How to W.I.N. in the Classroom: What is W.I.N.?

Everybody likes to be a winner, right?   I've never met a person who preferred to lose.  This is especially true in the classroom.  Teachers want their students to be successful, to feel good about their progress and capabilities.  The struggle here is that no two students are alike.  Every child needs different support systems and strategies to help them along their path.

Differentiation can be complicated and as good teachers, we are always searching for ways to reach students where they are and help them progress to where they need to be.  This is where the idea of the W.I.N. block comes in.

I first heard of W.I.N. when one of my teammates came back from a professional development workshop shared the basic idea behind W.I.N.  W.I.N. stands for What I Need and is a set block of intervention and enrichment time that students are in stations or activities geared toward their needs.  I know this is nothing new.  I've used the workshop model in my math class and literacy stations in my language arts, so I am familiar with the model. I think the thing that intrigued me about this version of an old idea was the emphasis on really understanding my students' needs and the challenge of finding ideas, activities, and materials to support them.

Click to download a copy of this poster.

You can incorporate a W.I.N. block for any subject.  Right now I have a 30 minute W.I.N. block placed at the beginning of my math period.  As we move into the new year, I am working on organizing a W.I.N. block for my fifth and sixth grade readers.

W.I.N. block can look different for different teachers.  It really just depends on your students, your time constraints, your teaching style, and the expectations of your administration.  Several teachers in my building are incorporating some version of a W.I.N. block.  None of them look the same and all are helping to give students what they need to be successful.

So, are you interested in W.I.N.ning in your classroom?

The key to a successful W.I.N. block is organization.  Organization of your student groups, organization of your stations, organization of your materials.  If this seems like too much organization for you...  I totally understand.  You are a busy teacher.  There is NEVER enough prep time!  Maybe organization isn't your strong suit.  Whatever the roadblock, I'm here to help!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be continuing this topic in a series of blog posts.  These blog posts will include downloads of free materials to support you on your W.I.N.ing journey!


•   Organizing Student Groups - free download of a group organizational tool
•   Station Ideas - free download of editable station signs and group headers
•   Managing Materials - free download of binder cover and spine
•   Keeping Kids Accountable - free download of student recording sheet
•   Launching a W.I.N. Block - Mystery download! 

Next week I'll share with you what to consider as you are planning your student groups and what opportunities for assessment I use.  I will also have available an organizational tool that helps me keep my groups and ideas organized.

Until then, be thinking of a time in your schedule you might be able to fit in 20 -30 minutes of individualized time for your students.  Also, If you have any questions about the W.I.N. block, please comment below.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll come back again next week!