Workstations

What are Workstations?
Workstations are powerful tools which exist in space and time which have almost unlimited potential to meaningfully engage the learner (teachers, of course, included).

Why have Workstations?
Workstations are tools which may: help students to learn cooperatively, maximize the use of classroom resources, create meaningful learning experiences for children, foster individual and group responsibility for the learning experience, and allow the teacher to be where she or he is most needed at any given time (among other things).

What are some of the issues of planning and implementing Workstations?
Here are a few items which you may wish to consider as you plan and carry out your own Workstations. Feel free to share questions or comments, or to write down anything which you find helpful.

• What are the needs of the curriculum?
• Scheduling.
• How many Workstations per week?
• Do all the Workstations fit into one week?
• Planning the time.
• Rotating tasks.
• Rotating groups.
• Cooperative grouping.
• Workstation management.
• Workstations outside of the classroom.
• Sharing equipment. How do students learn to work together with limited amounts of equipment?
• Use of classroom space.
• Use of peripheral equipment (baskets for Workstation activities, software storage, headphones, etc.).
• Monitoring Workstations.
• Debugging groups.
• One time Workstations vs. ongoing Workstations.
• One shot Workstations on a theme.
• Paperwork at Workstations.
• Order of Workstations. Is there variety?
• Running out of time.
• Collecting and evaluating Workstation work.
• Evaluation of Workstations.
• Cleaning up.
• Debriefing.
• What makes some Workstations better than others?
• Learning from your mistakes.
• Workstation Planning.
• Workstations, Workstations, etc.

How do I plan a Workstation?
In whatever fashion you find most effective, of course. However, here are some ideas which you may find useful when trying to create your Workstations.

What do the students need to learn (over the year)?

You may wish to spend some time reviewing the curriculum for your grade level and charting out what needs to be learned. Then, you can begin to chunk curriculum into meaningful units and to find themes which allow you to connect ideas into interdisciplinary motifs. Ask these questions:

• What do the students need to learn (for the next unit)?
• What do the students need to learn (for the next week)?
• In what ways do the students need to learn this (whole group, small group, pairs, individual)?
• Which of these things can the students learn best in Workstations?
• What resources are available (camcorder, computers, carpentry equipment, stage, etc.)?
• What lesson is best taught with what resource?
• Is one of your goals to teach students how to use a piece of equipment or software?
• If so, how can this goal be combined with curricular goals?

Now plan your Workstations, considering the following:

Is this an activity in which each group member will be able to participate fully?
For instance, rather than asking four students work with the Visual Almanac at one time, you may wish to split the Workstation and have two students doing another project and trading off after twenty minutes.

• Are the students learning skills which they will use for life, as well as concepts and facts.
• Will I be able to have all materials ready for each rotation (chicken for dissection, etc.)?
• Am I asking too much or too little of my students?
• Are the directions clear?
• Will the students have enough or too much time?
• Do I have activities planned for students who finish early?
• Do the activities challenge the students intellectually, emotionally, and/or physically?
• Does any Workstation require follow-up Workstations?
• Are there too many Workstations which require intensive monitoring?
• Have I provided a variety of different Workstations and put them in an order which promotes contrast or continuity (as desired)?
• Do the Workstations I created relate to what I have decided my students need to learn?

Take from this what is useful to you. What you don't already know about what I am going to say, you will know in a few months. This presentation by Tim Poe is simply planned to help you get up to speed more quickly.

© 1996 Tim POE