“This is boring,” Cynthia drawled as some multi-colored beans slid loosely through her fingers.  “Why do we have to separate these?”
“Can I go to another center now?” Ray complained from a corner of the room.
“I don’t understand.  What am I supposed to do here?” Steve inquired, his head cocked to one side.

        Cynthia, Ray, and Steve are third graders who are participating in one of the fifteen centers stationed around the perimeter of their classroom.  Because they finished their work early, Miss Johnson, their teacher, directed them to work at these particular stations.  Unfortunately, many of the students’ attitudes reflect the same as the ones above:  they are either bored, restless, or confused.
        The situation is not completely hopeless, however, as the centers offer real experiences and concrete materials.  For instance, the science center boasts blooming grass and planted peanuts, both made by the students.  An incubator is propped up in the corner warming up six chicken and two goose eggs to hatch.   The math center has an unlimited variety of manipulatives, the library has books of all sizes and levels, and the game center is chock full of in-door and outdoor games.   A small, dusty TV and piano keyboard sit quietly in the corner, and CD’s of Tchaichovsky and Bach are stuffed into an unused desk.  With all of this potential, I was disturbed to see the centers were unsuccessful.  “What went wrong,” I thought, “and how do you make learning centers work?”
        Not receiving much previous instruction on K-3 learning centers in my education courses, I found myself inundated with a variety of questions.  Should centers be an integral part of the curriculum or just a “free-time” activity?  How do you assess the students?  How do you cut down on transitioning chaos?  Can older grades use them?  I clearly did not know much about the fundamentals and had plenty of queries to find answers to.  The following are my findings and discoveries about this child-centered approach to active learning.

What Are Learning Centers?
      Imagine:  students engaged independently or in collaborative groups with hands-on activities organized all around the room; the teacher glides between children, scaffolding, assessing, and observing along the way, giving one-on-one help when needed.  In essence, this is what a classroom with learning centers looks like.  Called by a variety of names, learning centers include “interest centers, learning stations, activity areas, free-choice areas, booths, and enrichment centers”(Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992, p.13); regardless of the name, though, they usually refer to an area in the classroom where students find authentic materials for studying a particular subject (Sloane, 1998).  These environments include multiple centers set up around the classroom with open-ended, experimental activities planned by the teacher based on the assessed needs of the children.  Meant to be stations where children can work independently, or cooperatively with other students, the teacher’s constant presence and direction is not required.  The activities are usually investigational, allowing for exploration and discovery by the child, which helps students construct their own understanding of phenomenon in the world.  This, in effect, leads to meaningful learning.  As for the teacher, her role is to act as a facilitator and supporter of each child.  On Bredekemp’s continuum of teacher’s roles, for instance, the teacher falls in the middle, being neither “least” or “most directive” (Sloane, 2000, p.17).  She acts as a guide for her students, providing scaffolding to assist them to the next level.  Therefore, as the teacher supports them in their journey, learning centers provide an atmosphere where children are responsible for their own learning.

Why are Learning Centers Preferred?
          Learning centers are preferred over other teaching styles for a number of reasons: it nurtures autonomy, it fosters a cooperative atmosphere, and it facilitates “doing and understanding”(Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992, p.11). Children gain independence with this set-up because they are in charge of their own materials and learning.  Furthermore, because they are given the responsibility to make choices and practice some freedom within limits, they ultimately sharpen their decision-making skills.  Expressing ideas and interacting with one another, a fundamental aspect of learning centers, facilitates collaboration, and as a result of this socialization, the students learn to use each other’s strengths to solve problems.  Finally, Dewey and Piaget both assert that children actively construct their knowledge of the world and that they are active learners.  By providing hands-on, concrete experiences, learning centers support the fact that children learn by manipulating materials (Sloane, 1998).
Overall, learning centers simply foster exploration, discovery, and the extension of learning.
           Teachers also prefer learning centers because they can freely observe and assess the students, they can meet individual needs, and they don’t need multiple sets of materials.  Due to the fact that students usually work independently or collaboratively, the teacher now has time to rotate around the classroom and kidwatch, or observe how each child is doing; in a whole group instructional method, this wouldn’t be possible.  Because the teacher watches each child closely, she is then able to assess her students’ individual needs and plan accordingly.  Finally, all the students don’t use the same materials at the same time; therefore, the teacher needs only one or a few copies of a certain material leaving much more variety in the classroom as a valuable result (Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992; Opitz, 1994).

