heather bailey, kindergarten teacher, chesapeake public schools cathy collier, kindergarten teacher,...

Heather Bailey, Kindergarten Teacher, Chesapeake Public SchoolsCathy Collier, Kindergarten Teacher, Chesapeake Public Schools

Virginia State Reading Association Conference Roanoke, Virginia

March 17, 2011

Why do I need centers/work stations in my classroom?

According to Eric Jensen: “A change in location is the easiest way to get the brain’s attention.”

Materials and expectations are differentiated based upon need.

Based on classroom routines and activities that have been taught in a meaningful context.

The routines do not change, just the curriculum/materials within the routine.

Students move to different areas within the classroom at their own pace.

Traditional“Centers”

versus

Balanced Literacy

Centers

Activities change daily. Students rotate

through different activities on a timer.

All activities are for all children.

Materials have not been used before.

Worksheets are generated and used as centers.

Essential UnderstandingsLiteracy Work Stations cannot “teach”

students.Literacy Work Stations are for practice and

extension of skills.Skills and procedures are taught in whole group

and small group prior to being placed in a work station.

The instruction is ongoing and is meaningful in the context of Balanced Literacy.

Your Role as the TeacherModel

◦ Not just right before the center, but in a meaningful context!

Differentiate ◦ Based on strengths and weaknesses of students.

Communicate Clear Expectations◦ At first, with your example…then with theirs.

Accountability◦ Make sure they know what you want.

Classroom EnvironmentMaterials are located in stationsNo designated students assigned

seats Items are clearly labeledDirections are available, if applicable.Established places/locations do not

changeWork Board for independent student

management

Getting StartedWeek 1

Use work board from Day 1!!!!!20 minutes a dayEasy, open ended activitiesTeach routines such as Staying in the center,

Getting help, Meeting personal needsInitial random grouping – unless you have

information on students

Week 2

Add 2 new centersKeep same centers from last weekChange groups to make them heterogeneousThese groups stay the same for the

remainder of the 9 weeks unless a problem arises

Continue to teach routines and proceduresTeach checking/stamping/filing routines

Getting Started

Week 3 and beyond:

Continue adding new centers/routines as they are taught in the Balanced Literacy framework

Change groups at the end of each nine weeksMonitor appropriateness of centersEliminate centers/stations if neededEvaluate the effectiveness of a routine/center

and make (small) changes, if needed

Getting Started

Students chosenrandomly

Varied group of children

Weekly assessments to

determine progress

Homogenous

Flexible grouping

Same reading behaviors

Based on grade level specific

SOLs

4-6 students

Heterogeneous

Established routines and expectations

Established accountability

Grouping: Centers vs. Guided Reading

Selecting: Center Weekly Options

stationary center(ABC)

stationary center(123)

stationary center

(Listening)

stationary center(Art)

stationaryCenter

(Social Studies/Science)

flex or stationary(writing)

flex or stationary(squiggle)

flex or stationary(poetry)

flex or stationary

(Fab 5)

flex or stationary

(Vocabulary)

open ended(stencils)

open ended(pattern blocks)

open ended(dramatic play)

open ended(flannel boards)

open ended(puzzles)

5 Day Center Week

4 Day Center Week

With Flex Daystationary

center(ABC)

stationary center(123)

stationary center

(Listening)

stationary center(Art)

Flex Day

flex or stationary(writing)

flex or stationary(squiggle)

flex or stationary(poetry)

flex or stationary

(Fab 5)

open ended(flannel board)

open ended(magnets)

open ended(dramatic play)

open ended(pattern blocks)

Flex Day is for make-up and extra, optional, and/or special centers.

Selecting: Center Weekly Options

Use checklists for teacher and student useShare and display examples of student work

At center, in hallwayClothespins

The Work Box for MaterialsTrash disposalUse timers for individual

students, if needed, but usesparingly

Supervising:

Differentiate expectations/tasks based on the needs of the students

Flex time as incentiveStamping table *******Drying spotsHanging FoldersMailboxes

Supervising:

Routines

Expectations

Appropriate

Directions

Surviving:

Stationary Centers: Centers that a.) are most important and b.) should be started as a whole group. ABC Center – group sort, then individual response Listening Center – group listens first, then individual response Art – multiple pieces take up table space Math Social Studies

Flex: Centers that a.) are routine and b.) have a purpose. Materials are located in a specific spot, but center can be movable

Open-Ended: If they don’t get there…it doesn’t matter. Needs a specific location designated by an icon

Ideas:

Complete activities based upon routines taught during word study lessons.

•Flip Books•Word Family Flips•Word Family Sheets•Picture sorts (b/m/e

sounds, rhyme, etc.)•Rhyming Puzzles

ABC Center:

To be used with previously taught math SOLs

123 (Math) Center:

Listening Center:

Listening Center:

Week 1Cover

Week 2Characters

Week 3Setting

Week 4Favorite Part

Ta-da:

To be used with previously taught science/social studies SOLs

Science/Social Studies Center:

• Not typically a seasonal art project• Always corresponds to Shared Reading/Rhyme-A-Week• Can be more than one choice (groundhog, presidents)

Art Center:

Jack Be Nimble

Jack be nimble.Jack be quick.Jack jumped over the candlestick.

• Take the poem that was read daily during Shared Reading and copy.• This poem is then put into a poetry book.• Students read the poem, do selected word work, circle/color word

wall words, illustrate, respond, rectangle around rhyming words, etc.• As the year progresses, this can be a cloze activity for word wall

words.

Poetry Center:

•Read, Mix, Fix poems from shared reading lessons.•Put poems in correct order. •Illustrate. •Read.

Pocket Chart Center:

• Students write words found in the room on class writings, class made charts, shared reading poems, or word wall.

• Use clip boards as a good writing surface.• Beginning – names, colors, shapes, numbers, Fall words…• Limit the number of words the student will find for easier management.• At mid-year, students are required to choose 1 word from the list and write

sentences about it.• If noise is an issue, finding words in ABC themed books can be an option.• Could be designed to spell a specific vocabulary word.

Write the Room/Fab 5 Center:

A good Writing Center includes:• Choice mats…choose from predetermined lists.• Shaped books• Sentence Starters (sentence strips) prompt

cards• Rebus pictures and sound chart.

Writing Center:

Review word family rimes and create extension activitiesMid-year, writing sentences is added.

Rhyme A Week Center:

Read Aloud…The Squiggle, Not A Line, or Not A Box

Create whole class squigglesMake books for each 9 weeksChoose a squiggle, but not one that

their neighbor is doing.Date stamp for writing samples to

show student progress.

Squiggle Center:

To be used with a vocabulary focus (Frayer)Vocabulary introduced to the whole class one week (on

poster board), is in the vocabulary center the following (either in booklets or individual sheets).

Vocabulary Center:

Read self selected text from browsing bag/box (on level books read with teacher during Guided Reading).

Respond in Browsing Box Journal. Student or teacher chooses the response by highlighting:

Something the student likedSomething the student didn’t likeText-to-Self ConnectionText-to-World ConnectionText-to-Text Connection

Browsing Box Center:

Wipe-Off Boards

Dramatic Play (Housekeeping, Mr. Potato Head, Barbies, Rescue Heroes…)

Computer

Fine Motor (Play-dough, stencils)

Word Wall Word (Magnetic Letters, Magazine cut-outs)

Blocks (Pattern Blocks, Legos, Wooden)

More Ideas Center:

If better is possible…

good is not enough!

-Ben Franklin

Cathy Colliercollicel@cps.k12.va.us

Heather Baileybailehre@cps.k12.va.u

s

Thank you for coming!