Numbered Centers

Originally when I planned our centers, I had a designated place for each specific center and none of them overlapped. For instance, the table in the back corner of the room was the "Work with Miss Allison" center so I was the only adult that used that center and kids would rotate. Well, with a very small classroom, 3 adults, and multiple activities and groupings occurring at any and all times throughout the day, restricting areas of the classroom in this way just was not practical. Eventually, we numbered the three main areas of the classroom (where all of the small group and individual instruction takes place). Now, on a student's schedule they may have the 1 card and then they know they have to go to the kidney table. The benefit to this is flexibility which is wonderful. However, one con is that students don't always know what subject they are going to be doing at the next center. Therefore, it is hard to expect them to independently bring any needed materials to their center with them. This is fine for my little kids because they don't usually need to bring anything with them, however this probably wouldn't be ideal for older kids. The main goal for my center schedules is to get students independently to where they need to be within the classroom or school. I am fine with cluing them in on what we are doing once we get there.