ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy Explained: Centers/Stations

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers/Stations Centers/Stations are specific areas throughout the classroom that contain independent learning activities for students to complete. Students can complete these activities during transitional times, during specific “station” time, after finishing assigned work or at other times specified by the teacher.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers/Stations What’s the difference? Centers can be used when the student has ‘down time’, after finishing current work and before the next subject begins. Stations are considered work areas that are used like circuit training. Students all work on stations at the same time. Students change stations at a signal, or can move independently between stations at their own pace. For the purposes of the Javits Project, the words Stations and Centers are used interchangeably. From this point forward the term “Centers” will be used for both.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers can fall within one content area/topic or many are self-contained learning locations. Each stop adds to the learning goal but does not have to be completed in a set manner. can be used to develop or reinforce skills. invite independence and flexible grouping because students choose centers and spend different amounts of time completing each task.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers Assignments in centers can vary from day to day depending on who is in the center. Centers offer a balance between student and teacher choice. Sometimes the teacher indicates a set task and other times there are choices that address the same idea but in different ways.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers Centers can have a learning focus or stimulate interest in a topic. Learning-focused centers have tasks that guide students to work with information to develop knowledge and skills. Interest-focused centers contain materials that allow students to investigate a topic they have an interest in and want to learn more about.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers Ground Rules W hen developing centers remember: Think about focused learning goals – use your state standards to develop activities. Use materials that support students in achieving those goals; Address varied readiness, learning profiles and student interests; Include a variety of activities from simple to complex, concrete to abstract, structured to open- ended.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers More Ground Rules Also remember: provide clear directions for students; offer instructions for student if help is needed; include instructions for students when a center assignment is completed; use a record-keeping system to monitor what students do at the center and the quality of work completed; include a plan for ongoing assessment of student growth in the class overall, which can lead to adjustments in center tasks.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Differentiation Strategy: Centers Early childhood teachers often use centers as learning situations for their students. You may wish to talk with these teachers to learn how they select their center options.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 1.Using the Center Planning Sheet, page 1, determine if all of the centers will support one content area/topic of study/standard area or if each center will be completely unique, spanning many areas and topics. Circle your choice in the center square. 2. What Standards/Goals will these activities support? List the learning objectives for these centers on the top row of the planning sheet. Will you have one objective for all centers OR one objective per center?

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 3. In the 8 adjacent boxes brainstorm learning tasks for the center with a specific learning objective in mind – one task per box. Tasks for each center should be independent of one another. Also think: How can you differentiate the tasks by learning style preference, student interest or by adding choices to the activity?

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! Select three tasks to develop. Remember that tasks should not have to be completed in sequence.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 4. You should have multiple copies of page 2 of the Centers Planning Sheet. Choose one, two or three activities to expand on. For each activity use a Planning Sheet to organize it and determine materials and resources you will need. 5. Make notes on “ground rules.” Think: Will student work be self-checking? Where will students hand in their work? How will you assess or give grades, points or credit? How will you manage centers in your room?

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 6. Create and gather materials and organize your center. Think colorful, clear, creative! 7. Share your center with a colleague and ask for feedback. Does the center have differentiated tasks students can do? Are there enough challenging materials to engage students with the content? Is the center appealing to students?

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers: Tips Each center should be easily visible in the room. Include clear student instructions at each center, these can include visual prompts or tape recorded instructions. An orientation should be given to the entire class on each center. Create a student schedule, sign-in and sign-out logs for each center, if desired. Give students a chance to evaluate each center and to self-evaluate their work in a journal or checklist.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 8. Reflect on your colleague’s comments and make any adjustments to the center. - What presented the greatest challenge when developing these center? - How could this challenge be made less difficult? - What classroom management procedures must be in place for students to successfully use these centers?

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Activity: Try it! 10. Introduce the center to students systematically. -Establish a routine for completion of the centers. -Discuss independent work strategies with students. -Observe students using the centers and document what you observe – student behavior, their level of engagement with the activities and any further ideas for improvement. -Ask students for feedback.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Try it another way! With proper support students can create their own interest centers. Adjust the directions from this presentation for kids OR see Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner (2001), pages for information and guidelines.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Discussion What areas in your teaching can benefit from the use of centers? How can using centers assist you in reaching the needs of all learners in your classroom? Discuss how you might use information about student readiness, interests and learning preferences to create differentiated centers. Discuss specific ways you might use centers in your classroom.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers Consider inviting your coordinator of gifted services, principal, curriculum coordinator or other administrator to observe your students using Centers. Your observer can use the observation form found under Module Specific Planning Documents in the Facilitator Module.

ODE Javits Project: I-GET-GTEd Centers/Stations Resources ASCD video. (2002). Instructional Strategies for the Differentiated Classroom, Tape 6: Centers. Available from Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Free Spirit Publishing: Minneapolism, MN