How Do Digital Centers Work in Elementary Classrooms?

Apr 6, 20233 min read

Updated: May 11, 2023

In today's technology-driven world, digital literacy is becoming an essential skill for students to develop. A digital literacy and math center is a classroom area dedicated to enhancing students' skills and to review topics through the use of technology. This simply means: allowing your students or children to learn while they also enjoy screen time.

So easy... even pets can do it! 😉

Here's what you need to know about setting up a digital literacy or math center in your classroom.

What are Centers in the Classroom?

Center Time in the elementary classroom consists of students working on activities together, independently or with the teacher in a small group. While we are teaching small groups, students should be engaged in learning which... let's admit, doesn't always happen! Or if it does happen, it takes a long time to practice and implement with young children.

What is a Digital Literacy and Math Center?

A digital literacy and math center typically includes a computer or a tablet, maybe even a classroom smart board and software programs. It's a great way for teachers to differentiate instruction and provide students with independent learning opportunities that cater to their unique learning styles.

How Would Digital Centers Work in Elementary Classrooms?

If you've never felt like this during Centers in the Kindergarten or First Grade classroom, then are you really a teacher? 🤣 Our classrooms can be overwhelming during this time because it's impossible to actively monitor every small group and teach a targeted skill at the same time.

While teaching first graders for 9 years, I've had classes up to 30 students and keeping them engaged, learning, and respectful of others is a lot! So, I finally found a way to get them to focus and it had nothing to do with THEM. I had to change my approach to classroom centers. My students are full of energy and when they're not with me, they are playing on their tablets or SMARTPHONES! Yes... 6 year olds have smartphones now! How are we to compete with technology? The answer is: we have to embrace tech and use it to our advantage.

🤩 Visualize this...

💭 a small group of your students are playing a game reviewing CVC words by reading words and matching pictures on the smart board.

💭 Another group of students are completing a digital choice board for Writing Center.

💭 Then you look in the library where students are practicing fluency by listening to their books read aloud on audio and using their computers to easily answer comprehension questions on Google Slides.

No one is interrupting your small group because they are all ENGAGED.
No one is asking for help because the directions are there for them to listen to, replay or work with another classmate.
No one is fighting over or breaking classroom supplies.
Everyone is working the whole time and transitions are a breeze because they can exit their activity quickly and rotate to the next activity. Anything they did not finish can be saved and completed the next day.