Classroom Centers
Children learn best when they are actively engaged. Implementing centers in the classroom:
Promotes independence
Helps students become more responsible
Allows students to learn through self-discovery
Provides teachers with time to pull students one-on-one or in small groups to target specific academic skills, modify and enrich curriculum, and better meet the needs of individual students
I have taught both first grade and kindergarten and could not imagine teaching without centers. Every year I tweak and adjust my system to meet the needs of my students. Over the years, I have worked hard to move away from the more "cutesy" centers that must be changed out weekly and focused on creating more permanent centers with open ended tasks. Changing out centers weekly is just too much work! I select activities that involve students in practicing reading, writing, and spelling daily. I also choose open ended tasks that can be repeated with different poems, books, or writing topics.
Remember if it takes you longer to create the center than it takes your students to complete it, ask yourself if the activity is really worthwhile. All of us have spent hours coloring, cutting, gluing, and laminating file folder games and activities that are completed in minutes. So, try to keep this in mind if you are new to implementing centers in your classroom.
Think about what your goals for implementing centers are:
• Students actively engaged in meaningful learning.
• Students working independently.
• A peaceful working environment that is conducive to small group instruction.
On this page you will find suggestions for:
Centers to Include in Your Classroom Classroom Centers.docx
How to record where students work
Center Resources
How to Manage and Organize Centers in Your Classroom
Sensational Centers in Small Spaces
Literacy Centers
Friday, August 6, 2010
Using Digital Cameras to Complement Technology
Photo before the class
“Using digital cameras”, the topic shared this week went swiftly but smoothly. I was pleasantly surprised how much information from the session was new knowledge to me. I always took it for granted that a good picture was one that had sufficient light so that the images were clear to the viewer.
The session was necessary. Now I know that those thirds are important for balance, a focus spot is necessary to avoid confusion for the eyes and that there is no need to take the flash off when taking pictures outdoors. Oh happy day! Now you be the judge of my photo taking skills.
Photo after the class
Semantic Mapping
Semantic Mapping Technique Example 1: Using Whales: The Gentle Giants (1989) by Joyce Milton, Toronto: Random House.
The instructional sequence given in Masters, Mori, & Mori (1993) will be elaborated upon through the use of the above resource: (This can be done as an individual or group activity.)
1. Select a word central to the topic. For this book, the central word of the topic will be WHALE.
2. Display the target word.Display the word WHALE.
3. Invite the student to generate as many words as possible that relate to the target word. As students brainstorm, record the words on a chart or on the chalkboard.
4. Have the students write the generated words in categories. After all the brainstorming has taken place, discuss how the information could be placed into categories. For instance, each different whale could have its own group and add information to each group afterwards.
5. Have the student label categories. Label and add extra information to each category.
6. From this list, construct a map.
7. Lead the class in a discussion that focuses on identifying meanings and uses of words, clarifying ideas, highlighting major conclusions, identifying key elements, expanding ideas, and summarizing information. Various ideas and elements of the story may need elaboration. This could be done during the brainstorming/classifying activity or afterwards. A summarizing activity could be completed whereby the student writes or creates a project about the story.
The instructional sequence given in Masters, Mori, & Mori (1993) will be elaborated upon through the use of the above resource: (This can be done as an individual or group activity.)
1. Select a word central to the topic. For this book, the central word of the topic will be WHALE.
2. Display the target word.Display the word WHALE.
3. Invite the student to generate as many words as possible that relate to the target word. As students brainstorm, record the words on a chart or on the chalkboard.
4. Have the students write the generated words in categories. After all the brainstorming has taken place, discuss how the information could be placed into categories. For instance, each different whale could have its own group and add information to each group afterwards.
5. Have the student label categories. Label and add extra information to each category.
6. From this list, construct a map.
7. Lead the class in a discussion that focuses on identifying meanings and uses of words, clarifying ideas, highlighting major conclusions, identifying key elements, expanding ideas, and summarizing information. Various ideas and elements of the story may need elaboration. This could be done during the brainstorming/classifying activity or afterwards. A summarizing activity could be completed whereby the student writes or creates a project about the story.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Working with the Literacy Faculty
LITERACY FACULTIES
“When a staff collaborates well, it is a wonderful model for students”
What are Literacy Faculties?
A Literacy Faculty refers to the group of project teachers who meet under the leadership of a coordinator to collaborate on literacy, classroom and/or issues and decide how to improve them.
