School-wide Learning Centers for Community Celebrations

Why use these centers?[1] Grade or School-wide learning centers allow schools to mark a holiday in an enjoyable way while still promoting student learning.  They provide a change of pace for both students and teachers and an opportunity to introduce more “off the beaten track” learning.

These centers also can get elementary or middle school parents involved, either in helping out at a center where more hands are needed, or by accompanying younger students from center to center.

We thought it appropriate to share this now, with all the “spring holidays” – Passover, Israel Independence Day, Lag ba-Omer, Shavuot – coming up. All work well as the basis for learning centers.

Designing the Program:  One needs to set aside approximately three hours to do a proper job, although you can play with the time if needed. We suggest doing four centers of approximately 25-35 minutes each. You’ll need to allow for 3-5 minutes for transition time between centers, as well as time for an introduction and summation to the entire program.

Depending on the size of your school, this is a great opportunity to mix classes or even grade levels (although you don’t want more than a two or three grade spread, depending on the age).

Each teacher takes on the responsibility of planning one center which he/she teaches four times. In high school, you might have student volunteers (particularly seniors) planning and facilitating the centers. In thinking about the choice of centers, you want to make sure that they will actively engage the students.  More active centers could include: art, music, dance, building, a game show, discussions, cooking, exposure to unusual customs or texts they may never have seen, creating a midrash, drama, map work,  etc.  One could also have centers such as storytelling, film clips, or a guest speaker – just be sure there is an opportunity for students to get engaged and participate.

The timing can look something like this:

8:45 - Introduction (including an explanation of what they will do in the centers and logistic information – 15 minutes

	9:00	9:35	10:10	10:45
Group A	Center 1	Center 2	Center 3	Center 4
Group B	Center 2	Center 3	Center 4	Center 1
Group C	Center 3	Center 4	Center 1	Center 2
Group D	Center 4	Center 1	Center 2	Center 3

 

11:25 - Closure with the entire group (up to 20 minutes depending on what you want to review, share or summarize)

Caution: Organization is KEY to the success of learning centers. You need to have carefully planned and handed out in writing the list of students in each group, the schedule, room locations, information for those helping out, etc. All teachers need to know what you expect from them.

Hopefully, students will learn from the sessions, interact with new peers and enjoy the change of pace. Teachers too may enjoy collaborating, as well as planning only one class to be repeated several times.  If you have parents helping, it is great public relations.