Types and Uses of Centers
        Learning centers are used in different ways in different classrooms, running on a continuum from being an integral part of the curriculum to being used only for enrichment.  They can be utilized in three distinct formats, or a variation of them.  The first is as a supplement to the curriculum.  In these centers, the children visit one or more centers after they finish their seatwork, like in Mrs. Irvin’s classroom.  However, Pattillo and Vaughan (1992) believe that centers should not be used as a reward for completing work, as it ultimately punishes the slower child.  It also may cause some children to hurry through their work to get to the centers. The second approach is to use centers as a “free-time” activity where the students choose a station during a blocked off time slot.  For this arrangement, the teacher needs to make sure enough centers are available for everyone.  Thirdly, many teachers use centers as a major teaching method, where they provide all or part of the curriculum.  Usually, these centers are set up by subject, theme, or a combination of the two (Novelli, 1990; Opitz, 1994).
          When centers are used as the core teaching method, many teachers use themes to integrate subject areas.  Seeing that subjects are not used in isolation in the real world, using themes makes problem solving outside of school more realistic.  An example of a theme set-up is “Bugs and Other Related Animals.”  In this classroom, one might find books in the library about bugs, story starters about bugs in the writing center, and word searches about bugs in the spelling center (Staab, 1991).  Social studies and science topics are good candidates for a theme layout, seeing that mathematics and English can almost always be integrated into them.
            Learning center ideas should not be limited to the indoors; they can be implemented outdoors as well.  For instance, one school, with the help of volunteers and aides, created a Fantasy City over a five-acre space.  They invited the Post Office, the Fire Department, the Paramedics, City Hall and representatives from other organizations to set up stations around the designated area.  The children were given a compass, map, and 20 task cards which asked questions such as “Where is the best place to go for help?” and “Can you find the names of some eye doctors?”  This was an excellent way to utilize school property, the neighborhood, and other community spaces, as well as facilitate data gathering and problem solving in a realistic setting.  Although this is a great project idea, outdoor centers do not have to be large in scale; a teacher could merely adopt a small patch of soil on the school grounds and provide a gardening center for her students.  Because they are able to get out of the classroom and move around, children will be eager to get involved (Brown, 1998).
 

Centers by Age
        Although centers primarily started in pre-school, they have now expanded into the upper grades, proving appropriate for almost any age.  After researching about learning centers in all age groups, three major clumps stand out as having differing objectives:  preschool, K-3, and fourth grade-high school.  In preschool, the centers are created for general exploration and discovery, with centers such as sand, water, and building blocks.  Much of their activity involves “play” with little structure in the schedule.  In primary school, the centers are still very exploratory, but they tend towards the state mandated curriculum.  With more specific subjects, they are usually divided into the academic topics (math, writing, science) and the arts (dramatic play, music, art).  Also, the centers may not be the primary teaching method; they may be just voluntary or used during “free-time.”  In the fourth grade and up, centers are sometimes still used, but less frequently.  These centers are more project-based, involving the whole class and integrating multiple subject areas.  For instance, one group of students worked on a wetlands area for their school, integrating Physics, Math, Technology, Science, and English along the way (Ash and Luckey, 1998).  Although the students are much older, these projects show remnants of preK-3 centers, with its aspects of collaboration, student-centered activities, and multiple forms of assessment.

Subjects
        Compared to the general nature of the pre-school learning centers, the primary school centers gradually become more specific.  In pre-school, the centers may be directed towards library, gross motor, discovery, and blocks.  Once the students reach elementary school, though, some of these centers become more specialized.  For example, at age three, a child may go to library and communication centers, whereas when she is six, these centers may be broken down into library, reading, creative writing, spelling, and handwriting.  Although the subjects become more academic oriented, the arts are not forgotten, with centers for music, dramatic play, blocks, and art available.  Other possible centers include the computer, for technology enthusiasts, a listening station, for the audio learner, outdoor activities, for the active child, sewing, for little fingers practicing fine motor skills, and woodworking, for tactile learners.  A socio-dramatic center, where children can act out their wild imaginations; a puppetry center, where they can compose and self-direct theatrical performances; and a cooking center, where they can concoct their own recipes, could be additions, too.  When setting up these centers for the classroom, select activities that match the students’ interests and ideas.  And by encouraging them to suggest themes and donate materials, they will feel a sense of ownership over the centers. With this ownership will come more enthusiasm and motivation to learn (Sloane, 1998; Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992; Patton and Mercer, 1996).

