I love centers

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Home : 2004 : December : 5

I love centers
By Center Queen

I hope you do too! I can get so much done with my guided reading groups because they are ACTIVELY involved in literacy and not just sitting there reading a book or working a worksheet.

Remember that you must model for
a few weeks the appropriate behaviors in the centers. We role play with scenarios of right and wrong ways of doing centers. We made up our own classroom "I Can" rules for each center. I took their answers and put them on a chart for that center. I made a chart and we wrote what a center "Looks Like" "Sounds Like". Everytime I add a center I go over that center explaining what to do

and how to act.

I have only had 2 interuptions during center time while I am working with guided reading and that was a student getting sick and once the batteries went out on a leaptrack. We have now since gone over ways to troubleshoot if something doesn't work. I also color coded my listening center with colored dots and a chart for what each dot mean. My kids LOVE centers and I DO TOO! It is our favorite time of day!

I'll be happy to share anything that I do to help in your centers. Also, remember, don't try to start off with a lot of centers. Pick a few easy ones and then add.

Good Luck!