Jenny Walters

I am a kindergarten teacher at Codington Elementary School in Wilmington NC. Many of my language lessons are taught in small group settings (6-7 students). During this time 6-7 students are working in a small group with my classroom assistant, 6-7 are working with me, and the other 12 students are working independently in structured work stations. A mom helper floats the room to assist with any questions so we are not interrupted during our lesson. After a 30-45 minute lesson, like the examples you have reviewed today, A Birthday Basket For Tia, we will make a rotation switch. All the children who have been working in small group with a teacher will then go to one of the five workstations and the children working independently will then go to work with a teacher. This allows every student to see a teacher in small group, each day, as well as giving you the opportunity to see them in a language group every other day. We start these groups early in the year and the children
become so independent in the
work stations and during station rotations that transitions run very smoothly.