Consider the last time you used a recipe to bake something, for example, a chocolate cake. Maybe it was a special occasion like a birthday, and you wanted to surprise someone with a homemade chocolate cake. The recipe details the ingredients you need, the sequence you should mix them in, and the exact temperature and duration required to bake your cake to perfection! The recipe is your trusted guide in the early stages of creating this sweet masterpiece. It’s clear, easy to understand, comes with step-by-step instructions and even pictures, all designed to build your confidence as you bake.
Despite the recipe’s utility in these early stages of cake-baking, it’s unlikely you’d want to rely on a recipe for every cake you bake in the future. At a certain point, the recipe can start to feel restrictive, dampening your creative flair as a baker. Over time, you might wish to experiment, perhaps replacing the white sugar with brown for a deeper flavor, substituting almond flour for a friend who cannot eat gluten, or opting for a cream cheese frosting instead of the traditional buttercream for a friend who prefers it. This flexibility and freedom to tweak the recipe keep? baking enjoyable.
A similar truth applies to the adopted curriculum many teachers use. While initially, it’s beneficial to have a clear roadmap to follow when implementing a new curriculum; as teachers gain confidence using it, they will desire to exercise their creativity to tailor the learning experience to the unique needs of their students.
From Teacher-led to Student-centered with Blended Learning
As a blended learning coach and professional learning facilitator, I assist teachers in transitioning from traditional, teacher-led instruction to more student-centric approaches using blended learning models. Blended learning merges active, engaged learning online with active, engaged learning offline, giving students more control over the when, where, and how of their learning journey. There are various models within blended learning, including station rotation, whole group rotation, flipped classroom, and playlist models, each providing varying levels of autonomy for students.
The goal of blended learning is to place students at the core of the learning experience. Yet, an adopted curriculum can often be a major obstacle to achieving this goal. It’s often structured for teacher-led, whole-group instruction but not restricted to this application. Teachers, as the architects of learning experiences, should have the liberty and autonomy to mold the curriculum to fit their students’ needs through various technology-enhanced instructional models.
From Linear to Circular Lessons with the Station Rotation Model
In training or coaching sessions, I work with teachers to reimagine their curriculum using a specific blended learning model to ensure they meet all learners’ needs. Teachers are often intrigued by the station rotation model specifically.
The station rotation model comprises a series of stations or learning experiences students rotate through, including a teacher-led, online, and offline station. The teacher-led station frees the teacher to work with small groups differentiating instruction, modeling strategies and skills, guiding discussion, and providing feedback on work in progress. Those benefits are attractive, but teachers often struggle to conceptualize the linear lesson plan in a more circular rotation where groups of students start in each station. I encourage teachers to reflect on specific questions when reviewing a lesson plan.
- Which portion of the lesson is most difficult for students and requires substantial teacher support?
- Which learning activities would benefit from variable time on task?
- Which learning activities can be enhanced through peer interaction and support?
The response to the first question will help determine which activity requires the teacher’s guidance and should be pulled into the teacher-led station. The second response will indicate which learning activities can be assigned as individual, self-paced tasks. The third will highlight the learning activities that benefit from collaborative small group or partner tasks.
Let’s explore two secondary examples–ELA and Math–and see how a linear whole-group lesson can be reimagined as a station rotation or a modified rotation to provide a more equitable experience and better meet the diverse needs of students.
StudySync: ELA Curriculum
StudySync is an English language arts curriculum encompassing a broad library of digital texts coupled with audio tracks for improved accessibility, video models of various skills, a peer feedback tool, and automated scaffolds for students at different language proficiency levels.
Let’s take a linear, whole-group First Read lesson from StudySync and design a station rotation. For this example, we’ll use the First Read lesson for “A Celebration of Grandfathers,” by Rudolfo Anaya in Grade 8, from the StudySync program.
The StudySync lesson includes the following elements:
- Introduction
- Watch and discuss the video preview
- Build background activity
- Read
- Make vocabulary predictions
- Model reading comprehension strategy
- Read and annotate the text
- Discuss the text
- Grammar practice
- Think
- Answer Think Questions
If we reimagine this as a station rotation, it might look like the rotation pictured below in Figure 1.
Transforming a StudySync lesson into a station rotation model frees the teacher from standing at the front of the room, allowing them to customize instructions and scaffolds for small groups while modeling the reading comprehension strategy. Students gain more control over their pace at the online and offline stations as they work through the learning tasks.
