Students have 30-45 minutes of center time on a daily basis. I initially place students into groups. Later in the year students may have more flexibility to choose their own groups. There are two types of center activities – developmental and educational.

Students participate only in developmental centers in the beginning of the year. Literacy and math centers are introduced gradually. Developmental center activities include construction with blocks, Play-Doh, art, puzzles, reading in the Book Nook, listening center, games, and housekeeping corner.

As the year progresses literacy and math centers replace the developmental centers. During guided reading the students work in three groups -with me, the aide and the ESL teacher. The remaining students work independently in literacy centers. Some of these centers include the writing center, computer center, A-B-C center, pocket charts and Reading the Room. During math center time the students are divided again into four groups. Two groups play a math game with me and the assistant. Two groups work independently with materials to review sorting, matching, counting, patterning,etc.

I prefer to observe and guide students during center time but my schedule is such that I am unable to do so anymore. I don't begin taking guided reading groups initially so that the first six-eight weeks of school I can set up procedures, routines and establish rules. I let my assistant and the ESL teacher take groups while I guide the children in developmental/play centers and gradually switch over to literacy centers. During this time I teach the children how to play at centers, problem solve and clean up. My job is make sure the routine is running smoothly, observe the children, have the chance to talk and interact with the kids, make recommendations, pull them aside for assessment, and get to know them. I try to question them about their thought process during centers or workjobs to evaluate their progress. I find that interacting with the children 1:1 or in small groups during centers and Guided Reading makes this my favorite time of the day. It is with these learning activities that children have the most opportunity to make fresh discoveries and I like to be on hand to share it with them.

During Guided Reading time my aide works with the children in handwriting activities and poetry journals.Later in the year she takes small reading groups for reinforcement.

Developmental Center Objectives:
Students learn to share and play together.
Students learn simple rules and routines.
Students learn to cooperate and solve problems in small groups.
Students learn to make choices.
Students develop motor skills and conversational skills.

Educational Center Objectives: There are often specific objectives aimed at reinforcing whole group lessons.

 

Our classroom centers are sometimes stored in tubs.

The math centers include commercial games I've purchased, file folder games and activities that I create such as the money bingo game in the middle of this photo.

This photo shows various language arts activities such as file folder games, sorting little objects by beginning sound, magnetic letters, and clipboards and glasses for reading and writing the room. The blue tub is a games tub and it contains an assortment of games created by Houghton Mifflin. Activities vary from month to month and focus on different skills as they are introduced.