1. By Andrea McHenry

2.  To engage students while the teacher works with small reading groups  Reinforce literacy skills such as word work, vocabulary, phonics, and mechanics (Center Management)

3.  Creating, introducing, modeling, and reinforcing your procedures and routines is the most critical task you will need to accomplish during the beginning of the year.  You will not be able to teach them all the first day, so you will constantly be reinforcing (The Cornerstone).  Fountas and Pinnell (1996) recommend spending the first six weeks of a new grade level establishing routines. (General Lit Center Info)

4.  How will my students move from center to center?  How will you ensure students are completing the key centers?  How long should students spend in a center?  Are there limits to how many students can be in a center? (Literacy Center Management)

5.  Mini-lessons should be taught with centers when: You are introducing a new center You are adding something new to a center You are reviewing an activity at a center  The mini-lessons should not be more than five minutes long.  The following mini-lessons should be taught and reviewed with the students on how to: use the equipment and material. share. take turns while at the centers. use the management board. solve problems while at the centers. put things away when finished. switch centers. (General Literacy Center Information)

6.  There are many ways to organize the center groups, you just have to find the management system that works best for you and your students.  Students work with a partner at one center a day  Students go to two centers a day, while working with buddies  Groups are grouped according to guided reading groups so that they rotate through the centers and the guided reading group daily (Literacy Center Management)

7.  Classrooms are usually more successful when a teacher uses a management board.  There are many types of management boards that can be used. You can find examples of some on the following website: http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_cent ers/management.html http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_cent ers/management.html  The key is for students to know where they should be, what they should be doing, and when they should be there.

8.  In order for your centers to run smoothly, you must be well organized  Students must understand the procedures while working in centers  Student folders designated just for centers are great ways to keep centers organized (Center Management)  Students must know they cannot interrupt guided reading/small reading groups (General Lit Center Info) There should be a system in place for resolving issues without teacher assistance.

9.  Chart bad behavior  Reward good behavior  On the following website, you can find many charts for keeping track of students during centers. You just have to find the ones that work best with your students (Behavior Management Forms) http://www.teachervision.fen.com/classroo m-discipline/resource/6283.html

10.  Have hallway conferences with children who are misbehaving.  Hold up a stopwatch and start it, if children do not get quiet the amount of time on the stopwatch is how much recess they lose.  In a whisper say “If you can hear my voice (give an instruction), you may have free choice at the end of the day.” The students working quietly will hear you, and those talking loudly won’t get free time.  Here is a website of other great discipline strategies http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr26 1.shtml http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr26 1.shtml

11.  Center Managament http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_centers/mana gement.html http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy_centers/mana gement.html  The Cornerstone http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/free- resources/seasonal/beginning-the-year http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/free- resources/seasonal/beginning-the-year  Literacy Center Management http://literacycenters.wetpaint.com/page/Literacy+Cente r+Management http://literacycenters.wetpaint.com/page/Literacy+Cente r+Management  Behavior Management Forms http://www.teachervision.fen.com/classroom- discipline/resource/6283.html http://www.teachervision.fen.com/classroom- discipline/resource/6283.html  Classroom Management: Ten Teacher Tested Tips http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr261.shtml http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr261.shtml  General Literacy Center Information http://www6.swlauriersb.qc.ca/crestview/ls/Teacher/Tea cher_General_Literacy.htm http://www6.swlauriersb.qc.ca/crestview/ls/Teacher/Tea cher_General_Literacy.htm