What are the Objectives?
defining the goals and objectives they wish their students to achieve;
pre-planning, teaching and evaluating research based learning activities; and
seeking out opportunities to initiate collaborative efforts with colleagues.
How Is Collaboration Done?
Guided discussion
Presentations
Dissemination of literature
Feedback
How is it organized?
Teachers choose one of the areas of concern or interest that is relevant to the student.
Teacher becomes responsible for researching the area, gathering relevant information and sharing these.
They share through disseminating literature, handouts, samples, in house workshops, coaching sessions, demonstration lessons, etc.
A Literacy Faculty Co-ordinator must be selected.
Co-ordinator works with Principal when scheduling activities.
Liaises with the Reading Specialist
Co-ordinator must seek advice from
Reading Specialist whenever needed.
Coordinator keeps Reading Specialist informed of all activities which must be documented.
Co-ordinator and other faculty members to collaborate and produce intervention report at the end of each school year.
Literacy Faculty Meetings
How often should the Faculty meet?
Faculty makes the decision about the meeting. Weekly, bi-weekly, forth- nightly, monthly sessions.
Where?
A room in the school, library, staffroom, church. A place which is convenient and comfortable.
When?
Faculty members decide on a mutually convenient time.
What is the principal’s role?
The Literacy Faculty is a ‘Facilitating Team’. The Principal could assist by giving administrative support for Literacy Faculty activities. Time maybe made available through the following suggestions.
Meeting at lunch time
Meeting after school
Early release of students on a particular day
Late start of teaching on a particular day
Using parents volunteers to read/supervise while teachers meet
Scheduling timetable
What is the reading specialists role?
Assist faculty members to manage the change brought about by the implementation of the Interventions.
Support both Principals and Literacy Faculty by guiding the process of documenting these meetings to capture on-going decision-making.
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
Benefits to students include:
Improvement in student achievement
Improvement in behaviour and attitude
Benefits to teachers
A decrease in isolation
Stimulated creative expression and reflection
Delay in end of year burn out
Empowerment of teachers
Mature personal relationships
“When a staff collaborates well, it is a wonderful model for students”
What are Literacy Faculties?
A Literacy Faculty refers to the group of project teachers who meet under the leadership of a coordinator to collaborate on literacy, classroom and/or issues and decide how to improve them.
What are the Objectives?
defining the goals and objectives they wish their students to achieve;
pre-planning, teaching and evaluating research based learning activities; and
seeking out opportunities to initiate collaborative efforts with colleagues.
How Is Collaboration Done?
Guided discussion
Presentations
Dissemination of literature
Feedback
How is it organized?
Teachers choose one of the areas of concern or interest that is relevant to the student.
Teacher becomes responsible for researching the area, gathering relevant information and sharing these.
They share through disseminating literature, handouts, samples, in house workshops, coaching sessions, demonstration lessons, etc.
A Literacy Faculty Co-ordinator must be selected.
Co-ordinator works with Principal when scheduling activities.
Liaises with the Reading Specialist
Co-ordinator must seek advice from
Reading Specialist whenever needed.
Coordinator keeps Reading Specialist informed of all activities which must be documented.
Co-ordinator and other faculty members to collaborate and produce intervention report at the end of each school year.
Literacy Faculty Meetings
How often should the Faculty meet?
Faculty makes the decision about the meeting. Weekly, bi-weekly, forth- nightly, monthly sessions.
Where?
A room in the school, library, staffroom, church. A place which is convenient and comfortable.
When?
Faculty members decide on a mutually convenient time.
What is the principal’s role?
The Literacy Faculty is a ‘Facilitating Team’. The Principal could assist by giving administrative support for Literacy Faculty activities. Time maybe made available through the following suggestions.
Meeting at lunch time
Meeting after school
Early release of students on a particular day
Late start of teaching on a particular day
Using parents volunteers to read/supervise while teachers meet
Scheduling timetable
What is the reading specialists role?
Assist faculty members to manage the change brought about by the implementation of the Interventions.
Support both Principals and Literacy Faculty by guiding the process of documenting these meetings to capture on-going decision-making.
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
Benefits to students include:
Improvement in student achievement
Improvement in behaviour and attitude
Benefits to teachers
A decrease in isolation
Stimulated creative expression and reflection
Delay in end of year burn out
Empowerment of teachers
Mature personal relationships
21st Century Literacy
Indeed technology can become infectious, but if the objective is clear and the technology is not abused then it can work towards good for all users.
As I searched the web for information to share with teachers on how they can teach differently to reach the student in the 21st century classroom, I found these videos very useful.
