The Happy Learning Den

Last week I enjoyed a loooooong lunch (with wine) with a good friend who is also a teacher in my school.  We chatted about what we have been doing this summer, different recipes we have both tried out - the good, the bad, and the downright u.g.l.y., and stuff going on in our own families.  Normal friend chit-chat, BUT since we are also colleagues we naturally started talking about school.  (You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but ... )

We naturally started talking about what went well last year, and what we would like to do differently this upcoming school year.  She asked me to explain to her how I differentiated for all of the students and learning styles, because it is a huge undertaking.  It made me have to really pause and think, because it isn't something that I normally "think" about.  It's just something that I do. 

After lunch, and we went our separate ways, I began to wonder if this is something I should be sharing with others.  Today, I would like to share with you how to differentiate in your classroom centers, without it seeming like an overwhelming impossibility. 

How are you supposed to differentiate each center, each week, for each student? 

It can be done, by grouping your students by ability.

I group my students according to their levels from the end of year tests from the previous school year, my beginning of year tests, weekly vocabulary quizzes, reading quizzes and tests, and math chapter quizzes & tests.  If one of my student’s scores really low in algebraic thinking, but really high in measurement, he or she would be put in different groups depending on what is being taught. (Your students should not stay in the same group for the entire school year. I regroup my students about once a month, and occasionally I will shuffle a few students each week.)

Also, I have found that sometimes a student will work better with a certain group of students versus another group-even if one is higher than the other.  It’s okay to put a student in that higher group, but you need to make sure you provide support/enrichment.

Once you have figured out your grouping, you can start to think about your centers. Centers are a powerful way to get students engaged in hands-on activities on their level. 

I taught first grade for 5 years and third grade for 8 years.  In both grades, students had actual center time.  A rotation was posted on the board and routines were followed.  Now that I teach 5th grade, I still have my students in centers, but it works a little different.  I give my students’ “Educational Learning Choices” after they have finished their “Must Do’s” each day.

 

In my class students must use the online I.Ready  Reading and Math program (40 minutes per subject) each week.  To manage this, it is listed under their “Must Do’s” for the day. With “Must Do’s” and “May Do’s” students learn time management and work for center time.

Samples for Daily "Must Do’s:"

1)20 minutes of I.Ready (MW is Reading, TTh is Math, and then I look at the data and let students know what they are doing on Friday.  Friday is also a time they can make up time if they were absent.)

2)Read Works: An Article a Day.  I highly recommend you look into this.  It is free, and you can assign your students different articles depending on their ability level (online program).

I also have weekly "Must Do’s" that are due each Friday.  So students might opt to work on it a little each day, or a huge chunk of it one day and not the rest, but it is up to them as long as it is completed by Friday.   What if students don’t complete these assignments?  The way I handle it is this, 3 strikes and you’re out.  If any student misses 3 deadlines, then that student and I sit down and work out a daily schedule for the daily amount of time they need to work on each task.  

Some of the Must Do’s that are due on Friday are 

★ Accelerated Reader (AR) tests (due every 2 weeks)

★ Reading Comprehension Centers

★ Math Reteach/Enrichment pages depending on the week.

May Do’s (aka Educational Learning Choices): These are student choices.  Every single one is academic!  By allowing students to choose their learning activities (ie centers), they feel empowered and are ready and open-minded to learn more.  

Some examples of "May Do’s:"

★ Prodigy: Online math game

★ Versatiles

★ Reading Silently or Buddy Read

★ Hot Dots (I have these for Reading, Math, and Science.)

★ Task Cards (I have over 50 sets of engaging and differentiated task cards for reading, math, and science in my store.  If you are interested, you can see them here.)

★ Flash cards

Of course, students meet with me in their reading and math groups as well.  I generally teach  each  group  for  20 minutes and the rest of the time is theirs to work on their assignments - while I meet with the other groups.  

A few things to remember:

1) Routines and procedures are crucial. 

2) Centers should run themselves. 

3) You can differentiate for your students in centers. 

4) During center time, you can pull back students who needed more one-on-one attention. This is also a great time to join in with a group of students during center time to observe, assess, and/or have fun.  I try to join in with one group each week, and rotate the groups that I visit.

5) Every student can feel successful during center time. 

The best piece of advice I can give to you, is make it work for you. Change things as you go and change it up until it fits your style and your vision. 

I hope this is helpful for you!  

If you have any questions or suggestions for others 

please leave them in the comments below.

-Sandra @The Happy Learning Den