Math Center Management
Many teachers have "literacy centers", but few seem to have math centers.  I believe that young children should have just as much time for math as they do for literacy each day.  The following is a method of math center management that works for me in my classroom.  Please note that different methods work for different teachers, it all depends on what you are most comfortable with and what your program expectations are.  There is no one "right way" to manage math centers, you must choose what is best for you, your students, and your program.
Tables I have 4 tables in my classroom, each table is color coded and seats six (see picture above).  I have red, yellow, blue, and green tables, all table colors are distinguished by the color of the supply caddy.  Each student is assigned a seat at a color coded table, that is their "table group".
What do they do at the tables? Each table has an assigned math activity that they must complete each day.  Once the students have completed their assigned activity they are free to choose any of the materials available in the math center (see picture below).  There are 4 assigned activities per week, one per table.  The students rotate to a different table each day to complete a total of 4 assigned activities per week at literacy centers, Friday is catch-up day or free choice.  Here is an example of what the rotation might look like: Monday: Red group @ red table- sorting w/thematic manipulatives Blue group @ blue table- patterning w/thematic manipulatives Yellow group@ yellow table- one-to-one correspondence ducks in a pond Green group@ green table- Number 5 activity Tuesday: Red group @ blue table - patterning w/thematic manipulatives Blue group @ yellow table- one-to-one correspondence ducks in a pond Yellow group @ green table- Number 5 activity Green group @ red table- sorting w/thematic manipulatives And so on...
What does the teacher do during math centers? I work with 1 group and supervise the other while my assistant supervises the other two groups.  If I am working with my lowest group and they have the one-to-one duck pond activity I would have them count the numbers on the dice with their finger while counting out loud, then count each duck they put in the pond out loud etc.  While I am working with that group I am watching my other group closely as they are sorting with thematic manipulatives.  My assistant is on the other side of the room sitting with one group and watching the other closely and interacting with the students just like I am.
How long is your math center time?    Our math centers are usually 30 minutes long.  We start with a short, whole group lesson, followed by math centers.  Click HERE to see our daily schedule.

What types of activities do you have in your math center?

(click picture to enlarge)

To see more pictures and read explanations about what items are kept in the math center click HERE

For math center activity ideas click HERE

How do you organize your weekly assigned activities?

Pictured above on the left you can see my Literacy & Math Center organization crate.  I have hanging files inside the crate.  Pictured on the right there are 4 file folders, one red, yellow, blue, and green.  Each folder matches the color of one of our tables and is placed inside a hanging file folder in the crate.  Inside each folder I put the assigned activity for the week.   Using the example above again, I would put the thematic erasers for the sorting activity in the red folder, the materials for the number 5 activity in the green folder and so on.  If the items we are using for an assigned task are too large to fit in a folder I simply write the name of the item(s) and stick a post-it note inside the folder to remind myself, my assistant, or any subs exactly what we are doing at each table and what materials are needed.    Every Friday I take out the assigned activities from the week and replace them with the materials necessary for next week's centers. 

How do you keep track of who goes where every day? 

picture coming soon!

I have a Literacy and Math Center chart on a large piece of poster board- I'll be posting a real picture soon.  I glued one sheet each of blue, red, yellow, and green construction paper to the poster board, two at the top and two at the bottom- this represents the color tables.  Then, I laminated the chart and placed one 3M sticky hook at the top of each piece of colored construction paper.  Next, I wrote the students names according to their table groups on colored construction paper.  For example, if Juan, Paula, Samantha, Ricky, and David were all in the yellow group I wrote their names on the yellow piece of paper.  After I finished writing the names of all the students on the correct colored paper I laminated and punched a hole at the top of each sheet.  You need to make each piece of paper slightly smaller than the ones glued to the poster board.  Then, on Monday I place each color group on the hook of their same color table, for example the yellow color group above would be placed on the hook on top of the yellow table.  On Tuesday I would move the color group names to the next hook (see example above) to let them know where to go during literacy centers.  It sounds more confusing than it really is, but the students are able to use this system independently.