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Apr 2, 2014

Workstation Wednesday Introduction

 

I'd like to share how literacy workstations work in my classroom. Do you do workstations/centers? (We call them workstations in our district.) Are you required to do them? We are required, but we have some flexibility in how we do them. I've been doing them in this district for 7 years now and I've pretty much always used this same "work plan" idea. I've changed things as the years have gone by, but I have really found this to work well for me as a teacher and for my students. The stations are differentiated, the students can work at their own pace, and they aren't stopped in the middle of a station to move to the next one like they may be in some "center rotations."


When I explain to students at the beginning of the year how we do workstations in my room, I tell them that it's sort of like a list of chores. They can choose the order they do them in, they just have to be done by the end of the week. Students can work in partners/groups if they choose to and if those other students have those same workstations on their "work plan" or they can work alone if they wish. 

As I said, workstations are differentiated. I have anywhere from 3-7 different work plans, depending on the year and the time of the year. Many of the stations on each work plan are the same, but their work plan tells them which level to do in the workstation, for example. Other workstations are completely different on each work plan. For example, some will have sight word stations, word work stations, and phonics skills, while some students that don't need those skills quite as much might only have one of them, plus some higher level comprehension stations.

I'd like to share some pictures of my workstations in full swing. Then, I plan to do a short "series" of blog posts called WORKSTATION WEDNESDAYS where I will go into more detail on one specific workstation at a time. Also, good news, Tales from the First Grade is going to team up with me and do the fun blog post series too! So you can see how she does her workstations in first grade, and also how I do my workstations in my second grade classroom!
 

 
Here are my students' work plans. This shows a few differentiated versions that I'm using at this point in the year. I do change things around as the year goes on and as the years go by, all depending on my students' needs. The plans are personalized to meet my students.
 
 
       
Here are a few cuter examples of what I used at the beginning of the school year. As you can see, the levels of the tasks are easier because this was the beginning of the year and my second graders needed more help with those skills that are listed.

 
 
 


 




 
 
Response to Literature
 
 Vocabulary Stations
 
 
 
 
 

 
 Scholastic Brain Bank
 

 
 Word Work & Grammar

 
 
 
 
This was a quick tour of my workstations in full swing. Coming soon, I will have posts that give more detail to each of my stations/groups of stations. Check back each Wednesday!
 



Here are a few freebies from my store to help out with simple workstations. Please leave me feedback on the products if you download them, I'd appreciate it!
 
 
 
 
 

To see how Abbie does her stations in first grade, see her post here:
 
 


 

 

 


10 comments:

  1. I'm really excited about this! I'm a first year teacher, always looking for new ways to make workstations better! I love the idea of no time limits and giving them the freedom. One question I have about this is - what do you do with students who don't complete the work? I have a few that, without structure, would take advantage and not get the work done.

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    1. Yes, that happens. I have found over the years that this happens a lot with the boys! At the first conferences of the year, there are a few students that I have to go over the process with the parents and show them how students aren't getting work done. (I collect the work plan on Fridays and they receive a grade out of 9 points...sometimes I reduce down to 7 if it's been a hard week, etc.) Anyway, there are always a few that have to take their materials and work alone in the hallway in order to get something done and some have to show me everyday at the end what they have completed, if they didn't get anything done, they have to do it at recess. (Not everyone, just those select few!) That only lasts a few times and they get to work during workstation time. Also, the motivation that works well for me is that on Fridays, kids that are done with work plans, with quality work, get to do an activity on the ipads/computers during the workstation time. Once they see their friends on ipads and they still have 6 stations to go, they get motivated really fast! LOL

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  2. I am so excited to read your future blogs on this topic. We just started the Wonders program this year and I have been struggling to find a "workstation" system that I like. Thanks for doing Workstation Wednesdays!

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    1. Oh, I'm excited to hear this!!! Have you seen my Wonders workstations in my TPT store? Check them out if you are 2nd grade or 3rd grade. Let me know if you want me to send you a sample. Some of the pictures in this post are using my Wonders stations! :)

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  3. how long do they work at a station? if I meet with 2 small groups for 20 min each, that's 40 minutes some kids are working on their own. (heaven forbid I get to 3 groups, that's an hour for some to work independently). I have yet to find enough meaningful work to keep them busy for 40+ minutes...ugh

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    1. They work on a station for as long as it takes them to get it done. They don't move around the room in a rotation like some classrooms. I have workstations for 60 minutes. Some are working for 40 minutes because they are with me for 20 minutes. Others have already met with me earlier in the morning (because I have a separate intervention time) for their 20 minute group, so they actually get the full 60 minute workstation time. We are actually required to do 60 minutes, so it's important to have something working well in my classroom while I am doing good, quality small groups. (without an assistant!) So yes, many of my students work independently for 60 minutes. Sounds scary, but it happens! :)

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    2. Also, see my response to Jamie above :)

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  4. Love this post friend! I just started doing math stations every day about 2 weeks ago. We also do daily 5, but don't always get to it every day. I'm definitely going to have to pick your brain for some advice.

    Marcy
    Saddle Up For 2nd Grade

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    1. Good to hear! I'd love to start doing math stations in a more organized why like I do my reading. However, I don't have as long of a math block, only 60 minutes and we are required to do 120 minute reading block! Makes a big difference!

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  5. Just reading this. After being in 5th and 6th for many years, received a job assignment change to 3rd. I see this working much better for them. Thanks for the idea!

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