.
We also have parent/teacher interviews for all rooms, not many parents take this option up though.

Other ways we communicate with our families - newsletters, other notes, phone calls, personal notes in lunchboxes, and personally of course! Babies have a personal communication book that goes home each day if parents wish to take it (some read and leave at centre), daily communication notice board in the toddlers and pre kindy rooms as well.

[Razzberry]

There is def NO type of communication. The only type of communication is when I say how has she been today because this morning she was upset/talking about/doing.... and then they give some vague answer. And the director doesn't even know who my child is, I always have to remind her of who I am and who my daughter is! gahhhh, reading through what everyone has posted has just made me more frustrated about the centre.

[Floweryfields]

I know every single child and their parent/s. I even know the names of most of the siblings that I see on pick up/drop off. That doesn't sound like a great centre at all!

[Razzberry]

I know! I was the Kinder/Prep/Year 2 RFF teacher at my school when I went back after maternity leave with my daughter and I taught 190 kids and I knew all their names and alot of their parents and siblings aswell. grrr

[wysiwyg]

There is def NO type of communication. The only type of communication is when I say how has she been today because this morning she was upset/talking about/doing.... and then they give some vague answer. And the director doesn't even know who my child is, I always have to remind her of who I am and who my daughter is! gahhhh, reading through what everyone has posted has just made me more frustrated about the centre.

That doesn't sound good at all - they do seem to know everyone's names at the center we go to, and often we see various staff members (as they all start different times) on the way there too and they always say hello and sometimes chat too and haven't even started work yet. If I didn't get any written communication but got great verbal I wouldn't worry at all but sounds like you are not getting either. I know that when DH picks up he just wants to dash in and out and the level of feedback they want to give him sometimes isn't appreciated by him but I would much rather that situation.

[Astrid]

Moderator Message »
Two threads merged as they are essentially the same question posed to both parents and childcare providers.

Feel free to continue the discussion

[Mrs P]

Yep, we get a pretty big portfolio at Xmas time. Lots of art and craft, and often there's photos of her doing the actual activity attached to the item within the portfolio. DD is 2.5 yrs.

[~Hestia~]

I never got anything from Moo's centre. I have just taken him out and asked for his scrapbook (that we were asked to provide initially) and there was only 4 art type things stuck in it. He had been going for 9 months so did expect a little more.

The centre my niece and nephew go to is excellent in that regard. They have a daily communication book that goes home with each child, they also do up a portfolio with photos and captions and little stories to go along with it all.

[Traveller]

Yes, we got one at Christmas plus regular work sent home throughout the year. There was also a lot of work displayed around the room that was clearly labeled so there was much to admire.

[AliBaby]

From your other thread, it sounds like they aren't following national guidelines at all.

[nickle730]

We get a written report twice a year on Miss P's progress - all amazingly fantastically good, I wonder if they every say 'your one year old is a dud"!! There are daily reports in the room which we can look at at pick up which usually involve all the children and tell us what they have been up to. The staff are very approachable and I feel confident that I can always ask them how my DD is going and if there are any issues. Miss P is only in CC once a week, so I sometimes feel that I should have her there more often to take full advantage of the great staff!! I also feel that the staff actually value Miss P as an individual and know her idiosyncrasies and that is far more important to me than the reporting. I don't think I could leave her somewhere she was just another kid.

[wysiwyg]

We got portfolios at the end of the year (we now have to return them temporarily for some assessment that is taking place - it isn't possible that this is what is happening at your center?). We can look at these at any point in the year they are in a cabinet near the bags area - but do you know what - I have never looked (enjoyed seeing at end of year but these days as in 3-5 room and they have access to drawing materials all day I get at least 4 drawings coming home a day). We get a written report and parents evening think once a year. Every day there is a board up where there is a brief write up of the day with photos (not all children feature everyday but you get the gist of what is going on). The parents evenings and reports are funny things really because if there was an issue would you want them to wait to parents evening or report time to tell you - probably not.

To be honest I think the reporting is over the top, especially for the under 3's - I would rather any time spent on doing that was spent with the children or preparing activities. I rate the center based on how happy my two seem at the end of the day, what I see on display in the rooms, how the staff are interacting with the kids and what they seem to know about each child. If I want to know anything I just ask them, and do a general how is she going about once a month at least. The year before school it might be more important to have more detail in terms of school readiness I suppose.

Everyone used to have communication books but they have scrapped them for the 3 to 5 year olds - using a list on the wall instead. I am quite pleased about it, it takes less time for them meaning more time spent with children and I rarely used to look at it anyway. DD can tell me most things I want to know now anyway - she seems to learn quite a lot about the running of childcare centres - explaining to me which children are vegetarian and what they can eat, what clothes you are and aren't allowed and what temperature is to hot to be outside "Mum it was 35 grees today so we couldn't play outside".

[Razzberry]

I am an Early Childhood teacher but went straight from uni into the school system, so I forget a lot about the early childhood industry.

I have a bad feeling the centre my daughter attends is dodgy. Her name is down for a new centre which is opening in a few weeks, however, I want to have a meeting with the director and tell her my concerns as I don't think other parents have no idea that they are not getting quality care for their children.

Their was absolutely no portfolio/assessment etc given to me at the end of the year. My daughter has been attending since may for 1 day a week. When I questioned them about not getting a portfolio I was told different things by different staff and then I was told, no we don't do portfolios but we will get a usb stick with some photos of your daughter to you in the last week (this didn't happen).
To me even if they gave me a usb stick with some photos is in no way giving me any idea of how my child is going.

I filled in a goals form in June for her and I thought we would get an evaluation from this - nope!

There are many other issues, including my daughter not having a pocket to put her hat in the entire year even though I reminded them each week - doesnt help a child fit in when every other child has their name and photo on a pock for their hat!

So does anyone know what the requirements are in regards to letting parents know about their child's progress? We are in NSW.

[MrsFabuloso]

None of that sounds in accordance with national guidelines. As to see their policies on their procedures regarding keeping portfolios/children's observations. They should have some sort of way they keep their information on the children which parents can look at.