Anchor Charts

Anchor Charts

I will begin by asking a rhetorical question...  Do you use anchor charts across contents in your classroom?

If your answer is "yes” or “no," then you should keep reading.  J

According to Merriam-Webster an anchor is defined as a person or thing that provides strength and support, or an object used to hold something firmly in place.  .   

With this definition in mind, let’s move toward its application in our classrooms.  Anchor charts are the artifacts of classroom learning communities.  Anchor charts make your classroom and the teaching and learning occurring very transparent. They facilitate the learning because they leave little doubt about what a student is expected to learn and provide a print rich classroom for students to reference and utilize.  Anchor charts displayed in the classroom facilitate the anchoring of student thinking and provide a visual reference for continued support as students learn. They also provide an opportunity to shift the responsibility of learning back to the learner.  Instead of the teacher being the only source of knowledge, they have learning artifacts to help them if they need support or a reminder. 

Things to remember as you are creating anchor charts in your classroom. (Cornerstone’s information about Anchor Charts, written by Wendy Seger)

1.      The anchor chart should have a single and clear focus.

 

2.    The anchor chart is co-constructed with students. The brain based research of Marcia Tate and other support the use of visuals to incorporate new learning into memory. When the visual represents a learning event that includes the students, it becomes an artifact of the learning experience. It has meaning for the students because they participated in its construction.

 

3.    The anchor chart has an organized appearance.  The information must be presented in a clear and comprehensible manner.  If the student can’t read the chart or find the statement of explicit instruction, then the students will not be able to use the chart when they return to it as a scaffold. 

 

4.    The anchor charts matches the learners’ developmental levels.  The language, amount of information, size of letters, the length of the sentences and amount of writing should all match the cognitive level of the students that will be using it. The complexity of the anchor chart should increase as the students get older. 

 

5.     The anchor chart supports ongoing learning.  The chart should be used by students and/or provide a scaffold for learning. 

 

Anchor charts displayed in the classrooms throughout our district provide foundational artifacts making transparent the teaching and learning occurring at Castleberry I.S.D. Please remember the anchor charts should be used across contents to provide that consistent resource for our students. 

Happy Anchor Charting!