Obtaining and Organizing Materials
        Because centers require an abundance of materials, keeping them organized is essential for easy retrieval.  A decent, basic storage system should include boxes, file folders, and sturdy containers.  The containers should be labeled, with an attached list of its contents, and their spots should be labeled on the shelf.  Make sure the stored materials rest on low shelves for easy access and clean-up.  Invite parents to participate, as well, by encouraging them to donate supplies such as magazines, phone books, ribbon, and string.  Become a frequenter of flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, and the dollar store to bulk up the classroom.  Recyclable materials can be excellent materials, as well.  Because of the hands-on nature of learning centers, a variety of materials are involved when running them; in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed, a teacher should turn to her students, their parents, and other low budget stores in the community to supply her classroom (Novelli, 1990; Opitz, 1994; Patton and Mercer, 1996).

Materials by Subject
        The materials provided in each learning center should be varied, with many different forms of media and multiple activities to choose from.  Some activities and materials should always be available while others can be switched with changing themes.  Take math for instance; open-ended materials such as pattern blocks, math cubes, geo-boards, base ten blocks, and measuring items can be permanent (Sloane, 1998).  Others, such as games, can be switched around every two weeks.
        Envision a writing center with an authentic writer’s corner: on the desk is a small lamp overlooking a diligent author; a jarful of pencils and novelty pens sit on the corner.  A soft rug pads the author’s petite feet and a dictionary is only an arms length away, waiting to offer that “perfect” word.  Tips from famous authors are posted onto a shelf at eye level to add some inspiration, and different fonts are taped to the desk to encourage experimentation with letters on the computer (Novelli, 1990).   In the vicinity are reference materials ranging from magazines, maps, and newspapers to medical forms, business cards, and advertising flyers.  Tape recorders are available, too, for interviewing purposes (Patton and Mercer, 1996).  This is only one example of how a writing center could be set up in the classroom.
         Science centers, among other centers, also have the possibility to be dynamic, with materials for plants, animals, temperature, electricity, magnetism, and much more.  A center may have magnifying glasses for closely observing the innards of a seed, or a hamster to feed and care for (Staab, 1991).  In the music center, children can listen to tapes of Mozart or Latino music, blow into a recorder or shake the maracas, and study the treble and bass clef.    Add a personal touch to all the centers by hanging plants and posting up pictures of the students (Novelli, 1990).  Because so many materials accompany centers, it may be hard to create multiple new ones all at once.  Pattillo and Vaughan (1992) suggest starting off with just two and adding a couple each year.

Organization
          A plan is necessary before organizing the room for learning centers; behavior problems can be prevented by the strategic placement of the stations and the clarity of directions.  For one, active and quiet centers should be separated from each other.  Imagine the arguments that could ensue when a beating tambourine interrupts a settled reader.  On the other hand, compatible centers should be placed next to each other.  With the combination of art and construction, a masterpiece could be created.  A large group meeting place should be available where all the students can come together as a community; this is a prime place to put the schedule board for center activities, as well.  Traffic patterns allowing for easy flow need to be taken into consideration, and as students no longer have personal desks, a place needs to be available for them to store their belongings.  When arranging the room, permanent fixtures such as electrical outlets and doors need to be taken into account to prevent future problems; a keyboard, for instance, is useless without a plug (Opitz, 1994).  As for the centers themselves, they should have self-directing charts with pictures, symbols, and words; record directions on a cassette tape for audio learners, too.  “Children must be able to walk into a center and determine what they are supposed to do and begin work without teacher assistance”(Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992, p.37).  These suggestions should eliminate many frivolous questions, allowing  the teacher to attend to more legitimate problems.
          The most frequently asked questions about centers concern numbers and time:  How many students should be at each center?  How long should they be there?  How many centers should there be?  The general range on the number of students in each center is between one and five.  Pattillo and Vaughan (1992) suggest between two and four, based on the subject, with two at music, construction, gross motor, and discovery, and four at art, blocks, dramatic play, library, and table games.  Dr. Triplett (2001) used groups of four, but Staab (1991) asserts that “as many children as wished to could work in one center” (p.110).  It ultimately depends on what works best for the teacher and her classroom.
          As for time at each center, the range can run anywhere from seven to forty-five minutes.  Dunne (1999) believes that shortening the time to seven to ten minutes helps to keep the students on task.  Mrs. Irvin uses twenty minute intervals, due to the children’s waning focus and interest.  In most cases, teachers such as Dr. Triplett (2001) use centers for longer blocks of time, such as forty minutes, so that the students can more deeply investigate and complete the activity.  Activities offered should take about the same time to complete, and time needs to be allowed for preparation and clean-up at the beginning and end of centers.  Rotation between centers, can take some time, too, therefore a couple of minutes need to be blocked off for this, as well.  As the students rotate clockwise, counter clockwise, or zig zag, an entrance and an exit to centers can facilitate easy flow and cut down on the transitioning chaos (Opitz, 1994).  Again, the time is dependent on the teacher’s schedule and beliefs.
          Finally, the number of centers can range anywhere from one to fifteen.  Opitz (1998) used four, Dr. Triplett (2001) used between six and eight, Pattillo and Vaughan (1992) suggest eleven, and Mrs. Irvin provides fifteen.  A novice teacher would probably have fewer as she learns to manage and use them.  The number of centers truly depends on the teacher and her students, but all of these numbers can be successful.  Overall, each classroom is unique and will have different requirements, routines, and organization that accommodate it most successfully.