The station rotation model also enhances accessibility, inclusivity, and equity within the lesson. Students can read and annotate online with an audio track or offline independently or with a partner. They can choose whether to practice grammar alone or with a peer. These meaningful choices become feasible when teachers transition from a rigid whole-group learning experience, breaking down barriers to ensure all students advance toward solid, standards-aligned goals.
Swun Math
Math tends to be more complex to organize through a traditional rotation model due to its linear nature, as concepts and processes are built sequentially. However, the wide range of math skills and capabilities within a class can render whole-group instruction frustratingly ineffective. Some students quickly grasp the content, while others require more elaboration, models, and guided practice. If we aim for equity in learning, ensuring all students receive the necessary input to achieve a specific output, we must infuse creativity into our lesson plans.
During a recent blended learning training, a teacher was overwhelmed. She was aware that the lesson described in the curriculum wasn’t benefiting most students but was at a loss about how to implement blended learning with the Swun Math curriculum. Challenge accepted!
We brainstormed a method that respected the fundamental approach of Swun Math but incorporated stations to afford her more flexibility. The goal was to assist those students who needed it while encouraging advanced students to work at a pace that kept them interested and engaged. Too often, students ready for more rigor are limited by whole-group, teacher-led, teacher-paced lessons.
Like most adopted curricula, there is more in a Swun math lesson than a teacher could cover in a class period. A lesson includes the following elements:
- The Problem of the Day
- Vocabulary
- Input Model
- Structured Guided Practice
- Final Check for Understanding
- Student Practice
- Challenge Problems
- Extension Activity
Figure 2 below illustrates how a teacher could creatively adapt the curriculum to allow for differentiation and a higher degree of student control over the pace and, for more advanced students, their learning path.
In this revamped lesson, the teacher starts with the whole group, using the Problem of the Day and Vocabulary Building as warm-up activities. Then, using the Swun curriculum’s Input Model, the teacher introduces the day’s topic. Rather than progressing through the rest of the lesson elements in lockstep—which doesn’t work well since students need variable time on each task—the teacher transitions students into skill-level groups. This allows the teacher to offer more time and support to the students in the lower-level group as they work on the Final Check and move on to Practice Problems.
The graphic above represents the sequence and quantity of work each group completes, akin to a mini-playlist of learning activities for each skill level. The students in the mid-level group can watch the video of the input model available online for additional instruction. At the same time, the teacher works with the lower-level group, then they move on to the final check and practice problems. The teacher transitions from the lower- to mid-level group to review their work and provide support.
The high-level group will need substantially less teacher time and support and will complete more lesson elements. Once they finish the Challenge Problems, they can decide how to use their remaining time. They can opt to a) move on to the next video lesson to preview the content for the next class, b) complete the extension activity, or c) take a “student tutor” lanyard and help students in the lower-level and mid-level groups who need peer support. Not only do the students in the high-level group get to move at a pace that suits them, but they can choose to serve as valuable resources in the classroom, assisting their peers.
The goal of an adopted curriculum is to provide a high-quality, standards-aligned learning experience for all students, but a one-size-fits-all approach seldom meets everyone’s needs. Just as a traditional chocolate cake won’t work for every birthday party, a teacher-led whole-group lesson won’t meet the wide spectrum of needs, learning preferences, skills and abilities, language proficiencies, and interests in a classroom. Teachers must leverage their creativity and understanding of their specific student population to design and facilitate equitable learning experiences. Blended learning offers various instructional models that teachers can use to adjust their curriculum to ensure learning is tailored to meet the needs of all students.
8 Responses
What about some examples from elementary ELA using Wonders?
Hi Jane,
Firstly, it’s essential to identify the foundational reading elements of the Wonders program that lend themselves well to differentiated teacher-led instruction. These elements can be pulled into a dedicated teacher-led station. In this station, you can provide targeted instruction to small groups of students, addressing their specific needs and providing additional support where necessary. This personalized attention allows for a deeper understanding of the material and encourages active engagement.
To maximize student participation, consider incorporating individual or paired practice activities in offline stations. These stations can include review resources such as worksheets, task cards, or interactive games. These activities should align with the concepts and skills covered in the Wonders program and offer opportunities for students to apply what they have learned independently or with a partner. Providing a variety of offline resources ensures that students have multiple avenues for practicing and reinforcing their reading skills.