I found they were able to capture a little of the traditional teaching mode and effectively attempted to bridge the gap into the 21st century.
These I intent to share with many teachers in the different Literacy Faculties already established in some of our schools.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeKMILS8-QA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLRlRIV-alE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgKiU4xK9pM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JdG5U8Uwhg
As I searched the web for information to share with teachers on how they can teach differently to reach the student in the 21st century classroom, I found these videos very useful.
I found they were able to capture a little of the traditional teaching mode and effectively attempted to bridge the gap into the 21st century.
These I intent to share with many teachers in the different Literacy Faculties already established in some of our schools.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeKMILS8-QA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLRlRIV-alE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgKiU4xK9pM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JdG5U8Uwhg
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
"Look who‘s BLOGGING now"
I have reached my goal! Slowly but surely, I have gained a new friend in the technology. I now appreciate that hope leads to endurance and endurance leads to joy. I am blogging with more confidence now. What an effective way of sharing I have found this to be!
I must state that as the class continues to progress, I feel reassured that I am making progress. In evaluating my grasp of sharing and using blogs, I think I can now handle most of it very well. The difficulty arises when I do not practice, then I tend to forget and become frustrated. This feeling of frustration is often short lived since we have become a community of learners in the class, helping each other to achieve mastery.
To improve my situation I have been reading the resources shared by the tutors, this makes the task easier. Information posted on the portal have kept me afloat and functioning. The question and answer sessions we engage in as a class and sometimes as a small group, really serve to keep me focused.
I am eternally grateful to my tutors and my classmates for their unending support. Remember, we may not always be able to do everything on our own; at times we may need to get help, or to render assistance. This course requires a lot of practice but much more sharing. The race is not for the swiftest, but for the one who can endure.
I must state that as the class continues to progress, I feel reassured that I am making progress. In evaluating my grasp of sharing and using blogs, I think I can now handle most of it very well. The difficulty arises when I do not practice, then I tend to forget and become frustrated. This feeling of frustration is often short lived since we have become a community of learners in the class, helping each other to achieve mastery.
To improve my situation I have been reading the resources shared by the tutors, this makes the task easier. Information posted on the portal have kept me afloat and functioning. The question and answer sessions we engage in as a class and sometimes as a small group, really serve to keep me focused.
I am eternally grateful to my tutors and my classmates for their unending support. Remember, we may not always be able to do everything on our own; at times we may need to get help, or to render assistance. This course requires a lot of practice but much more sharing. The race is not for the swiftest, but for the one who can endure.
The “aha moment” in Technology
The sessions in technology were quite informative and interesting. We explored a variety of topics but the sessions on digital and e-books were especially enlightening. I discovered that I did possess some knowledge about the topic, but lacked the hands on experience. Developing these manipulative skills, I realize, is vital to using this course in information technology.
During the session I was able to create two e-books, that was after having an “aha moment”. Following the step by step instructions of our tutor Cherisse, I was able to grasp the concept, to the extent that I was able to problem-solve with some of my peers. It was certainly a great feeling to have demonstrated that level of development, from the stage of information gathering to that of implementation.
I learnt to select appropriate clip arts and insert them into my power point presentations, making the presentations more attractive and reader friendly. I shared my books with Cherisse and a few colleagues, the feedback was positive and I was really proud of my progress. I thought to myself, if I was so elated and found so much pleasure doing the activity, how much more so would those students in the classroom.
I plan to use these strategies to assist two struggling readers who I know would benefit from this intervention. Now that I have tasted success with the technology, I intend to practice a lot in order to implement all of the other strategies that were proving to be a challenge. My blogs may be delayed, but I would preserve until I succeed.
During the session I was able to create two e-books, that was after having an “aha moment”. Following the step by step instructions of our tutor Cherisse, I was able to grasp the concept, to the extent that I was able to problem-solve with some of my peers. It was certainly a great feeling to have demonstrated that level of development, from the stage of information gathering to that of implementation.
I learnt to select appropriate clip arts and insert them into my power point presentations, making the presentations more attractive and reader friendly. I shared my books with Cherisse and a few colleagues, the feedback was positive and I was really proud of my progress. I thought to myself, if I was so elated and found so much pleasure doing the activity, how much more so would those students in the classroom.
I plan to use these strategies to assist two struggling readers who I know would benefit from this intervention. Now that I have tasted success with the technology, I intend to practice a lot in order to implement all of the other strategies that were proving to be a challenge. My blogs may be delayed, but I would preserve until I succeed.
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