In order for your small group centers to run smoothly for continued learning and a positive environment, you need to ensure your students understand the classroom expectations and center expectations first.
IT STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIPS
Students learn best from teachers they have a respectful relationship with. Let the students get to know you and build relationships in your classroom on day one. Participate when you play "Find Someone Who" games so your students can get to know you. Host morning meetings and talk about questions that promote critical thinking and conversation. At the beginning of the year, your classroom expectations should be built with your class. Ask the students what their "perfect" classroom might look, sound, and feel like. Next, ask them for adjectives that represent responsible and respectful students. Finally, ask them what expectations they believe YOU, the teacher, should follow. This activity will promote deep and thoughtful conversations about how they want their classroom to feel during the school year. I like calling on different students to elaborate after someone has given me an idea. This activity can be done by using sheets of paper that students travel to and write on, you could create anchor charts, or you could create different slides and add student ideas to each slide. By creating slides, you can pull them up as needed to review expectations throughout the year without them getting old, dusty, and gross on the wall!
INTRODUCING SMALL GROUP EXPECTATIONS
When you are introducing the ideas of centers, be sure you lay out what you expect out of small group and their behavior. Remember to reference the classroom enviornment activity from before that students helped with. Students are able to work at teacher center, around the room, or at their desk as long as they follow our pre-set classroom expectations. When I introduce the options for centers, I let them know that we have three "zones" in our classroom. Students understand that we have students working at small group with the teacher(s), must do work "zone", and the may do choice "zone."
Once the students understand each zone, I display our Google Slide that is displayed each day during small group time. This Google Slide is essential in my classroom because I am able to list off in a very clear way what students need to work on first and then what they can choose to do when they are done. Also, I can leave positive reminders or a cute bitmoji to encourage them and grab their attention. I include a soft music timer that shows students how long centers will be for the day. Each classroom is different in the amount of time you have for small group, but typically I have an hour timer up.
REINFORCING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
During the first week of small group practice, I select "secret students" to earn a small reward (bookmark/class money/water bottle stickers etc.) This way, I am rewarding positive behavior and others have the opportunity to earn a reward during our practice sessions.
Once I finish centers, I hit my teacher bell (or you can use a call-back or your phone timer) and when students are quiet enough, I dismiss the table and call over the next group. During this center time, students know they need to work quietly whether I ask them to work independently or with a partner.
TYPES OF REWARDS
If you don't want to give out tangible items, simply giving a "shout-out" to a few responsible students and explaining why you decided to shout them out at the end of centers means the world to them. I also enjoy giving out a "student shout-out" slip that students can take home to show their parents. The student shout-out slip can quickly be filled out and students can take them home and hopefully their parents/guardians reward them with a "great job," big hug, or maybe even some ice cream!
WHAT TO DO IF SMALL GROUP EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT BEING MET
At the beginning of the year, I introduce a behavior reflection sheet in our classroom. This is a cause/effect worksheet that students fill out and get signed by their parent or guardian. I fill out the section that explains the expectation that was not met and the student fills out the reason for their behavior and how it affected others and the learning environment. Students don't often get these sheets, however, during the small group expectation conversation I remind them gently that there are consequences in our classroom for not following the expectations during centers/anytime really.
The cause/effect behavior reflection sheet is used for major behavior conflicts, being unkind to others/disrespecting adults, or for three "reminders" in one day (Ex. Being asked to stop a certain behavior such as calling out/horseplay/being off-task). I am sure to reward positive behavior all year long in many ways, but the students also understand I have high expectations so that learning can occur. The cause/effect behavior reflection form I am referencing can be found here!
Click the icon above to check out the slides I use in my own classroom!
