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