Center Times?

[stone2603]

I have several very methodical students in my class who work on one project forever. It takes them eons to color, cut, and paste. They are just perfectionists.

Just starting centers, I am beginning to wonder if I should keep the children all seperate during this time - as in have them move from center to center individually as long as there is still room for them at one. I've read a lot about the kids being placed in groups, but then these slower kids hold up their entire group from moving on.

Also, what do you do to prevent the kids who finish half the project at the table, say "I'm bored" and move on? Or who honestly think they are done because they colored half?

Thanks!

[Boxcar]

I don't see anything wrong with individual rotation. If you are worried abotu someone missing a center, you can have a check-off list at each one. Put a shape/sticker for each child in a list next to thier name. Ask the children to put a mark next to their name/symobl when they complete the center. You can also encourage them to try to write thier name too. It won't be readable in the beginning, but by the end of the year you'll be surprised. Have a list at every center.

You can try to have the child to finsih the the project by saying "I see you haven't colored the tree or the frog yet. I'd like you to complete those before you move on."

I think a lot depends on the circumstances. Has the child done enough to experience the activity? Children learn more from doing than from creating a finished project. I'd also look at whether this child refuses to complete the activities every day. Then you may want to push the issue a bit more. Try sitting down at the table where the child is working. Talk with the child to keep him engaged while he works. If he is sharing time with someone he enjoys, he will less likely become bored. Once he completes the activity, praise him by saying "I like how hard you worked today to finish that picture. I am proud of you for keeping at it." While at the table, you should be observing to see that the child isn't having a issue, such as poor small-motor control, that makes the activity frustrating or boring for the child.

Have you try other types of activities other than cutting, pasting, and coloring? For example, some children learn really well through music and may enjoy singing a song about fall into a record at the science center instead of coloring the leaves.

Remeber that young children have short attention spans. Five minutes is like an hour to them. It is so easy to forget this as teachers, but it is true. Soemtimes we have to build the children up to the level we want them. Try giving incredibly short activities and slowly increases the time you require at each center.

[mopar]

I like the idea of letting students move at an individual pace. Just make sure that the perfectionist students don't forgot to move. Maybe try having something they must collect from each station, like a special stamp or necklace or something. This may help students at first remember what station they've been to if you hang the collect object above the center. Also it will remind them of how many they must complete.

For the students who only want to complete half, try hanging the projects in different places. Have the students put up their projects. This may encourage some students to complete more as their parents can see their project at the end of the day.

[teach1027]

When you do a center rotation (in groups) there should be a time limit for each center, 20 minutes, for example. Each group is in the center for the alloted time, set a timer and when the time is up the group moves to the next center. If students did not complete the work thie 1st time, they can do it the next day. For your speed deamons that are always the 1st ones done have more tahn 1 activity in the center so they can move on to it when they complete the 1st task. One important note from someone who has done this before I do not put more than 3 people in a group I have tried 4 and it is too much. ALso group them heterogenously so they can help each other.

[Chef Dave]

There is nothing wrong with using groups provided there is an accompanying group structure.

Left to themselves, students who are more aggressive will do everything while students who are shy or lazy will do nothing. This tendency can be mitigated through the application of structured cooperative learning techniques.

When I was an elementary teacher, I typically broke students into groups of 3-4. I would have a starter, a getter, a recorder, and a presenter.

The getter got (and put away) all needed materials. The starter got to be the first to work at the learning center but was also responsible for making sure that each student also got a turn. The recorder recorded all results and the presenter presented the results to the teacher (or the class if we were sharing group results).

This format was actually the same format I used for inquiry science - so it was familar to the students and did not require a great deal of training.

[Stacy B]

I believe center time should be child directed. I use a center management system where children use name tags and freely move center to center. This allows children who want to spend an hour building blocks or creating an art project the opportunity to do so. It also allows children who get bored doing something the opportunity to change centers.