center help By SB

Post written directions at each center. Post samples of completed or partially completed tasks when necessary.

I do literacy centers during Guided Reading. While the students work in centers I pull small groups. In the past I have given my students a center folder to help them keep up with work in progress. This was not a good idea for my first graders, but may work for your grade level. I DO NOT grade everything that is done at centers. Some teachers I know let students know ahead of time which centers are "take home" centers, which are "teacher review" and which are "graded". I do look at center work. I conference individually if the work is below standard. Likewise, if the work is of excellent quality I share it with the class and we celebrate the excellent job. I have even been known to then say privately to a student "Joe, I am going to share your the work you do today at the writing center with your friends tommorrow morning. I know it will be your personal best." This works like a dream with my age group.

Holding students accountable can be a challenge. You begin to know which students spend their time playing and I just ask them to turn in EVERYTHING for my review. Unsatisfactory work is then redone after school or at home. It doesn't take long for this to turn around behavior. I have heard of teachers using checklists and menus. Students get a new list or menu each Monday and are expected to complete and turn in on Friday. I tried a menu but it was unsuccessful for first grade. I use a workboard. I have also given a participation grade for the week.

Rather than a lengthy explanation to teach the center process, why not start with only one short task at each center. It might lok like this--Class of 20, five centers 4 students each. Centers might include Science, Social Studies, Writing, Language/Spelling. Design one or maybe two activities for each center that would take about 20 minutes to complete. Explain each center activity--early finishers can read silently until the end of the session. Each group only goes to ONE center each day during the teaching phase. Allow 30 minutes for your center time. While students are working at centers during the training time your job is to "roam the room" and comment on quality of work and behavior. At the conclusion of your center time each day have a class discussion about what was wonderful and what they still need to work on. Ask them if they have any suggestions--sometimes they have good ideas. Repeat this same senario each day until everyone has been to each center. The next round add some tasks to each center and increase the time. Halfway through this round you should be able to begin working with students in small groups. One group the first and roam the room the rest of the time. You need to wean them from your availability.

Teach them what to do if they have questions. Can they interrupt you, ask a friend, put their head down... Decide what will work bet for you. many use "See three before me". I use this qand if that doesn't work mine sit with their head down at their desk and between groups I help them.

Space! This is an age old problem. Our classrooms are never big enough for what we want to do. Many teachers store supplies in a specific place and students work at their desks. some teachers put the items needed for a center in dishtubs and the group of students takes them a specific table or group of desks arrnaged like a table to do the work. Some teachers have nixed the desks altogether and have students sit at tables all the time. For center time the table are named. Example: Table 1 is the writing center during centers--the supplies are stores in a tub and put on the table during centers; table 2 is the spelling center etc... Some teachers let students work anywhere--they have a supply of clipboards, pillows and bean bags. You may try several methods befor you find the one that works for you.

Changing centers--Some teachers change centers around a theme, some every week and some for new skill sets. If you only have four or five centers changing is not a time consuming. However, it is much easier to have some centers be open ended and added to as needed. For example: At writing students may have the option of doing any of the following--write a story, write a poem, write a song, write a letter, create a comic strip using dialouge, make a sticker or stamp story. At spelling they could choose to put words in ABC order, wirte sentences using spelling words, do rainbow words, write a story or poem using spelling words, make a crossword puzzle, find patterns in words. At reading they would read a story or selection and choose any of the following story map, create a new ending,write a retelling, do character analysis, rewrite the selection changing the setting or outcome, write about how this reminded them of something that happened to them, write a song or poem inspired by the story, creat a new cover for the story. You can see that these could stay up all year and provide variety for you students. These are meaningful taksks that can stay up all year.

I know this is VERY long but I hope this information is helpful.