Classroom Centers

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