A center rotation schedule is essential! Developing a schedule facilitates the organization of students into groups and also provides clarity for both students and adults regarding their assigned centers, the duration of the center, and upcoming centers. When crafting your schedule, consider the following: arranging learners into appropriate groups, determining the allocated time for each center, nonnegotiables, and paraprofessional breaks.

Grouping Learners

When creating your rotation schedule, think about which students will work well together. by considering their academic skill level, amount of support needed, as well as personality. It might be tempting to group your learners based on academics or level of support, but I encourage you to find a grouping of students who will complement each other. For example, group a student who needs support staying at their center with one to two students who are already successful with staying in the designated space completing work. Now you can spend the time teaching one student center expectations, while the other two students work independently on a task. Another factor to consider when forming "complementary" groupings is personality compatibility. Certain students may not thrive together, despite being on the same academic unit. Pairing these students could hinder rather than enhance their learning experiences.

When grouping learners, utilize color codes for easy identification of the groups within the schedule. Examples demonstrating this practice are provided below for your reference.

Center Duration

The length of each center will depend on the time you have available and the work stamina of your students. Even if you only have a 30-minute period, you can still do a full center rotation! Thirty minutes of small group or 1:1 instruction is far more impactful than 30 minutes of whole group. In the beginning of the year, keep centers short and "easy," as the year progresses, add more time to each center and change the content. For example, at the start of the year, I might have a LEGO center that lasts 5-7 minutes, but by November, it will be a fact fluency center that lasts 15 minutes.

Nonnegotiables

Nonnegotiables are mandatory requirements that may include recess, lunch, specials, therapy, etc. -- essentially all the activities that you do not have direct control over the time. When creating your rotation schedule, keep these activities in mind. It may not be possible to schedule a center rotation when all of your kids are in the room, but you can schedule one when most of your kids are with you. You can also schedule the centers in a way that controls which center a particular student misses.

Paraprofessional Breaks

During center rotations you will want all hands on deck. Try to schedule center rotations when you have one to two additional adults. If you schedule paraprofessional breaks, schedule them around rotations. If you do not have control over breaks, talk to your administration. If all else fails, and you have paras coming and going during rotations (this will probably be the case), attempt to assign those paras to a leisure center or sensory center.

Below is a center schedule template that you have access to in the Resources section, along with multiple examples of center schedules.

Example one is a math rotation with three different centers, eight students, and two adults.

Example two is a reading rotation with four centers, eight students, and three adults.

Example three is a life skills rotation with four different centers, including a speech center led by the Speech-Language Therapist, eight students, and four adults.

This example is a rotation that is more commonly seen in an early childhood classroom. It consists of five different centers, three adults, and 8 students.

Once the schedule is created, you want to post it where everyone can see it. I suggest posting it by your individual student schedules. You can also project it during rotations and/or post it to each center. This will avoid confusion during each transition. Below are some examples of how teachers communicate the center rotation schedule.

Start by scheduling one center rotation. Post the center rotation where everyone can see it. You can find a template for creating a rotation schedule in the Resource section.

Once you schedule out one center rotation, spend a few weeks fine-tuning it. Now you're ready to schedule your remaining rotations!

Check out the World of Colors unit in Themes First!, which includes original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.

Link to World of Colors Monthly Theme Calendar

The latest Themes First! release, Amazing Construction, is now available for prepping!

⭐⭐ ⭐ Tip: Print all the activities you plan to use for the upcoming month as soon as they become available. Put printed activities in a "prep" area equipped with a laminator, file folders, Velcro, labels, and baggies. If you have a large laminator, laminate all the activities at once! When you and your team have a few minutes to spare, laminate, cut, and Velcro. It helps to organize activities in trays by "Needs to be Prepped" and "Finished." Don't forget to teach your team how to prep the activities and to model this new expectation.

Date/Time: March 5th, 2024 from 3:00-4:30

Where: Virtual

Cost: Free

Join us on March 5th, 2024 for the next EBP webinar! The topic will be on promoting AAC use in the classroom. Make sure you subscribe to the ASD listserv or follow the MN ASD Educators Facebook page to get update information on this training and other upcoming opportunities!

Date/Time: May 7th, 2024 from 3:00-4:30

Where: Virtual

Cost: Free

Join us for our last ASD EBP Webinar (formally known as STAR Webinars) of the 2023-2024 school year! During this webinar, Michele Glynn, ASD Specialist, will discuss using simple video modeling, modeling, and peer modeling to practice and promote positive behaviors that support student engagement and learning.

Feel free to contact me for any questions or concerns via email or phone. I'm also available to chat via Zoom Mondays from 7:30-8:00 AM and 3:00-3:30 PM. If these times do not work for your schedule, please email me and we will find a time that will work for both of us.

Use the link below to ask questions about this week's Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks and/or give suggestions on future topics.

Paraprofessional Training Series

Para Training Series: Step One: Define Roles

Para Training Series: Step Two: Creating a Team Mindset

Para Training Series: Step Three, Part 1: Planning

Para Training Series: Step Three, Part 2: Planning

Para Training Series: Step Four: Training

Para Training Series: Next Steps

Classroom Set Up Series

Classroom Set Up: The Why

Classroom Set Up: Visually and Physically Defining Your Layout

Classroom Set Up: Classroom Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Para Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Individual Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Individual Schedules FAQ

Classroom Set Up: Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Teaching Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Creating Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Teaching Routines and Expectations

Classroom Set Up: Routines and Expectations

Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks is made possible by Minnesota Low Incidence Projects