Center Time-The Most Magical Hour of the School Day


Center Time- The Most Magical Hour of the School Day

(This was written while I was still teaching kindergarten)

Several years ago, our kindergarten team was inspired by our county's Language Arts office to revamp our one hour of center time. We all saw this hour as an awesome opportunity to help our struggling students and appropriately challenge our advanced students. We knew that it was going to take work, planning, organization, consistency, repetition, and good management for us to be as effective as possible during this hour.
Today, center time is both my and my student’s favorite time of day.

Here are some specifics as to why center time is such an academically rich part of our day:
  • Each student is placed in one of four groups and I get to engage with each group for at least 12-13 minutes each day
  • The students are grouped based on their ability levels and I am able to give direct, differentiated instruction and offer rigorous activities customized for each group
  • The students not working with me develop independence as they work on activities with their classmates, with my assistance, or on their own

Here are several steps for implementing a successful center routine in your classroom:

Create your groups. Look at relevant, current data that aligns with the activities and instruction you'd like to give during the 12-13 minutes of group time and assign your students to groups according to their abilities.

Make a plan. Find or create engaging activities to teach and/or reteach the content appropriate and beneficial to each group (This small group time gives you a chance to get creative with manipulatives and even technology to make teaching or reviewing content really fun for the students)

Know and utilize your space. During my center time, 4 different activities are going on every 12-13 minutes and when time is up, the groups change activities. We do this 4 times in the hour which equals 16 different activities in a one hour time span. (You can see a visual of this plan below.)

In order to pull that off, you have to use your classroom space in the most effective way. I would always try to keep each of the four activities one of my groups would do in close proximity of each other, if not in the same space or at the same table.

Lay down the law. Explain, discuss, and demonstrate the rules, routines, and expectations to your students over and over and over.

Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice management routines during center time and be consistent with it. (For example, in my class, when it's time to switch, a bell will ring and all students stop what they're doing, put their hands on their heads, and wait for directions.)

Use your Technology. Take advantage of any technological resources during center time while group sizes are small. Allow one center timeframe to be computer center and give students instruction on how to complete an assignment using specific programs. I also like to create interactive games containing content I want my groups to work on. It's fun and engaging for the students.

Adjust where necessary. If transitions between different activities isn't working out, change it up. If one space in your classroom isn't working out for a particular activity, switch it to somewhere else. Only you will know what will work best for your classroom so don't be afraid to change something if it's not working.

I hope these suggestions better equip you to meet the needs of all of your students, everyday.
Here is an example of my center chart. I have an actual chart hanging in my classroom with pictures and words so the students can see what activities they will be doing each day. 




Group 1
Small Group
Listening Center
Writing Center
Fine motor
Group 2
Following Directions/Art
Small Group
Art
Reading
Group 3
Blocks/Construction
Math
Small Group
Science
Group 4
Phonics
Computers
Games/Puzzles
Small Group


**This would be the setting for Monday or the first day of centers for the week. At the end of the day, I take the group cards and move each up and bring the top on down. Friday, or the fifth day of the week, is a free choice day. Students get to pick which activity they’d like to go to. Each teacher can structure this however they’d like. 

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