Blended Learning Studios: How to Start Simple and Build Toward Student Agency

If you're curious about how to get started with blended learning studios, you’re in the right place! Whether you're new to the approach or looking to refine your practice, the best way to begin is by starting with a lesson you’ve already planned.

Step 1: Use What You Already Have

Don’t overthink it! Look at an upcoming lesson and break it into three parts. These become your first three learning studios:

• Small Group Instruction: Meet with a few students at a time to reteach, extend, or assess.
  
• Independent Practice: Use this station for paper-pencil tasks, hands-on activities, or practice work tied to your lesson goals.
  
• Digital Content: Let students engage with a tech-based resource—videos, online tools, or adaptive programs that support the day’s topic.
  

All students rotate between these stations using a 10-minute timer, which helps build routines and manage time effectively. This structure keeps things predictable and focused while allowing you, the teacher, to guide instruction in a manageable way.

​Step 2: Add a Fourth Studio—Student Collaboration

Once the first three studios are running smoothly, it’s time to introduce a fourth station: Student Collaboration. This is where the magic starts to grow! Let students work together on projects, peer teaching, discussion prompts, or problem-solving tasks that spark critical thinking and communication skills.
By now, the classroom feels different. Students are active, learning in different ways, and you're moving from a one-size-fits-all lesson to targeted support and student-centered engagement.

Step 3: Shift from Timed Rotations to Student Pace, Place, and Path

Eventually, you can move beyond the 10-minute timer. As students develop independence and as your confidence grows, transition toward flexible rotations. Students begin moving at their own pace, place, and path, making choices about how they learn best. This is where true differentiation happens, and data-driven instruction becomes the foundation of your small groups.

💡 Remember: This is just the starting point. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Every studio day is a chance to reflect, adjust, and grow alongside your students.
🎥 Want to see this in action? Watch my video demonstration of the studio setup and rotation flow [Insert Link to Video].

🚀 Ready to go deeper with blended learning?

Join us this summer for our ✨ Blended Learning Workshops ✨—designed to give you hands-on practice, ready-to-use templates, and step-by-step strategies for transforming your classroom.
✅ Learn how to set up and manage learning studios with ease
📊 Use student data to drive small group instruction
🎯 Discover how to empower students with voice, choice, and ownership
🤖 Explore how to integrate digital tools without overwhelm
Whether you're just starting out or ready to level up your practice, these workshops will leave you feeling confident, inspired, and classroom-ready.
🌐 Reserve your spot today at blendedlearningpd.com — because the best PD is the kind you can use the very next day.

📦 Grab Your FREE Blended Learning Starter Kit!

To make getting started even easier, we’ve created a Blended Learning Starter Kit—your go-to resource for launching studios with confidence and clarity. Whether you're redesigning your classroom or mapping out your first week of rotations, this kit has everything you need to hit the ground running.
Here's what's inside:
🗂️ Studio Setup Ideas – Visual examples and tips to arrange your space for smooth rotations
🗓️ Planning Calendar – A 4-week rollout calendar to introduce studios at a manageable pace
🧭 Studio Direction Cards – Ready-to-print station instructions that guide student behavior and expectations
🔄 Icons & Labels – Custom icons for each studio to use in your slides, posters, or student folders
📐 Classroom Design Plan – Sample room layouts to maximize flow and minimize chaos
🔗 Suggested Resources – Tools, websites, and materials to support each studio
💡 Whether you’re brand new or looking to refine your current setup, this Starter Kit is designed to support you every step of the way.
👉 Download your free Starter Kit now and take the first step toward a more student-centered, flexible, and data-driven classroom! [Insert Download Link or Button]