Ok: question... what's "Center" time?
-Mich
Ooh, sorry, LOL, it's pre-k jargon for the stations they set up around a room, my DS pre-k had a kitchen and dress up, trains and building, library, painting and a sand table. So 4-6 kids depending on the activity would be at a "center" the kids would gravitate to their preferred areas and if they wanted to go somewhere else if there was room they could join or sometimes they had another kid move. Like the sand table had rules for 2 or 3 and when someone wanted a turn they traded, I think they limited with a timer for those centers. They did this to avoid 15 kids wanting blocks or something like that. But my DS essentially used up the centers it became like his room, except new toys
rarely came in. This was fine for other kids but DS ran out of interest and instead sought more imaginary play from his peers, they weren't up to his level so it became a source of tension and the teachers didn't help him or them negotiate it. They would take out 2-3 kids individually to work with the teachers at this time on the project of the day or worksheets. In the young class this is where they worked on holding crayons properly and scissors and stuff like that doing a craft. So envision a large room, group of kids placed around it working together or not. 2 or 3 of the teachers patrolled the centers and the other usually the head but not always worked on the special. DS loved
the specials it was one on one or two to one with the teacher and so much much more interesting to him and all the kids got that time. It was just more important to DS.
DeHe