Boundaries
        Because the environment affects behavior, children need to know the exact location of center boundaries.  If the boundaries are unclear, for instance, the students may be inclined to stray to another center or mix materials between them.  Boundaries help to lessen visual distractions, as well—it helps to keep the children more focused on their personal task.  In most instances, teachers use strategically placed shelves and tables to outline where specific centers are located.  Low cabinets and dividers can be used, as well.  More creative ideas include suspending netting or sheer fabrics from the ceiling to create a quiet center or to even have an opened divider on a desk that is painted with related scenes.  Imagine, still, a cozy corner where a fishnet or clear shower curtain hangs from the ceiling to create privacy and comfort for a student.  For regular soda drinkers, plastic rings from six packs can be connected to make a curtain, as well.  The possibilities are unlimited, as one teacher has shown, with boundaries such as a plastic swimming pool with throw pillows and a backpack tent with the activity inside.  Divide centers with carpet remnants, too, while cushioning little bottoms, or string yellow caution tape around an area where there is “Work in Progress”(Novelli, 1990; Weiner, 1990; Opitz, 1994).  Boundaries have the potential to be boring, but with a little creativity and imagination, it can make learning fun!

Setting Goals
          Before the teacher starts creating centers for the room, she needs to think about what she wants her students to learn.  First of all, will the activity introduce, reinforce, or extend learning?  A specific objective also needs to be formulated before finally deciding how many activities will be included.  The next decision is how to carry out the goals.  Three major set-ups are possible:  provide one activity to be completed, let the child choose one of many related activities, or have specific groups complete specific activities (Opitz, 1994).  Whichever is chosen, it is imperative to have a plan and be prepared.
        Before the students go to centers, they need to understand what they are expected to learn or accomplish.  This can be done in two ways:  meeting as a group or one-on-one.  Meeting as a group is the most common choice by teachers, whereby she may introduce the new centers, establish rules and expectations, and model how to carry out the activities.  To further clarify goals, some teachers provide such things as a Center Activity Planning Sheet.  The Center Activity Planning Sheet, created by Opitz (1998), clearly states the purpose, objective, materials, and directions for each center and is available for all the students.  A teacher can also use a one-on-one format to establish goals with a student, even though it can be very time consuming.  In this system, the teacher helps the child choose appropriate activities and learning goals, guided by the student’s expressed interests.  Because the student’s personal interests are taken into account, this can be highly motivating (Sloane, 1998).  Whether the students are prepared as a group or individually, though, it helps set children up for success.

Transitioning
          Endless possibilities exist for organizing students and transitioning them between centers; they range anywhere from being child-directed to teacher-directed.  The most child-directed option is simply allowing the children to choose which center they want to go to, regardless of how many students are there already.  Another possibility is for a child to pick an activity from his personal plan and record it during the daily sign-up period; the teacher then prints up the classroom schedule for the following day.  Overcrowding poses a problem for many classrooms, so some teachers implement more structure.  For instance, a picture board with a designated number of hooks for each center can cut down on chaos; the children simply hang their name on a hook, and when no more hooks are left, no more children can be in that center.  A designated number of colored bracelets can work, as well, and they also help the teacher identify students who are at the wrong center (Sloane, 1998; Staab, 1991; Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992).
        But how do you keep track of who’s been where?  Multiple arrangements can be set up, among them being personal pockets, punch sheets, and check sheets.   For personal pockets, each student can have their own pockets, or envelope, on a bulletin board.  When they complete a center, they put a color-coded piece of paper corresponding to the center in their own pocket.  For punch sheets, each child is provided with the numbered centers on a card.  When the center is completed, they punch out the corresponding number.  A check sheet is simply a list of the activities that need to be checked off, with a box available to mark.  Whichever is used, the teacher cannot successfully assess each student without this information (Opitz, 1994; Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992).
          Moving towards a more teacher-directed set-up, groups are a common choice among teachers because children can work collaboratively.  Schedule boards can be used to display the times that certain groups should be at specific stations.  For example, a master schedule board may have the center names across the top, the times down the side, and the groups inside the grid.  This way, it is assured that each child gets to each center, and the children know where they are to be at all times.  Another way to transition groups is to simply have one group at one center each day.  At the end of the week, everyone should have completed all the centers (Triplett, 2001; Novelli, 1990).
          Students can be grouped in a number of ways for learning centers:  mixed ability, like ability, interest, arbitrary, and student choice.  In mixed ability groups, the members perform at different levels, and in like ability groups, the members perform on the same level; using both of these encourages interaction on all learning levels.  Interest groups are grouped according to similar interests, which enable the students to share their areas of expertise and become an expert on the topic.  The students can also be arbitrarily, or randomly, grouped, and it is nice to allow the students to choose their own groups on occasion, as well.  By changing groups around, students are less likely to identify themselves on a certain intelligence level.  They are also less likely to form cliques because of the diverse interactions that come naturally with grouping (Opitz, 1994; Dunne, 1999).

