Nala Bella Teaching: Ain't Nobody Got Time For THAT!

Ain't nobody got time for that...

That lady just cracks me up! But, she is explaining teacher's thoughts exactly!

Who has time to set up a Math Workshop with all those ever-changing centers? Nobody!

Ha ha... well I have some ideas for you that might just work!

1. Keep all math centers neatly organized in ONE convenient location. Below you can see the baskets and tubs that I use to store materials that are just for math centers. All of the different types of flash cards are stored in one tub. I also have several versions of math bingo that I keep in a basket. I make it a point to keep these centers neatly stored- so I don't have to re-create them when I need them!

2. Use your time wisely. I am always asking myself, what can I do right now that my future self will thank me for? So, here's a tip: I always change the math cards at the hands on center during the 3 minutes the students spend doing their warm up math problem. I keep the cards in a plastic page protector that sticks to my cabinet. Inside the cabinet, I keep the box of cards. The box is right where I need it! Here's the cabinet:

3. Stay organized. Not just with supplies, but with your routines! If the kids have the same structure everyday, then you will spend less time explaining what to do, and less time dealing with behavior problems. My structure is the same EVERYDAY. Here is mine;

10:45-10:50: Warm up problem (Anytime problem from the book) and they eat their snack.
10:50-10:55: Students put away snack and move to their spot on the floor. I go over the learning target and give directions for centers.
10:55-11:00: Students go back to their seat and we do a quick mini-lesson.
11:00: Centers begin. Each rotation is 10 minutes. I ding a bell and they clean up and rotate.
11:40: Students return to their desk and do a clicker quiz (using Smartboard software).
11:43: Students take their finished clicker quiz to their floor spot. I go over the problem and we close our lesson at 11:45.

My class is so used to this structure, that I don't even have to tell them what to do next! It's like auto pilot.

Here's the rotations: