Learning Centers as described by the website Teacher
Visions is a “space
set aside in the classroom that allows easy access to a variety of learning
materials in an interesting and productive manner” (Learning Centers. (n.d.). from https://www.teachervision.com/learning-center/new-teacher/48462.html) . Learning centers were also described as “designated
areas of the classroom where students congregate in small groups to accomplish
given learning tasks” by the website About Education. (Lewis,
B. (2014, March 18). Learning Centers. from http://k6educators.about.com/od/educationglossary/g/Learning-Centers.htm
). Both definitions for this instructional strategy would be correct. Learning
Centers are a technique that can be extremely helpful in classrooms not only
for students but for teachers also. These centers provide a way for students to
continue working together or independently while the teacher works with other
children. Learning centers were created to help students develop on concepts,
skills, or topics. Usually they are used after a new lesson or concept is taught.
Applying
this concept in the classroom would take a significant amount of time, mostly
taken up by training the class on how to behave during learning center time and
how each center works. After the classroom has been trained on how to work
within the centers, the rest is a matter of setting an adequate amount of time
for each center and allowing the time for a full rotation. On the website
Teacher Vision, it is stated that there are three types of learning centers,
enrichment learning centers, skill learning centers, and interest and
exploratory learning centers. Enrichment learning centers are designed to
provide students with a variety of learning choices as an addition to their
lesson. Skill learning centers are similar to enrichment centers since they are
used after teaching the preliminary concept or skill. Interest and exploratory learning
centers unlike enrichment and skill learning centers are designed to focus on
the interests of students.
Learning
centers can build on any subject from Math to Reading to Science. An example of
a Math learning center that is also an enrichment center would be a center in
which the student plays Math games that build on addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. Another enrichment learning center would be based
on science where the student would draw pictures of the different growth stages
of plants. An example of a Interest and exploratory learning center would be
one in which students have a sort of “free-time” to work on what they liked
most of to continue working of a center of their choosing, this allows the
student an outlet throughout the day.
Reference:
Lewis, B. (2014, March 18). Learning Centers.
Retrieved October 09, 2016, from http://k6educators.about.com/od/educationglossary/g/Learning-Centers.htm
