I’m back to talk more about independent work stations. I don’t know if you’ve realized, but I’m basically obsessed with them. I think I’ve written about independent work stations at least a half dozen times on this blog if not more! I love them because not only do they provide an opportunity to teach students 1:1 while other students are engaged in meaningful activities, it also promotes independence in students and isn’t that really one of the big goals we want to accomplish? I know any growth in independence is HUGE for my students!
If you’re starting out a work station, it’s easy to make mistakes and I want to help make sure you set up the BEST work station in your classroom that promotes independence for students throughout their school day. So check out these mistakes you may be making with your work stations and I’m going to help you fix them!
Mistake #1: Setting up your work station in the wrong direction
Work stations should always be set up in a left to right, top to bottom orientation. This is going to help you so much when you get to reading skills and utilizing a visual schedule.
Basically, I set up my work stations so that the work that needs to be completed is to the left of the students desk space. Whether they’re using a 3-drawer bin system, a shelf and bin system, or a magazine rack system, those items are always located to the left of the student’s desk space.
Then, on their desk, students will always have a work strip that has tasks set up in a top to bottom orientation. Job #1 is on the top, #2 is next, and so on and so forth. This is important so students can see what they need to complete during their work station time.
Finally, on the right it is important to keep a finished basket. This is where students will place all of their completed work, but I’ll talk a little more about that in the next tip.
Mistake #2: Lacking a finished basket
Once you set up your work station, it’s important to make sure you have a space for students to distribute finished tasks. I have some old bins from a drawer that was broken. I took the bins out and use them as a finished basket in our work stations.
When students complete work they need a way to visually indicate that they have completed the task. A finished basket provides that visual perfectly. Students are continuing their left to right work station completion and you will have a place to check work when stations are completed.
Mistake #3: Forgetting to up the ante
If your student is rocking a 3-drawer system then it might be time to up the ante and have them start visually scanning for the tasks they’re going to complete in a shelf and bin system. Mastered that system? Try to teach them to use something more appropriate for a general education classroom like a magazine rack system.
We need to remember the purpose of a work station is to teach students to work independently. In my classroom, we aim to include students with their typical peers as much as possible, so upping the ante to a system that can easily be used in the general education classroom is important.
It’s also important to think about upping the ante of the tasks that your students are completing. If they’re academic level is matching and they’re rocking a matching board of 9 items, up the ante and create a board that has 12, 18, even 24 items for the students to match. Building our students stamina to continue working for extended periods of time is great!
Mistake #4: Failing to answer the “What’s Next?” question
When setting up your work stations it’s important to answer 3 questions for your students:
- What work?
- How much work?
- What’s next?
Where can I find the data sheet you mentioned in this post?
These are the data sheets I use: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Independent-Work-Station-Data-Kit-1559843