MANAGING LITERACY CENTERSBy Andrea McHenry

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LITERACY CENTERS? To engage students while the teacher

works with small reading groups Reinforce literacy skills such as word

work, vocabulary, phonics, and mechanics (Center Management)

MOST IMPORTANT Creating, introducing, modeling, and

reinforcing your procedures and routines is the most critical task you will need to accomplish during the beginning of the year.

You will not be able to teach them all the first day, so you will constantly be reinforcing (The Cornerstone).Fountas and Pinnell (1996) recommend

spending the first six weeks of a new grade level establishing routines. (General Lit Center Info)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING CLASSROOM ROTATIONS

How will my students move from center to center?

How will you ensure students are completing the key centers?

How long should students spend in a center?

Are there limits to how many students can be in a center? (Literacy Center Management)

MINI-LESSONS Mini-lessons should be taught with centers when:

You are introducing a new center You are adding something new to a center You are reviewing an activity at a center

The mini-lessons should not be more than five minutes long.

The following mini-lessons should be taught and reviewed with the students on how to:

use the equipment and material. share. take turns while at the centers. use the management board. solve problems while at the centers. put things away when finished. switch centers. (General Literacy Center Information)

MANAGING LITERACY CENTERS There are many ways to organize the

center groups, you just have to find the management system that works best for you and your students.Students work with a partner at one center

a dayStudents go to two centers a day, while

working with buddiesGroups are grouped according to guided

reading groups so that they rotate through the centers and the guided reading group daily (Literacy Center Management)

MANAGING LITERACY CENTERS Classrooms are usually more successful

when a teacher uses a management board. There are many types of management

boards that can be used. You can find examples of some on the following website: http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_centers/management.html

The key is for students to know where they should be, what they should be doing, and when they should be there.

LITERACY CENTER MANAGEMENT In order for your centers to run

smoothly, you must be well organizedStudents must understand the procedures

while working in centersStudent folders designated just for centers

are great ways to keep centers organized (Center Management)

Students must know they cannot interrupt guided reading/small reading groups (General Lit Center Info) There should be a system in place for resolving

issues without teacher assistance.

HOW CAN I MONITOR AND ASSESS MY STUDENTS DURING CENTERS? Chart bad behavior Reward good behavior On the following website, you can find

many charts for keeping track of students during centers. You just have to find the ones that work best with your students (Behavior Management Forms) http://www.teachervision.fen.com/classroom-discipline/resource/6283.html

GREAT WAYS TO QUIET LOUD STUDENTS DURING CENTERS Have hallway conferences with children who

are misbehaving. Hold up a stopwatch and start it, if children

do not get quiet the amount of time on the stopwatch is how much recess they lose.

In a whisper say “If you can hear my voice (give an instruction), you may have free choice at the end of the day.” The students working quietly will hear you, and those talking loudly won’t get free time.

Here is a website of other great discipline strategies http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr261.shtml

RESOURCES Center Managament

http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_centers/management.html

The Cornerstone http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/free-resources/seasonal/beginning-the-year

Literacy Center Management http://literacycenters.wetpaint.com/page/Literacy+Center+Management

Behavior Management Forms http://www.teachervision.fen.com/classroom-discipline/resource/6283.html

Classroom Management: Ten Teacher Tested Tips http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr261.shtml

General Literacy Center Information http://www6.swlauriersb.qc.ca/crestview/ls/Teacher/Teacher_General_Literacy.htm