Learning centers should be designed so students have a choice to work independently or in groups. Teachers then have the option to work with students individually or with groups of students to target specific skills. A learning center, with its hands-on approach, should be open to students a few hours each day to supplement the classroom learning experience. The purpose of the learning center is to provide students with additional educational materials that will encourage further learning in a variety of subjects. Part of a teacher's lesson plan should be activities students do in the learning centers.
At times, presenting a subject or topic to students is not enough for them to grasp the subject matter. Some students require additional instruction, and learning centers are ideal for these students. The centers allow them to gain more insight into the subject at their own pace. Teachers should have specific assignments designed for students to do in the learning centers, and these should elaborate on classroom lessons.
A learning center is a team effort and comprised of students, teachers and counselors. The student's role is to participate in the activities of the learning center in furthering their education. The teachers and counselors provide the students with resources and tools to build on the lesson plans of the classroom. The main objective behind these learning tools is to help students succeed in academics and cocurricular activities.
A learning center needs to be easily accessible to students and visually pleasing so as it becomes a place students want to be in. Besides written material, it is important to have visual aids as well because some students learn better with visual aids. Students need to be instructed in the use of the learning centers so they get the most out of them. Once in the learning center, the student should have all needed materials in the same area without the need to leave the center. A daily activities sign-in and sign-out log should be part of the learning center procedures, as it will provide the teacher with an account of the number of hours each student is using the learning center.