How to Use Learning Centers in a Primary Grade Classroom
Learning centers are a great way for primary school-age children to get excited about learning. They give them a way to choose what they want to learn and to learn in an active way, rather than passively listening to a teacher. They also give the teacher the opportunity to interact with students on a one-on-one or small group basis. To ensure success, carefully plan your learning centers and teach children how to use them.
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine how many learning centers you want to create. Most likely, you'll have time for students to do just one learning center a day. You can create five learning centers to fit with a school week or 10 centers for a two-week cycle. You also could set up eight learning centers and plan group activities for the extra two days in a two-week cycle. Do whatever works best with your lesson plans.
-
2
Plan and set up the learning centers. Decide which types of learning centers you want to have. For example, you may want art, reading, writing, science, social studies, math, music and dramatic play centers. Set up your centers with all of the tools that children will need. The music center may have headphones so students can listen to music, while the reading center would have a small library of books.
-
-
3
Establish rules, consequences and rewards. Work with your students to create the rules of the learning centers and what will happen if they do or do not follow the rules.
-
4
Show students how to use each learning center. If your students are young or don't read well, take them to each station and explain what they should do. Older students can read instructions that you leave for them.
-
5
Allow students to plan their own schedules. Part of the fun of using learning centers is that the kids can decide what they want to do. Let them choose every day, but make sure that they use each station at least once.
-
6
Interact with students while they are at the learning centers. As students participate in the activities you've set out for them, walk around the room and offer help or suggestions whenever possible. Let students know that you are there if they need you.
-
7
Reward students for good behavior. When students follow all the rules and have completed all of the stations, reward them with a sticker or other small gift.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit edenpictures/Flickr.com