Child-Centered Learning
          Choices.  Collaboration.  Variety.  The combination of these make learning centers a child-centered atmosphere.  Choices:  In some classrooms, the center provides a number of activities from which the children get to choose.  In others, the child may even get to choose a preferred center.  Collaboration:  By working together with the teacher, the children also have a voice in their own learning.  If they show an interest in a particular topic, then themes for the centers can be based on this interest.  The children can also help generate rules for a center, such as safety tips for the woodworking center, or share collections, such as shells; this personal input helps the students feel a sort of custody over the centers.  Variety:  Because of the diverse media provided at learning centers, they meet the needs of an assortment of learning styles and intelligences.  And although children sometimes work in groups, individual needs are met, as well, as children get one-on-one attention from the teacher (Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992).  In essence, learning centers provide a setting where each child can be an active, individual learner.

Assessment
          Thorough and personalized—this is the type of assessment that results from a learning center environment.  Observation, informal and formal, is the most frequently used, where children are constantly watched and noted on their abilities.  Teachers can keep running records of the students by simply jotting down specific observations on a weekly basis.  While students are busy at the centers, individuals can be pulled to do other types of assessment, such as IRI’s.  Portfolios are quite popular, also, where the student’s work from the centers is routinely collected into a personal folder.  Some teachers provide baskets or boxes at each center for completed work.  Similar to a portfolio is a weekly group folder; as some students are grouped collaboratively, all the completed assignments from the group are put into the folder to be reviewed by the teacher.  Involve the students in evaluating their own work, too; this will help them identify their strengths as well as the areas where they need more practice (Opitz, 1994; Triplett, 2000; Sloane, 1998; Pattillo and Vaughan, 1992).
        Some things to consider during assessment, besides the finished product, are student use and the actual center.  The product is important, but how the student behaves and conducts himself should be taken into account, too.  For instance, the teacher should see if the student stayed on task and cooperated with group members.  Also, the actual center should be examined for clear directions and sufficient materials-- the child should certainly not be penalized if the center was confusing or incomplete (Opitz, 1994).  With these factors taken into consideration, the final assessment offers a detailed, authentic representation of each child’s learning.

What Went Wrong
          Let us now return to Miss Johnson’s classroom and my original question: what went wrong with her centers?  My conclusion: planning and organization.  This was probably due to taking on a whopping fifteen centers at once.  Instead of starting off with two or three and gradually adding more, she jumped in whole-heartedly and understandably became overwhelmed.  If she backed up and concentrated on only a few, I’m confident she could be successful.
          Miss Johnson’s planning and organization problems unfortunately trickled into all parts of the learning centers.  For one, the organization of her materials was haphazard.   Many of her resources were in storage, but none were labeled; therefore, she did not know what materials she had or where they were.  Supplies at the centers were not labeled, either, so the children did not know what was available.  Secondly, the learning centers were used as a supplement to the curriculum.  Because of this, some children did not even get to them.  When the children did get to go to the centers, though, Miss Johnson was inconsistent with her methods: sometimes the students got to choose and other times Miss Johnson chose for them.  Once at the centers, no self- directing charts existed; no review was given, either, so the children were very unclear of what was expected of them.  Some activities took longer than others, as well, and as there was no buffer station or extra activities, some children got bored or restless.  The students had no form on which to record what centers they completed either; therefore, Miss Johnson had no record of where students had been and what they had done.   All of these factors together contributed to the erosion of Miss Johnson’s learning centers.
          Learning centers are a vitalizing addition the classroom, but they take a great deal of work and planning to thrive.  Although each one needs special attention and thoughtful preparation, the results are priceless: motivated and energized students ready to learn.  So… start off slow.  Centers are dynamic—they are constantly evolving; as the children change from year to year and the teacher grows, they will naturally develop over time.