131: Learning Centers with Tammy Cook

Tammy Cook is a 3rd grade teacher at East Laurens Elementary School in Laurens County, Georgia.

She currently is in her 20th year of teaching.

Her career has been in two school systems where she spent 9 years in Wilkinson County and now she is in her 11th in Laurens County.

Most of her career has been teaching 3rd graders although she has taught 5th grade.

I have had the opportunity to watch Tammy teach a couple of times and she is a master at using learning centers as well as getting the kids to know what is expected of them.

Her transitions are smooth and the kids can't wait to get started on their centers. 

She has everything color-coded. There are buckets, folders, and pouches. The kids know what their team is and look forward to the day when it is their turn to be the team leader and get to wear the pouch.

You will hear us talk about getting the kids to transition with little prodding, the make-up of her learning centers, her use of peer evaluation, as well as a chart that she uses to record her thoughts about how each student is doing.

Tammy's enthusiasm for working with kids comes shining through from the beginning of the interview to the end.

I hope that you will take some of her ideas and give them a try.

Your kids will thank you.

Enjoy!

Length: 30:42