Top 5 Reasons YOU Should Be Using Stations in Middle School

It's like David Lettermen's Top Ten List, but better!  Only 5!

5.  It gets middle school students moving around the room, completing several organized tasks.
Let's face it - their attention spans are short and they learn best when they are able to communicate with their peers.  Instead of completing a boring packet of work or completing a series of practice worksheets, try making stations out of the activities.  Simply breaking the tasks into smaller chunks makes it seem more manageable to the students and isn't so overwhelming.  Varying the types of activities at each station allows you to reach all of the different types of learners within your classroom - try a quick lab, a reading passage with questions, a card sort, a video or other online activity, a station with the teacher to do a quick direct teach, etc...  Differentiation happens naturally.  I rarely have my students complete a typical worksheet anymore.  I find ways to incorporate them into station activities or questions on task cards that can be found around my room, building, or school campus.  You would be amazed at how hard the most unmotivated student will work, when you make it more of a competitive activity.  The most important thing is to keep them moving and don't let them spend more than 10-15 minutes on any one activity.  

4.  It saves time.
In one day, the students will complete more work in a stations setting than they would if working individually or simply sitting in their chair.  There is something about getting a list of tasks completed by the end of the period that motivates students for some reason.  As soon as they finish what they are working on, they know they have the "reward" of being able to move to something else.  Now, to be honest, the prep work for YOU is a bit more, but once it's set up, you aren't busy at all.... Which leads me to #3...



3.  It frees you up.
Depending on the groups you create, you may simply become a facilitator.  If you have well-balanced ability groups, your top student in each group takes on more of the teacher role and that leaves you to simply make sure that students are on task and aren't struggling with concepts.  Take the time to catch up on paperwork, grading, planning, etc..., but every 5-10 minutes, make a quick trip around to each group and do a quick check for understanding.    Ask them some questions that they should be able to answer from the stations they've completed.  Address any misconceptions immediately.  Note: You MUST stay available and visible at all times (not only because you legally have to, but students need to know that they can come to you at any time, if they aren't understanding something.)  This classroom model does put a lot of the responsibility of learning into the students' hands, so until they are comfortable with that and they know what resources to use when they encounter something that is confusing or difficult, you will have to consistently check in with them and make sure they are meeting the objectives that you (and the state) have set for them.

2.  You have the ability to do small group instruction or meet with individuals who need targeted interventions.
I often set up "Meet With the Teacher" as a station.  I use this time for a lot of different things.  I have gone over recent test or quiz questions that the students got incorrect, which allows me to quickly find out where the misconceptions or gaps in knowledge are and I can also discuss test-taking strategies.  If one of your stations needs more of a direct teach component, this is a great time to do it.  And because the groups only have 3-4 students, you could easily do more targeted individual interventions.  It's much easier to handle 3-4 students than a full class of 30 who all have different needs at the same time.  

1.  Middle school students love it!
Enough said.  Try stations if you haven't already.  It's definitely a different classroom atmosphere that takes a little getting used to (for both the teacher and the students), but soon, you will all be working like a well-oiled machine.  And as you move around the room, doing quick checks for understanding, you will realize that real learning is taking place.  You aren't having to sacrifice anything by moving your teaching style and classroom in this direction.  In fact, I think stations in middle school, if done right, can be a happy marriage between the unique demands of the typical middle school student and the management of elementary school centers.  


Leave me a comment!  I'd love to hear about your experiences with stations in middle school, concerns you have about implementing them, etc...