In addition to offline stations, you can create an online station where students can engage with digital texts. This station can include access to e-books, educational websites, or interactive reading platforms that align with the Wonders program. By incorporating digital texts, you can enhance student engagement and provide opportunities for independent exploration. Consider including comprehension questions or interactive elements within the digital resources to further promote critical thinking and active reading.
To optimize the effectiveness of a station rotation model, it is crucial to be strategic about the activities and tasks you release to learners. Gradually releasing activities, starting with more structured tasks and gradually increasing independence, allows students to build confidence and competence over time. This approach ensures that students receive the necessary support while gradually fostering their ability to work independently.
I hope that helps, Jane!
Take care.
Catlin
Hello,
I have attempted a version of this model in my classroom and my struggle is identifying the levels of students instantaneously. Do you have your groups preselected? Do you determine your low-medium-high in “general” and not specifically toward the new topic?
That was the point where it fell apart for me, and seemed counterproductive for the day.
Hi Erica,
When lesson designing, I use pre-assessment data, diagnostic data, or formative assessment data to create skill or ability level groups (if that is how I am grouping them for the day). That way, you can customize your approach for each group’s level.
I wrote a blog on using data strategically that might be helpful.
https://catlintucker.com/2023/03/data-driven-design
I hope that helps!
Take care.
Catlin
I taught using the 8th grade StudySync curriculum last year. I wanted to love it, but it ended up being extremely cumbersome and overwhelming to use as a mode for independent learning or cooperative learning due to the high-level language used throughout the program. I cannot see how I could use it for stations for this reason, and I desperately want to use the stations and flipped classroom model. I know we are supposed to elevate our students’ exposure to academic language and higher-order thinking, but the curriculum was not accessible for my learners because the language used in the prompts, directions, questions and answer choices was too high for them (they read 3-4 grade levels below 8th grade). In addition, our district refuses to buy the workbooks, so all of their work had to either be online (which was problematic because many of them had laptop privileges revoked or just wouldn’t keep their laptops in working order) OR we had to screenshot it or copy/paste and print it out (one question at a time since the program only presents one question per screen). The fact that Studysync doesn’t provide pdfs for all assignments is beyond frustrating.
Am I missing something or wrong about perceiving these obstacles? I’m reaching out to you because I am hoping that I am just unaware of an easier way to adapt the language and provide paper activities for my students. I know that you were very involved with the development of the program. Can you please give me some pointers? I want to use this curriculum effectively next year using more of a blended learning approach.
Thank you so much!
Hi Stacy,
It’s disheartening to hear that your district isn’t investing in the StudySync print companion, especially considering your students’ limited access to charged devices. However, there are still creative ways to make the program work with your students.
As a high school teacher, I often had students who were reading at the 2-3rd and 4-5th grade reading bands. To bridge this gap and help them access grade-level texts, I found Study Sync to be an invaluable resource. By utilizing the audio recordings available in the program, students were able to listen and read simultaneously. Additionally, the audio text highlight feature allowed them to track the words being read on the screen.
In situations where students does not have access to a device, or if they were not charged, one strategy you could consider is pairing students to read a text together. This way, they can still have access to the text while receiving peer support during the reading process. Alternatively, creating small groups of three students to read together can also be beneficial.
Another advantage of StudySync is the ability to edit or customize the questions and prompts before assigning them to students. If there are specific vocabulary words that you believe your students may struggle with, you can either pre-teach those words or edit the questions and prompts within the program to make the language more accessible. This level of flexibility allows you to tailor the lessons to better meet your students’ needs.
I wrote a blog post about utilizing StudySync in a whole group rotation, which provides teachers with more control over the flow of the lesson. It also allows for individualized attention and support throughout different parts of the lesson. I believe this resource might be helpful for you in navigating the program more effectively.
In addition to the whole group rotation, I also train teachers on using StudySync with the station rotation model. However, given the abundance of content in each lesson plan, it’s important for teachers to selectively choose which aspects to include in the rotation. It’s impossible to cover everything in a StudySync lesson, which can make the program feel overwhelming. I encourage teachers to approach it like a buffet and pick and choose the elements they believe will be most beneficial for their learners.
For instance, in a station rotation, you could have one station dedicated to pre-teaching vocabulary in the text, as well as any academic or domain-specific vocabulary found in the questions or writing prompts. Another station could focus on the building background knowledge or accessing prior knowledge activities, and both of these stations could be offline to limit students’ device usage. At the teacher-led station, you could guide students in a close reading of the text and provide instruction on implementing the focus reading comprehension strategy. This approach allows for a balance between online and offline learning activities.
