Today we're going to focus on Math Centers. While Centers might seem daunting, they really are doable, and I'm going to help you!
Centers are not just for elementary students. You can certainly make them colorful and cutesy if that's your style, but it's not a requirement for a successful Center. Really, all you need are good problems and good groups. I've done a Center that was simply problems written on chart paper hung on the walls in the hallway outside of my classroom in a Gallery Walk setup, and it was hugely successful!
Centers can either be a review of multiple skills, or a time for students to practice one specific skill, which makes them more flexible than Stations. There should be a logical connection between the centers, however, so the students feel there is a purpose to what they are doing.
If manipulatives are available, Centers are an excellent time for the students to use them. If students do not have access to physical manipulatives, there are lots of pdf versions available that students can cut out and use. Additionally, iTunes has free virtual manipulative apps if iPads are available. We'll discuss the importance of manipulatives more in a future blog post, but trust me, they are important for students at every grade level to use.
Each Center should have clear instructions for the students to follow when they arrive, and students should record all of their work on a sheet designed for the activities. When you first start out with Centers, you might need to print recording sheets for students to use until they get used to how it needs to be organized. If you use Interactive Notebooks, students can record their work there. Centers are a great time to use foldables for recording as well.
Center activities should be open-ended, allowing for multiple responses from students. This will allow students to self-differentiate. For example, instead of asking students to look at a series of numbers and determine the pattern, you can ask them to list the first 5 numbers in a pattern of their choice, then describe the pattern rule. Counters could be provided for students at this center so they can model their pattern. Asking open-ended questions will also cut down on the number of parallel tasks you need to create for each Center.
Grouping should occur before the class starts. Consider the types of activities the students will be engaging in before deciding whether the groups should be high-low, high-high, low-low, etc. Also consider personalities when grouping students. The battle should not be able who doesn't want to work with each other, but about the fact that students are sad that class is over and they want to do more math! One of the best things to do with groups is to give each student a job within the group. The jobs must be meaningful to the students. You must also be able to hold each person accountable for their jobs. This will help cut down on classroom management issues, because students are policing each other for you!
Examples of Student Jobs:
Volume Control - Makes sure group does not get too loud. The first time the teacher has to address the group, it's a warning. The second time, the group loses their treat (a piece of candy, a pencil, or bonus points seem to work well).
Question Manager - All questions the group has must go to this person first. If students are still confused about the directions or the problem, this person is responsible for asking the teacher.
Topic Guru - Makes sure group stays on topic. The first time the teacher has to address the group, it's a warning. The second time, the group loses their treat (a piece of candy, a pencil, or bonus points seem to work well).
Materials Manager - Makes sure all materials are put away when the group is finished at that Center. This person is also in charge of making sure all student work is turned in with names!
Make sure you set clear expectations before allowing students to begin their Centers. Also, understand that this is going to be a learning experience for everyone, students and teacher alike, so be a little flexible the first few times if things don't go exactly how you thought or hoped they would. Learn from each mistake and improve the process for the next time! You might find that you need an extra center to help with the flow. Or you might need a desk set off to the side with a worksheet or textbook on the skills that are being covered in the Centers for students who aren't able to participate in a way that is conducive to learning. Make sure you hold the whole group accountable if the whole group is not on task, but also remember that if there's only one student in the group that's having issues, only that student should be addressed. Something as simple as a group change might fix it. Other times, removing them from the fun of the Centers once or twice is enough to change the behavior.
With Centers, there is plenty of time for you to move around the room and check in on groups. Use this time to praise students for their hard work, their perseverance, and their ability to work together!
How do you use Centers in your classroom? Share your stories in the comments!
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