WORK STATIONS or

LEARNING CENTRES

for Junior Primary Education

Tell me and I forget.

Show me and I remember.

Involve me and I understand.

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Chinese proverb

STATIONS

There are normally at least four stations spread throughout the class depending on student numbers and physical class size.

What are they?

Activity centers provide the context for teaching transformative and holistic learning where students social, emotional, physical AND academics are grown. If planned thoughtfully, activity stations are a means for promoting fairness, harmony, inclusion and academic excellence. 

WHY?

ENCOURAGES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION: conversations, activities, reading, writing

HELPS STUDENTS: relax, take risks, use energy, discover, express individuality

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: greater content covered, and more  engagement possibilities

ASSIST STUDENTS as they practice a particular skill that they need help with

DIFFERENTIATION

STUDENTS LEARN BEST THROUGH PLAY

CAN ASSIST STRUGGLING STUDENTS OR ADVANCED

DEVELOPS GROUP SKILLS:

HOW?

GROUPINGS: pairs, similar learning levels, varied abilities, groups of 4,5, 6?

01

02

03

04

TIME: how long? Will student rotate through ALL stations?

CONTENT: Will all students explore the same learning? How much space do you need/have?

ANSWERS: How will students display learning? e.g. sheet, poster, build, draw

HOW?

TECHNOLOGY to include or not?

05

06

07

08

TRANSITIONS: prepare students, try to make seamless, avoid too many choices

TEACHER: What is your role? e.g. observe, take-notes, trouble-shoot, ask Q's, introduce vocab.

SUBJECTS:  Can focus on one subject or incorporate a theme across a few subjects

Organisation

Set-up in advance, trial stations, explain thoroughly

GENERAL TIPS:

Discuss

Give students opportunities to discuss with each other and teacher, during and after station learning

Purposeful

Determine what students already know or don't and thoughtfully plan discovery opportunities

Creativity

almost any rich learning opportunity can be translated into a learning station

Practice

as students are exposed more and more to stations they will gain more

Review

as a teacher reflect on stations and what needs to be changed or altered - they can be repeated

THEORY

refer to any good journal or research article

copies found in Australian Journal of Teacher Education:

Embedding Play-Based Learning into Junior Primary (Year 1 and 2) Curriculum in WA

Stations will support students learning, it is not meant to be an

entire educational system, but rather to be integrated with other learning opportunities

Play nourishes every aspect of children's development - it forms the foundation of intellectual, social, physical and emotional skills necessary for success in school and life. Play 'paves the way for learning'.

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unknown source

Let's play!

....I mean Learn