I have decided to do a series of blog posts on stations and their management because while they can be an extremely effective lesson format, this format can also be challenging and stressful!!!!! I also recognize that if your first experience running stations didn't go as planned, it is difficult to be motivated to try them again. So... a few more tips on stations:
1) set-up the desks in advance (if possible). Floaters!! I know you. I have been you for two years. Every class I taught occurred in a different classroom. For someone like me who likes props, this was an extreme challenge. I simply had to let go of my expectations of starting stations with the bell. I would give my students a warm-up activity, then calmly rearrange the desks while they were completing the activity. If you have a class that is used to changing desk formations, then have them help. But if you do not, I recommend simply directing five students at a time to change into the arrangement that you want (spares time and noise!!).
2) Know your stations inside and out. Know exactly what activity corresponds to which station number. When you know what students are supposed to be doing at station 2, for example, you can answer a question, even if you are assisting a student at station 4.
3) Pre-form the groups with a maximum of five students. I honestly prefer groups of three-four, but for large classes this configuration is simply unattainable. For the first times that you run stations, make the groups in advance, and carefully consider your pairings. If you really want to get fancy, save your groupings and use them to inform your next station activity.
4) Don't be afraid to insert a "silent" station. While silent might be a bit of a misnomer, I occasionally incorporate a station that doesn't actually require cooperation (gasp!). My reasoning is to give introverted students a chance to breathe, relax, and process the data without being required to interact on top of all that work. So....what are some silent stations:
Create a pneumonic device for learning x... (remembering vocabulary, conjugating a verb, remembering irregular verbs of a tense, etc. )
Another silent station if your school is computer or tablet based is to have students complete a quick quiz in Quia, or any of other website. complete a quick web quest on a related cultural point, have students create their own five question quiz to share with you or the class upon completion of all stations.
Or incorporate some color therapy and have students draw a vocabulary word or verb picture, or simply color something that is pertinent to your class.
Let me know what else you want to know about stations!!! I would love to hear all about stations in your classroom.
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta stations. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta stations. Mostrar todas las entradas
miércoles, 12 de abril de 2017
viernes, 24 de marzo de 2017
Managing Stations
I love stations, but I know that getting a class used to station work can be a challenge. In the ideal world, the first time a class did a station activity it would go smoothly and everyone would be pleased, but in reality, just like any other new classroom activity, stations take time for students to figure-out, and it takes time for me to decide how to best manage them with any particular class. Here are some of the things that I do to manage stations:
1) Spot check/spot grade at random. I will grade or check students' station work. It is either entered in the grade book as participation or homework. If I have small classes, I will spot check a few questions from every student. If I have a large class, I will check the work of one of the group members that I select at random. Now to me the key is selecting the students' work you will grade because otherwise students who are bright, but less inclined to work with others, will show you their work for the group and nobody else will do anything.
2) Expect to have to re-explain the directions the first few times you do station work. If you have upper level students, it's ok to tell them to figure it out and travel around, but with the lower levels 7-9 a lot of time might be invested in explaining the stations again (and again :) ).
3) Plan to run stations for two days. Even if you have five ten minute stations and a fifty minute class, it is likely that when first starting stations, students will only participate in three of them due to needing new directions, traveling slowly, etc. That's ok! I find the second day of stations usually goes more smoothly, and then I have time to review answers as a class.
4) If I am running stations for two days, and I anticipate having some free time, I will encourage students' to revisit a station they found challenging, check their answers, or tidy-up their work.
What do you do to keep stations running smoothly?
1) Spot check/spot grade at random. I will grade or check students' station work. It is either entered in the grade book as participation or homework. If I have small classes, I will spot check a few questions from every student. If I have a large class, I will check the work of one of the group members that I select at random. Now to me the key is selecting the students' work you will grade because otherwise students who are bright, but less inclined to work with others, will show you their work for the group and nobody else will do anything.
2) Expect to have to re-explain the directions the first few times you do station work. If you have upper level students, it's ok to tell them to figure it out and travel around, but with the lower levels 7-9 a lot of time might be invested in explaining the stations again (and again :) ).
3) Plan to run stations for two days. Even if you have five ten minute stations and a fifty minute class, it is likely that when first starting stations, students will only participate in three of them due to needing new directions, traveling slowly, etc. That's ok! I find the second day of stations usually goes more smoothly, and then I have time to review answers as a class.
4) If I am running stations for two days, and I anticipate having some free time, I will encourage students' to revisit a station they found challenging, check their answers, or tidy-up their work.
