PETERBOROUGH, N.H., Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Classroom centers have long been a useful tool for educators trying to balance teaching various levels of learning in the classroom. Centers can help with increased success with core concepts and additional small-group instruction time for teachers. Staff Development for Educators (SDE)'s new online course on Creating Classroom Centers makes it easy to grab fresh, new centers-based strategies and activities to help educators develop an action plan to make classroom centers the best they can be.
In this course, both new and veteran educators will benefit from learning about what centers are (and aren't), what benefits they offer, and how to make the best use of them in the classroom. With a strong foundation in organization and time management, an additional focus will be on keeping planning time to a minimum, storing centers in the classroom, and exploring alternatives for having a permanent spot for every center.
"Educators have relied on the benefits of centers-based instruction for years," said Tom Schiele, Senior Editor for English Language Arts at SDE. "The strategies educators will receive in this course for adjusting centers for fast and struggling learners, and ideas for keeping the centers innovative and engaging, are extremely valuable and fresh."
The course is led by nationally-recognized education expert Laureen Reynolds, a former classroom teacher and best-selling author of educational books. Reynolds will provide educators with step-by-step instructions for creating a centers schedule all students can use independently as well as insights on how to adjust the centers routine for both fast learners and those who need more time. Her tips for avoiding pitfalls and common mistakes in centers creation will be especially useful for educators just starting out with centers, and strategies for paring down planning time without losing centers effectiveness.
While centers have traditionally been used for reading and language arts, Reynolds will explore ideas for using centers to support instruction in math, science, and social studies, as well as how to use technology, such as virtual bulletin boards, apps, and interactive white boards in the centers to keep students engaged. Educators will come away with key ideas to try in each areas right away, as well as resources to explore further independently.
Lastly, an added emphasis on the benefits that centers present teachers with small-group instruction makes Creating Classroom Centersespecially useful. Reynolds explores different grouping strategies for three kinds of small-group instruction, complete with examples of questions, conversations, and activities that might occur during each lesson.
Staff Development for Educators is America's leading provider of professional development for PreK through Grade 12 educators. SDE believes that educators have the most important job in the world. That's Through Onsite PD, PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD Resources, the company empowers teachers and administrators across the country with ongoing professional development that is not only research-based, innovative, and rigorous, but also practical, motivating, and fun. All SDE training is presented by the nation's top authors and educational experts, with the goal of creating extraordinary classrooms that prepare students for the evolving demands of the 21stcentury.
Creating Classroom Centers is offered each month and runs for six weeks. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. Educators will have access to all lessons until the course ends. Upcoming sessions begin on February 19th, March 19th, April 16th, and May 21st. To find out more information about this course or other online courses offered by SDE, visit www.sde.com/onlinelearning.