Using Stations in a Middle School Reading Classroom
This year is all kinds of crazy, even though, in a way, we’re getting back to “normal.” I’m so grateful to have a classroom full of kiddos each day, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the protocols and complications of this school year weren’t weighing me down and leaving me a bit more exhausted than usual. But I’m all about finding positive solutions, so this year, more than ever, stations are saving me!
I’ve always loved stations, but I’m leaning on them more heavily this year for a couple of reasons.
They get kids out of their seats! After a year of sitting all day and staring at a computer, kids are in need of some serious movement.
They are student-led (for the most part). Stations allow students to do the work--not you! And that leads me to my next point...
Stations save my voice! Talking through a mask all day is no fun, especially when projecting to an entire room. Stations allow me to have small group conversations that are more productive and less energetically demanding.
Finally, (though I could go on forever) stations allow for the flexibility of collaborative or independent work. I love to give students as much time as possible to talk and learn from one another. Stations are the perfect opportunity for this, particularly because they are structured and timed. And, if I do want students to work independently at a particular station, I can simply instruct them to do so. I even have little collaborative or independent work signs that I’ll put up next to each station to visually cue students.
Here are my favorite kinds of stations that I use regularly in the classroom:
Worksheet stations. Yep--I said it! Do you have a “worksheet” of comprehension questions, vocabulary practice, or grammar exercises? Cut that baby into strips, give each student a recording sheet, and turn it into stations! It’s a zero-prep way to get kids moving and practicing important skills. And speaking of important skills… this writing complete sentences lesson guide (with worksheets that could be turned into stations!) is my current go-to because my kids need all the help in the grammar department.
Anticipation guide stations are another favorite of mine. Before beginning a unit, story, or novel, I like to do some activities to pique students’ interests. I usually make one station an independent writing prompt related to the unit or text, another station has pictures related to the unit and students have to write a prediction, a third station is often a philosophical question that students discuss, such as, “Why do people steal?” A fourth station could be a series of agree/disagree questions, and another station could be an article or piece of text that gives students background information about the unit. The possibilities are endless!
Another station routine that works really well is revising and editing stations. I give very specific directions for each station. For example, I will have students check capitalization of words at one station, highlight transition phrases in another station, check spelling of certain words at another station, and bold topic sentences in another. These stations depend on the kind of writing and our specific goals, but hopefully this gives you an idea!
Finally, gallery walks are a great way to use stations to wrap up a unit or project. Place student work or group work around the room, have students walk around to each final product and make observations, give feedback, etc. Gallery walks can also be done to begin a unit, particularly if a lot of visuals are involved.
I’ve been incorporating station work about once per week and it has been transformative in student engagement, my energy levels, and students’ thinking and ability to collaborate. I hope you can find ways to implement stations more often in your room, too.
Let me know how it goes!
♥ Kara & Riley
