Bev...you are right to get us to clarify our terms. When I did centers in grade
one, we did things like "read around the room" and buddy read and go on sight
word hunts in newspapers and magazines. I also had a few file folders with some
simple games where kids would match upper with lowercase letters. There were
also nature centers where kids could play with magnets or acorns etc. Now, from
listening in here, I suspect that centers are little more than glorifed
worksheets but I would love for people to tell me my suspicions are wrong...
Jennifer Palmer
Reading Specialist, National Board Certified Teacher
FLES- Lead the discovery, Live the learning, Love the adventure.
"Children grow into the intellectual life around them."
-Vygotsky
From: Beverlee Paul
Sent: Tue 10/21/2008 9:01 AM
To: understand@literacyworkshop.org
Subject: Re: [Understand] My thoughts on Ch. 2
I happily used centers in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade for 37
years in the classroom, but I get the feeling that today's centers are not yo
mama's centers. I'm still trying to get a handle on what people are describing
as "centers" and where they came from with this description. Am I getting my
exercise leaping to conclusions about these current centers, or are they just a
alternate way to give teacher assignments? I even hear people talking about
"making" centers.
I'd hate to paint all centers with the same broad brush because much of the
work done there is (can be) remarkably similar to what chapter 2 describes.
For instance, think of the literacy studio. Think Kathy Collins.
It reminds me once again of how much I'd like to "own" language so that others
can't take it, distort it, then render it totally useless for communication. I
have a feeling that's what's happening with center discussion. Are these
centers not centers, as traditionally described by NAEYC, NAESP, NBPTS, and the
Project Approach folk?
I think this is a thread that may be vital to understanding To Understand. But
I don't think I'm qualified to have this discussion because I have a strong
hunch I'm waaaay out of touch with what others are talking about when they talk
about centers.
Any takers to "clean this discussion up" for me? We might as well be talking
about the same thing at least.
> Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:01:37 -0600> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: >
> Subject: Re: [Understand] My thoughts on Ch. 2> > I never used centers in
> first or second grade except under threat (one quarter of the year, once..)>
> > Lori Jackson> District Literacy Coach and Mentor> Todd County School
> District> Box 87> Mission SD 5755> > ----- Original message -----> From:
> Robin Hustedt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Special Chat List
> for \ToUnderstand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension\
> <understand@literacyworkshop.org>> Date: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:40 PM>
> Subject: Re: [Understand] My thoughts on Ch. 2> > > My belief is that
> students should be reading independent reading books but the primary teachers
> believe that it is too long for the students to sit. I would like to do away
> with centers all together. At what grade do we stop offering centers?> > > >
> Thank you for any ideas!> > > > -----Original Message-----> > From: [EMAIL
> PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Andrea Lucas> > Sent:
> Monday, October 20, 2008 6:31 PM> > To: Special Chat List for To Understand:
> New Horizons in Reading Comprehension> > Subject: Re: [Understand] My
> thoughts on Ch. 2> > > > At my school we have had a bit of training in
> reader's workshop, but many teachers haven't really taken the initiative to
> "dabble" in it. I've had teachers on my team move towards centers because
> they think it will be easier. It is something for the kids to "do" while
> pulling small groups. It is in their minds easier then having them read self
> selected books. In some ways I think it is easier, but in other ways it is
> asking for more of a headache.> > > > I am intrigued by the discussion about
> passive learning. I agree that children are raised to be passive and without
> initiative. It seems like much of my day is spent prodding and training kids
> to take initiative. It is such a HUGE lesson and it is not one that I find
> easy to teach. The best readers are usually (but not always) the ones who are
> active learners. I have several students who are passive during minilessons
> and it is a challenge for me to change things up enough to keep them engaged.
> I am going to focus and pay attention to this aspect of my students in the
> next few weeks during reading and writing workshop time.> > > > Thanks for
> your thoughts!> > > > Andrea ;)> > > > --- On Mon, 10/20/08, Beverlee Paul
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> > > > From: Beverlee Paul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> >
> Subject: Re: [Understand] My thoughts on Ch. 2> > To:
> understand@literacyworkshop.org> > Date: Monday, October 20, 2008, 1:28 AM> >
> > > And what is it that they could do at centers that would be more valuable
> than reading? I can't think of anything!! As an early childhood specialist, I
> of course believe wholeheartedly in centers, but I'm getting the feeling that
> these "centers" people talk about bear little resemblance to the open-ended,
> child-initiated, project-based centers I think of as centers.> > > > Does
> this narrow "center-as-assigned-activities" viewpoint come from Reading First
> or today's basals or what? Or is it part of the Debbie Diller effect?> > > >
> What is it that principals and curriculum specialists are requiring when they
> require "centers"?> > > > I feel out of touch--and I'm not sure that's all so
> bad. I do not do centers. I teach 3rd grade. They read read read!!!!!! for
> 40-45 minutes!!!!!!It is great. I have 60-65 minutes for readers' workshop
> (depending on the day of the week).Jan
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