Making Learning Centers Work for You

1. Making Learning Centers Work for You Paula Hagan Instructional Coordinator, Northside Elementary 2013 Professional Development Summit

2. This session will… • Present different ways to set up learning centers that will meet the needs of all students in your classroom • Show how to create learning centers from the IFD • Describe ways to differentiate learning centers for students with diverse educational needs • Cover ways to set up learning centers so they conquer the rigor of the curriculum

3. Why Use Learning Centers? • Teacher’s Role- The teacher’s role changes from one of passing on information to one of providing a variety of learning experiences for the students and guiding them in those activities.

4. Why Use Learning Centers? • Involvement- Students become eager participants, not just casual observers. • Variety- Each week brings something new.

5. Why Use Learning Centers? • Choice-Children have the opportunity and responsibility to make choices within certain limits. • Variety- Each week brings something new.

6. Why Use Learning Centers? • Sharing- As students work in small groups, they learn to share and help each other. • Individualization- Students are able to work at their own pace. Teachers have time to give individual help and attention to students.

7. Center Simulation • Center descriptions/ model expectations • Time signal / expectations • Check for understanding • Begin simulation

8. Simulation follow-up • Review each center for content • Set up: choose two – when would this work in your class? • If you finish early activities • What worked / what didn’t?

9. Things to Remember… • Centers are an evolving process. No matter where you start, you won’t stay there. • Be flexible in designing and organizing centers. • Use every strategy available in getting children to learn. Not all children learn the same way. • Set high expectations. No one ever rises to low expectations. • Centers need to be in place before small group instruction begins. • Management of centers is KEY! If you don’t have control of the learning environment, reteach your expectations until the students get it!

10. The Setup Schedule: self-contained Schedule: departmentalized You have a fixed amount of time for instruction- less flexibility I recommend to provide direct instruction at the beginning of the period, and centers at the end Even if you only have 15 minutes at the end – students can go to one center each day • You have more flexibility • I recommend to separate centers for Math and Literacy (am and pm) • Keep direct instruction brief (10-20 minute mini lessons each for word work, reading, and writing) and provide practice in centers (Daily 5)

11. The Setup Monday Tuesday-Friday Students rotate through the centers the rest of the week. Students don’t have to go to every center every day – quantity is not always better than quality! Be sure to balance instruction time with centers! Don’t spend the entire instruction block on centers or direct instruction – balance! • Every Monday (or the beginning of a new cycle of centers) you will need to teach your center expectations for the week • Model each new center and check for understanding • The better the explanation on Monday, the smoother the week!

12. The Setup How long should children be at centers? What about the children that finished fast/slow? Be sure to plan ahead and have “cushion activities” that students can access any time they finish work early • This answer depends on: • Student age • Classroom management • Class stamina • Other time factors

13. The Setup • Classroom Considerations for Setting Up the Room • Create logical traffic patterns • Look for places to set up centers so you can leave them out • Use tubs/buckets to keep center supplies for easy setup/ cleanup • Separate quiet and noisy activities • Create a small area for small group instruction so teacher can see all work areas at a glance

14. Using CScope’s IFD • Set up multiple centers at the beginning of each unit • Use Specificity and Performance Indicators to get ideas • Centers are a great way to reinforce skills directly taught – practice! • Centers should support what you are learning • Don’t rely on store-bought centers!!!

15. Differentiation and Centers • Centers allow you to work with individual students or small groups • You can use center time to provide RTI interventions for specific students • You can level your centers high and low skill • You can have low level centers where students practice basic skills, or high level centers where students create!

16. Rigorous Centers • When you focus on the specificity of the TEKS in your centers, they become purposeful. • Again, don’t rely on store-bought centers! • If you put the extra time in to create centers that fully support the TEKS, your students will show growth!