Teachers workshop centers on differentiated learning

The Office of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi held math workshops for K2-8th grade teachers at St. John Paul II High School and Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School on June 5. The "hands on" workshops are designed to help teachers maintain math centers in their classrooms throughout the year, "so students are engaged and feel empowered," superintendent Rosemary Henry said.
 
According to Henry, Math Centers give the teacher an opportunity to work with small groups while the rest of the students work on activities, giving students multiple ways to learn and understand concepts based on their diverse abilities.
 
Math consultants from the Region 2 Education Service Center led the workshops. Robyn Hernandez led workshop for kindergarten-second grade; Cynthia Lopez for grades third-fifth; and Patricia Thornton for sixth-eighth grades.
 
After explaining what Math Centers are helpful to all the teachers, the consultants had the teachers join the grade level they teach to learn how to set up stations in their own classrooms. During the afternoon session the teachers met again and worked in centers themselves.
 
Middle school teacher Janida De La Rosa from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Academy said she was finding out what differentiated learning is and what a math center is. "Our presenter is very knowledgeable and engaging," De La Rosa said.
 
"This is a small, intimate, awesome group of teachers," Thornton said of her sixth-eighth grade teachers. "We are each other's best resources when we are sharing experiences. I walk away learning just as much if not more, than hopefully what they're learning. They have years of experience, great insight and perspective that only come from being in the classroom."