What do you do to keep stations running smoothly?
domingo, 2 de diciembre de 2012
Stations and the autonomous student
I decided to write about stations and how I use them in the foreign language classroom because I have donated a product to the realistic teacher that is being used in her giveaway. You can find the link to her blog here: http://realistic-teacher.blogspot.com and the link the the raffle here: rafflecopter giveaway bundle
While I know that many teachers associate stations (or centers) with the lower school classroom, I find them an effective tool to provide middle and high school students both with autonomy and the opportunity to engage in learning through using many different senses or multiple intelligences. When I do station activities, I often allow students to choose which station they will start with. Sometimes, I will allow the students to choose which stations they complete for the entire class, depending on their level of focus. Students enjoy the freedom to move around the classroom, and engage in a variety of activities without having to ask my permission or ask me what to do. Additionally, the activities that are included in the stations are often more open-ended so they promote both choice and creativity. The stations provide students with the opportunity to capitalize on their strengths because I include stations such as a rhyming or rhythm station, a speaking station, a writing station, an acting station, and a cut and paste station. Sometimes, I will include a game station such as the tic tac to game that is found in my preterit verb station activity on my TPT page. I find that the majority of my students are highly engaged in learning the topic at hand, when they are given the freedom to choose how to engage with the subject matter.
Another benefit to stations is that I am able to circulate amongst the groups and devote more time to assisting students who need a little extra help. I find that students who generally understand the material can fully engage with the task on their own, which allows me to help struggling students without boring or neglecting students who have already mastered the material.
However, I will note that it sometimes takes using stations in a few lessons before the students will fully become autonomous. The first few times that I use stations, especially in my middle school classrooms, I have to circulate and repeatedly remind students to fully read the directions. Additionally, some teachers may need to reinforce behavioral expectations such as collaboration and task focus prior to starting a class that incorporates stations. I will often ask my students to reflect on their work and learning at the end of class. Occasionally, I will ask them to rate their participation and focus on a piece of paper that they turn in to me as they leave the classroom.
Finally, I hold students accountable for completing the work of the stations through sharing their accomplishments at the end of class, or during the next class. It is important to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through sharing in either a whole class or small group format. I always especially enjoy hearing the stories and the rhymes that the students have developed. Another option is to collect the work that the students produced (or have them act, or perform their work) and grade it.
Overall, I find stations an excellent way to differentiate in the classroom, while maintaining similar learning objectives for each student. Furthermore, the students benefit from the opportunity to choose how they will engage with the material. Do you use stations in your classroom?
While I know that many teachers associate stations (or centers) with the lower school classroom, I find them an effective tool to provide middle and high school students both with autonomy and the opportunity to engage in learning through using many different senses or multiple intelligences. When I do station activities, I often allow students to choose which station they will start with. Sometimes, I will allow the students to choose which stations they complete for the entire class, depending on their level of focus. Students enjoy the freedom to move around the classroom, and engage in a variety of activities without having to ask my permission or ask me what to do. Additionally, the activities that are included in the stations are often more open-ended so they promote both choice and creativity. The stations provide students with the opportunity to capitalize on their strengths because I include stations such as a rhyming or rhythm station, a speaking station, a writing station, an acting station, and a cut and paste station. Sometimes, I will include a game station such as the tic tac to game that is found in my preterit verb station activity on my TPT page. I find that the majority of my students are highly engaged in learning the topic at hand, when they are given the freedom to choose how to engage with the subject matter.
Another benefit to stations is that I am able to circulate amongst the groups and devote more time to assisting students who need a little extra help. I find that students who generally understand the material can fully engage with the task on their own, which allows me to help struggling students without boring or neglecting students who have already mastered the material.
However, I will note that it sometimes takes using stations in a few lessons before the students will fully become autonomous. The first few times that I use stations, especially in my middle school classrooms, I have to circulate and repeatedly remind students to fully read the directions. Additionally, some teachers may need to reinforce behavioral expectations such as collaboration and task focus prior to starting a class that incorporates stations. I will often ask my students to reflect on their work and learning at the end of class. Occasionally, I will ask them to rate their participation and focus on a piece of paper that they turn in to me as they leave the classroom.
Finally, I hold students accountable for completing the work of the stations through sharing their accomplishments at the end of class, or during the next class. It is important to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through sharing in either a whole class or small group format. I always especially enjoy hearing the stories and the rhymes that the students have developed. Another option is to collect the work that the students produced (or have them act, or perform their work) and grade it.
Overall, I find stations an excellent way to differentiate in the classroom, while maintaining similar learning objectives for each student. Furthermore, the students benefit from the opportunity to choose how they will engage with the material. Do you use stations in your classroom?
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