Slaughter's Tech Moment
Blended Learning: Station Rotation Model
Rotation Flipped Model is a variation of Blended Learning! Watch the video to refresh your knowledge of Blended Learning.
Station Rotation Model
Early on in my career, I knew that I needed to do something in my classroom that would better facilitate learning. I noticed groups of students that struggled with different skill sets and knew that I was not reaching all of my students with whole group instruction. I, also, knew that I was not pushing other groups of students as far as they could go, they were bored. I began using a model similar to the station rotation model.
I only had a few computers and a projector/ whiteboard available to me in the beginning, but I knew that I could use technology to reinforce skills, differentiate instruction, and use every minute of my time to fulfill the needs of my students. Year after year, I reflected on the model I was using with my students. I would ask myself, "what worked, what didn't work, and what was missing?" I would look at the standards, look at the new technology available, consider what I knew I wanted to see from students exiting my classroom, and conversed with the next grade-level to make sure I was aware of what they were expecting as well.
As I became more aware of technology and methodology that would give me more feedback from the students, I was able to tailor my instruction, even more, to help my students meet expectations. What I discovered through this model was a better way to build relationships with students. I began seeing the patterns in the data and started seeing my students abilities at a deeper level, and this helped me direct every aspect of my classroom environment.
Resource: picture
What can rotational model look like in a classroom?
What the model looks like will vary from classroom to classroom. It will depend on the content, the class, the unit, the lesson, and or even the skill. I broke my class up into groups of six students, but I kept that flexible depending on the skill level of my students. Here are a few things you may incorporate into your station rotation model.
Teacher-led Small Group- It is important to keep these groups flexible. Formal data, exit slips, and informal checks throughout whole group instruction can ensure teachers obtain flexibility when creating groups. The important thing is that the students are in a group that is best suited for their needs.
Collaboration- This part of station rotation involves students working in collaboration with one another. Peer review and partnered tasks are a great way to get students to talk about the content. Discussion can lead to a better understanding. Be sure to ask your students about what they discussed during collaboration as an informal way of keeping them on task.
Personalized, Online Instruction- Teachers can tailor learning to student needs by using adaptive programs, leveled readers, and leveled online tasks. Personalizing the learning is an excellent way to increase engagement and understanding.
Independent/ Collaborative Project- This is usually a piece that will check students understanding. Teachers can use this station to allow students to connect a project to the learning that is taking place. Many times this project can be something that is worked on for several days or weeks. Students can even use this station to work on an interactive journal or other resource that can assist them as the proceed.
Independent Practice- This is where students work individually on a task. This task can be small or extend over several days.
The key to this type of model is the exit tickets or other forms of checking understanding and then using the data to give students feedback and form groups for future small group meetings. The other key to success with this design is classroom management, and this takes place through setting expectations and getting students engaged.
Using Data to its full potential
Some ways to increase student engagement and make the best of this model using data is:
Setting a goal as a class: This should be a way to help create a team environment. The goal may not be directly related to the content, but something that addresses the 4Cs and 21st Century Skill Sets.
Individual Goals: When students set goals with teachers that are directly related to what they need and can obtain, learning becomes more personal. Competition can be a driving force, but we need to focus on creating intrinsic motivation. I want to be the best I can be!
Driving or Informing Instruction: Using data to help make decisions on how instruction should proceed. If the majority of the class is struggling with a certain skill or standard, the teacher may want to incorporate that in the whole group sessions or small groups. The teacher may need to spend more time or take a step backward and get to the root of the struggle.
Reflecting on the data takes time, but it is the most beneficial thing you can do for your classroom. Breaking the content down and looking at how the students are performing on the individual pieces can help you identify how to make gains in the whole.
Resource: Picture- My Class Progress: I have not tried this resource, but it does look worthwhile to check out.
Backward Design
I have mentioned Understanding by Design in many of my Tech Moments, and that is because backward engineering lessons is the best way to see every area that can cause a hiccup or a misstep for your classroom. By knowing where you want to be, it is easier to plan how to get there.
It can seem overwhelming at the beginning, but working backward design gives you a set of steps, skills, or standards that you will be addressing to prepare the students for the final component that shows they have obtained or mastered the overall objective.
Creating an environment that is differentiated can seem harsh at first as well, but the more you immerse yourself in the backward design, the feedback (data), and meet with students the more it becomes natural. I have to tell you that starting out every year I would have my moments of being overwhelmed, but it always worked its way out. Reflection, sitting down and planning, thinking out the steps will help make it easier.
Blended Learning and Understanding By Design: The Unit
- Where are we going or what am I expecting my students to be able to do?
- How am I going to get my students hooked or engaged in the process? in the process?
- What skills will they need in order to master the overall objective? How will you Equip them with those skills?
- How will you get students to reflect, rethink, or revise their thinking? (discussion, checkpoints, exit tickets)
- How are students going to be evaluated and how are you going to get them to self-evaluate? How are they going to be expected to show understanding?
For small group:
- Tailor the lessons to each individual group and tailor your groups to the needs that are shown from quick checks and informal observation. Especially in math, groups can change every chapter, unit, or even everyday depending on what the lesson entails.
- Organize the lessons and stations to facilitate feedback and time for reflection.
Some questions to ask your class when you come back together:
What did you notice about the tasks?
What did you learn today that helped you?
How can you use the things you learned today?
A couple other things to consider:
How can technology help to make the learning more engaging, bring thinking to a deeper level, or make the learning more personal?
How can you incorporate the 4C's (Communication, Collaboration, Critical-Thinking, Creativity)?
Like I said, it is overwhelming at first, but becomes second nature very quickly.
Blended Learning and Understanding By Design: The Lesson
Once you have the unit planned in a backward design, one idea for planning stations is to break down your tasks for the lesson into sections. The number of stations that a teacher has will depend on the allotted time, what is addressed in small group, and content. A teacher can rotate with as few as three stations, but most use 4 or more.
Being comfortable with the material and the students allows for a more fluid arrangement. When I started out, I was very rigid with my stations, but as time went on I was more capable of altering the plan based on the feedback during my whole group mini-lesson.
If you have students that are pulled out, or a teacher pushes in, then consider that in your rotation model. I would always communicate with them about what I have been seeing or noticing with lessons, and I would work to ensure that I understood what objectives or goals they were working on as well. Communication is VITAL!
Upper Elementary Grade Levels and Secondary
Most of the time I started my rotation with the students that were struggling, then worked up form there. This organization helped me use my time effectively. I generally had to meet longer with the struggling students and the time would get shorter as I moved up.