Learning Centers - Yay!

If you spent any time in lower-grade classrooms, you'd see reading groups, choice time, learning centers, almost all the time, everyday.  With all the talk about differentiated instruction, student-directed learning, student choice... I finally took the plunge and set up my learning centers this year.  There are things I can definitely improve on, but I was very please with my centers for the most part.

To set it all up took some time and courage.  I discovered on the spot that no more than one person can sign in and record on one Voicethread account at any one time.  My tech center took a hit on day one.  It is very easy for me to abandon this project right there and then, but I got myself together and figured out glitches, requested more VT accounts, modeled before setting students off again.  Phew!  It turned out to be the most rewarding couple of weeks I have ever had as a teacher.

We would start our 30-min class in a circle.  One student would write the date on the board.  Another would lead the class in reciting the date.  Then we have 5 minutes of meeting, 'chatting' in the target language, in place of an oral drill.  I love this time with the students because we talk about real events in students lives, though the scope is sometimes limited due to their language proficiency.  However, this is when I see a lot of meaningful learning.

After our meeting, I walked through the centers again with my students.  Off they went.

As much as it's a great opportunity for students to learn independently and with a few others, learning centers also provide me with the opportunity to take a small group and work with them on what they need most.  I highly recommend it.