How do I Create Learning Stations?

Jennifer Partrick
Aug 30, 2010

Learning Stations are one of the strategies used to extend learning in order to meet the needs of diverse learners. Opitz (1994) stated that learning centers are ‘places where a variety of activities introduce, reinforce, and/or extend learning, often without the assistance of the classroom teacher' (p. 13). Often, teachers use centers as a means to work with small groups of students while the remainder of the class is engaged at centers.

As teachers deliberate how to create centers there are a few things they should consider in order for the station to benefit all students.

Assignment:

The station should focus on what students already know. Because stations are often used for independent work, students need to be familiar with the material. If not, they will most likely need help from you.

Materials:

All of the materials needed to complete the assignment or task should be in easy reach to the students. In doing so, students will not stray away from the station or need to ask you for help.

Accountability:

There should be some system in place so that students are accountable for their work. Having some type of output lets you know if the students met the objective of the station. Having to record or turn in some form of output also lets the students know that you are checking to see that they were on task at the stations.

Engaging:

Stations should be engaging. Stations should be created so that students want to go to that station. If stations are boring or unsupportive of student needs, students most likely will not benefit from the station. They may complete the task but will they benefit from the task?

Differentiation:

If tasks at stations are the same for all students, are all students needs being met? As we think about stages of development, does one size fit all? As stations are created, keep all of your students in mind as you create the task. For example, if you have a sequence station and you want to support all of your students, you could have pictures that the students put in the correct sequence to support the non reader. An extension of this activity could be to have students think about what most likely could have happened before the first picture and based on the pictures, what most likely could have happened after the last picture and students then add their own pictures to the ones given. These students could then label the pictures or attempt to write a simple story using the pictures as their graphic organizer. The proficient reader could sequence a story he/she read, or sequence a game or an activity that they like doing, or write a story. Differentiation ensures that all students are engaged in the task based on their need.

Learning Stations are powerful tools to use to support learning. Consider the task, the materials needed, accountability, student engagement at the station, and differentiating the tasks to meet the needs of all learners. Attention to how stations are created must be considered so that all students can benefit from their time spent in each station.

References:
Opitz. M. F. (1994). Learning centers: Getting them started, keeping them going. Boston: Scholastic.
Partrick, J. (2003). Learning to read. Boone, NC: LEARNING-FOCUSED Solutions Inc.
Voltz, D., Sims, M. J., & Nelson, B. (2010). Connecting teachers students and standards. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development