By pairing students up and guiding reading in small groups, you can effectively incorporate different parts of the StudySync program into a station rotation that would be more beneficial than asking students to navigate the cognitively challenging lessons on their own.
I hope these suggestions are helpful as you prepare to use StudySync next year with your students.
Take care.
Catlin
Hey! I have implemented bits and pieces of a blended learning approach in my 2nd grade classroom for the past two years. It worked great as my students were learning on their level while also taking ownership of their learning which resulted in great growth. This year I have moved to 4th grade where I am teaching only ELA. I was very excited as with older students it is easier to implement more aspects of Blended Learning. However, lately as I have talked to many 4th and 5th grade teachers they have stated that in the higher grade levels Blended Learning may not work so I have been discouraged. Teachers have stated that differentiating whole group instruction does not work because at the end of the year they are all going to have to do the same thing on state testing. While I disagree with this, I do understand that with large novels and texts in 4th grade all students need to be exposed and understand them whether they can read the whole thing or not.
I still want to implement a Blended approach learning but I need guidance with a new grade level. Fourth grade does more with novels and larger texts that I am not used to. My approach for the past two years as looked similar to the Swun Math model mentioned above. I start with a small mini whole groups lesson then give each group some type of task differentiated on their level. The specific curriculum we use is EL Education. The first book we use is Love that Dog as we start with poetry. How would I implement a Blended approach using a model similar to the Swun Math model that I have used in the past where all students are exposed to the main text of the unit like Love That Dog while also differentiating to allow all students to be successful and take ownership of their learning?
Thank you!!
Hi Caroline,
I’m so glad you’re interested in continuing to use blended learning in your 4th-grade ELA classroom! I completely understand the challenges of transitioning to teaching larger texts like novels, but I believe blended learning can be incredibly effective at this level.
Blended learning is all about giving students more control over their learning journey, and it works wonderfully in upper grades. It allows you to meet the diverse needs of your students, providing them with the support they need while ensuring that all students engage with the same core content. As a high school English teacher for 16 years, I can tell you that I found blended learning SO helpful in meeting the diversity of needs, skills, language proficiencies, learning preferences, etc. in my classes. I also used several novels over the course of a school year!
One model you might find helpful is the station rotation model, which you’re already familiar with from your math instruction. This model can be adapted beautifully for ELA, especially when working with a text like Love That Dog.
Here is an example of a station Rotation lesson for Love That Dog:
Station 1: Teacher-Led Small Group Discussion
Focus: Guided reading and text analysis.
Activity: In this station, you can work with small groups of students to dive deeper into Love That Dog. You might start with a brief read-aloud of a poem from the book, followed by a discussion of its themes, language, and how it connects to the overall narrative. This is also a great time to model reading comprehension strategies.
Station 2: Collaborative Poetry Writing
Focus: Applying learning and creative expression
Students can work together to create their own poems inspired by Love That Dog. You could provide prompts related to the themes of the book or allow them to experiment with different poetic forms. This station encourages creativity and allows students to practice writing in a fun and engaging way. Differentiation can be achieved by providing varying levels of support or scaffolding based on each group’s needs.
Station 3: Independent Digital Literacy Practice
Focus: Personalized practice and/or vocabulary development
This station can involve an online platform where students engage in activities that build their comprehension and vocabulary related to Love That Dog. For example, they could work on tasks that involve matching vocabulary words with their meanings, answering comprehension questions, or even engaging with interactive elements that explore the book’s themes. The digital component allows for differentiation, as you can assign different tasks based on student readiness and skill level.
Station 4: Reflective Journaling
Focus: Metacognition and personal response
In this station, students can write in their journals, reflecting on their thoughts and feelings about Love That Dog. You can provide them with specific prompts, such as “How does Jack’s view of poetry change throughout the book?” or “What connections can you make between the poems in the book and your own experiences?” This station encourages self-expression and helps students to process and internalize what they’ve read.
This rotation model ensures that all students are engaging with the same text, Love That Dog, while also allowing for differentiation. You’re able to meet students where they are, offer targeted support, and provide them with opportunities to take ownership of their learning.
Don’t be discouraged by the challenges of teaching in a higher grade level. Blended learning can be just as effective, if not more so, in the upper grades. It’s all about designing your lessons to be as flexible and responsive to student needs as possible, which you’re clearly already doing!
Best of luck with your 4th graders! Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need further guidance.
Take care.
Catlin