Station Work

As a teacher, I know that my kids work and learn best in small groups. Whole group instruction is just so difficult when I have 17 different students at about 10 different levels. No wonder it is hard to keep a class focused at the same time. Each set of students learn an entirely different way than another set of students. First I tried reducing my whole group instruction and putting more time into stations. My kids loved it and I saw their growth skyrocket. So I decided to take the unconventional leap and take out all whole group instruction. All of my best teachings takes place with less than six kids anyways. Why not teach them like this all the time?

I switched my classroom to all station-based learning the last couple months and the kids are loving it. They feel so independent at their little workstations, collaborative meetings, and tech time. One thing I have noticed, though, is that I am running through a lot more paper. Every station needs instructions. And let’s be honest, the instructions get lost within the first week. Whether a kid accidentally picked the copy up and something was spilled, my instructions always get lost. My trick was to invest in some shipping supplies. That’s right! I ordered some job ticket holders from a shipping supplies company and have been loving them ever since.

You could go with classic black or upgrade to all sorts of different colors. In my room, each color stands for something different. Red are always instructions, blue is independent work, and green is partner work. I have them strategically placed around the room for easy access for the kids. We spend a lot of time learning and revisiting procedures so the kids always know what is expected of them. They know to pick up their job ticket holders and get right to work.

I don’t have to make as many copies of things because they can use the clear holders to write on! Every kid has their own dry erase marker and they can actually check off lists or complete their worksheets without ever actually writing on the paper! Most of my station work is ungraded anyway. So one student can write all over the outside, turn it in for a quick check, use wipes to erase their work, and the next kid can get started right after! It has been such a lifesaver and a tree saver! Each year and group of kids is different, but I think this is one trick I’m going to keep around for quite a while!