Who? What? When? Where?
Learning Centre

Decide who is going to be involved in setting up the learning centre:

·	the teacher?
·	children and teacher?
·	children?

Choose what you want your emphasis to be. Do you want to use a thematic approach that flows over from the class programme, or a specific study?

Getting under way

Start gradually.
Use as a starting point, any of the following:

Explore a concept:
eg. safety, peace, illusions. 

Plan a centre to reinforce a skill:
eg. mapping, researching, painting. Create an attractive display - books, pictures, activity cards. 

Choose a space. Develop a centre:
eg. corner, table, display board, folding screens, the outside of cartons to display activities. 

Concentrate on a curriculum area:
eg. the centre should contain activities and materials which effectively meet the needs and interests of the class.  Provide a variety of activities ... read, write, make, design, create, build, draw, investigate, experiment, research. 

Develop the topic.  Provide an effective number of activities, don't overwhelm the children, more activities can be added throughout the unit study. 

Build in some form of monitoring - self checking lists, teacher conference. 

Use a chart where children record what they have done, or a child designed record, or a contract sheet. Encourage and provide time for the children to share with others what they have done. 

Learning Centres can be:

·	Teacher directed/initiated. Teacher identifies needs and provides meaningful opportunities and experiences.  Encourages children towards greater independence and the ability to make choices and decisions. 
·	Teacher/Child developed. Initial teacher input for guidance, some teacher imposed tasks/activities based on established needs as well as some child created activities, provide an element of choice. 
·	Child initiated and developed programme:
Students work in groups according to their interests. The group plan questions and activities, collect resources for their topic/theme. Set up the learning centre. 

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)