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Low Maintenance Literacy Centers

Linking this today with Classroom Freebies!

I have to admit to you that I have always struggled with literacy centres.  I'll get on the bandwagon and have really great ones for about a month, the get burnt out and start to slide, until eventually we are not doing them!  Not cool.  I know!

After reflecting about my failures, I discovered the reason for my lack of literacy centre commitment is because of all the work involved in preparing them.  Last year a colleague of mine said,

"if you spend more time making the literacy centres than the students do using them, there's something wrong".

DING DING DING DING....so true! This year I'm determined to have really great RICH learning activities for my students that don't involve a lot of work to prepare.  Here's how I'm doing it.

1.  Be organized from the start.  This just works for me.  I have to have a plan as to how I'm going to organize the students, how they will rotate through the centres, and how I will organize the materials.

  

You can pick up a FREE copy of this board HERE.

2.  Allow for student choice.  When my students are at the working with words centre, they are choosing materials from our room, and making them into words (usually word wall words, but they can be from anywhere).  Here are some examples of materials student choose from:

-  river rocks
-  snap cubes
-  wiki stix
-  beans
-  pipe cleaners
-  magnetic letters

This centre is about as low maintainence as it comes because I fill the buckets at the beginning of the year and students choose. From them there on out.  These materials are also used for math instruction, but that's for another blog post!

Another centre allowing for choice is the writing centre.  I'm a firm believer in allowing students to choose their own writing topics, and writing styles.  It is really important that students write about topics that are meaningful to them.  

At the beginning of the school year, we spend quite a lot of time discussing possible topics,and exploring writing forms.  By Christmas students are more than ready to write independently.  Believe it or not, the boys in my class LOVE writing because it becomes a chance for them to express the ideas that roll around their minds and hearts.  It's a beautiful thing!







3. One special centre.  As part of my rotation, I have one "special centre", which is usually a typical literacy centre with printouts and laminating involved.  This centre changes each week, and I try to make it target an area of student need.  Students love the novelty of this centre, and I figure that one centre to make per week is no big deal!  

Here's an example of a special centre for us, called "Fishing for Sight Words".  I will write more on it later, and provide a freebie:)

Happy March Break everyone!  Make sure to get some rest!

Kylie

"Free Play" in Grade One

I don't know about you guys, but I find the first day back after a long weekend to be very tiring.  The kids are all out of routine, and they don't recall lessons from four days ago...haha!!!   Anyone else find that????   

My day back after Family Day looked like this....

That's right, my laminator is toast!   What's a teacher to do??????

I guess buy a new one...anyone know where to get one at a good price?


Anyway, I thought today I'd write about why I incorporate play into my grade one program.   Not all teachers do it, and some feel very strongly against it, so here's my two cents on the topic.

1.  Grade one children need it for cognitive reasons...

Quite simply, 6 and 7 year olds are still in the stage of development where play is very much part of their daily cognitive workings.  








2.  Students need it for social reasons...

Peer to peer interaction that happens during play is much different from that in a structured "desk work" setting.  Students learn to take turns, compromise, share, ask questions, and most importantly learn to synergize ideas to expand learning.





3.  It's open ended...

One thing I LOVE about allowing my students free play time is that true inquiry takes place.  Students have the opportunity to test their working theories and try new things.  New ideas are taught through lessons, but are solidified during play.





4.  It allows for authentic learning...

I love this Mr Rogers quote because I think it sums up what "play" in grade one is....it's the REAL learning.  


So there you have it....my thoughts on play.  

Care to weigh in?  

Kylie

Family Day and a FREEBIE!

Hey Everyone!  I hope you had a fantastic weekend!  Today in Ontario we have "Family Day", which makes for a nice long weekend for us tired exhausted teachers....seriously, can winter end, like, now? 

Our family spent the day with some precious family friends, who have kids the same age as our's, and we had a BLAST!  

To celebrate family day, and to hopefully welcome spring soon, I have a little freebie for you!  

Use these super cute spring word cards to reinforce syllables with your students.  I use it as a literacy centre, and have students place the cards in groups of 1, 2 or 3 syllables.  OR you could use them as part of your word wall.  OR, you could be creative and find a whole other use for them: ) Comment if you do, I'd love to hear about it!  Get your FREEBIE here!

An Introduction

Hey Everyone, and welcome to my little corner of the teaching blog world!  I'm glad you stopped by and I hope you will find some new ideas, resources and maybe even a new friend:)  

Here is a little bit of info about me!

-  I have been teaching for 10 years now, although 3 of those years I was off for maternity leave.  
-  My first loves are my family (next to Jesus, of course).  I have a very handsome hubby, who also happens to be a music pastor, and two very cute littles, ages 4 and 6. 
-  I LOVE teaching.  Seriously, I feel most alive in the classroom.  

If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask!

Kylie