Chapter 6: Class-Yes

Get ready for some quick WBT Certification Points! Invent 10 variations on class-yes!

Oh, I love this part of WBT.  I use it in so many variations and my kids love it!

1.      Hey, Super-Duper, Class   Yes, We Are a Super-Duper, Class!

2.      Are We Listening Class, Class, Class?  Yes, We Are Listening Yes, Yes, Yes!

3.      Cute Little Kitten, Class!  We Found Our mittens, Yes!

4.      Classity Class, Class, Class!   Yesity, Yes, Yes!

5.      Oh, Oh, Class!  Oh, Oh, Yes!

6.      Oh My Claaasss! (Long and drawn out) Oh My Yeeesss

7.      Hey, Class, Class! Hey, Yes, Yes!

8.      Everybody, Class! Everybody, Yes!

9.      Class, Ready! Yes, Ready!

10.  Class, do You Want to Learn! Yes, We Want to Learn!

11.  Heeeyyy Claaasss!  Heeeyyy Yeeesss!

12.  Class, are You Looking at Me?  Yes, we are Looking at You!

13.  Give me, Class!  Give me, Yes!

14.  (Clap, clap, clap) Class, Class, Class (like the military, deep and loud) (Clap, clap, clap) Yes, Yes, Yes! (like the military, deep and loud)

15.  Class Toot, toot!  Yes, Toot, toot!

Chapter 5 WBT The brain on Whole Brain Teaching

Thinking about your own teaching tendencies, which brain areas are you most likely, and least likely, to activate in your students? 

I have been implementing WBT for a month now, so there have been some changes in how I teach and how my students' learn. Being a teacher of primary children, I routinely use the Limbic system, motor cortex, Wernicke’s and hippocampus parts of the brain during teaching.  Incorporating emotions, music (with some gestures), memory and repetition along with listening have been my daily way of teaching.  Now however, I use as much of the brain as I possibly can.  The student engagement and using the Big Seven in our class room have been nothing short of amazing.  Knowing the areas of the brain I am activating while teaching is very exciting and motivating.   Let those bushy dendrites grow!   I have been routinely preparing my lessons in chunks and applying the Teach Okay and the Mirror technique. Who would have ever guessed, we could do so much in one simple exercise? This technique exercises 4 parts of the brain, seeing (visual cortex), saying (Broca’s area), hearing (auditory cortex) and doing (motor cortex).

My personal weakness at this point would be, using the motor cortex because I do not naturally teach using so many gestures.  I enjoy challenging myself, finding fun useful ways of incorporating the gestures into the lesson plan. I have a much better understanding of how to use the whole brain, while teaching and how it can affect the out-come of long term memory. My goal this year will be to plan, practice and implement more of what I am learning with Whole Brain Teaching. Seeing all the smiles and laughter as we learn, has me excited about teaching again.

Chapter 4 WBT

Chapter 4: Charting Progress

Imagine next year is completed. You've faithfully charted your own behavior as an instructor and your students’ progress. Looking back, what did you learn?

At the beginning of the year, I decided I would chart my students’ growth along with my own progress. My goal was to do a weekly evaluation using a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest).   At first it seemed daunting to spend so much time evaluating behavior.  I turned it into more of a game, so I could challenge myself weekly. I kept it on my desk, so I could read it every day and be mindful of my actions.   I really believe that “you can’t manage student behavior if you can’t manage your own”.  I found I became consistent, which the children pick up on right away.  I found it very helpful in gauging my performance.

Once I started charting my students’ behavior,  I arranged it much like a peer mentoring program; I grouped my “fence sitters” with the “Alphas” or “leaders” of the class.  I charted the children’s behavior on the same scale I used for myself, starting with two areas of focus.  One was the 5 powerful classroom rules; the other was working together without being loud and disruptive to others.  Right away, I witnessed that the “leader and alpha” children were seriously influencing the “fence sitter” children to stay on task longer.    I could now see the progress in my classroom management plan and how the chart was working.

By the end of the year, I really was proud of how much progress the class and I had made. This was the best year by far, being able to see the progress I was making in the classroom.  Next year, I can fine tune it even more and watch the magic happen.  I can’t wait!

Chapter 3 WBT

Chapter 3: Seven Common Teaching Mistakes

Pick two of the errors described in Chapter 3, pages 9-13, of "Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids" and write yourself a letter of advice about how you're going to avoid these mistakes in the coming year.  Include one or two useful quotes from the chapter.  

Julie,

As you have the summer for preparations, keep in minds the seven common mistakes that teachers make. Let’s start with dissecting the seven and focusing on two very important mistakes. First, disorganized teachers breed chaotic classrooms.  Whole Brain Teaching is new to you, so dig into the meat of the reason why you love it so much.  Plan your lessons with WBT in mind and find ways to make them even more inviting to your students.  Structure and teaching from bell to bell is now your goal. So plan, plan, plan!

Secondly, confronting rebellious students in the presence of their peers is only to your disadvantage.  Your most defiant child relishes, when you make him the center of attention.  Don’t breed this behavior, just grin and find a moment you can pull the child in the hall for a chat. Practice what you will say and do, be prepared for the unexpected. Calm, collected and in control, will be the example you are setting for these children, so they can mirror your behavior.  Look for opportunities to teach them how to react to situations that are stressful and frustrating.

Love, your inner self J

Chapters 1 and 2 WBT

Summer Reading Program with WBT
http://wbtbookclub.blogspot.com/p/chapters-1-2-intro-and-origin.html?showComment=1371767513449

6/20/13
Assignment:
Coach B says... "You've just been made principal of a charter school and you're about to address your staff for the first time. Select three points from chapters 1 and 2 that you are going to talk about describing key aspects of Whole Brain Teaching. Include one story about your teaching experience."

I am here today to share with you, what I consider to be our future in reaching and teaching our students. I am so excited to introduce you to, Whole Brain Teaching!   This innovative method of teaching produces fun and orderly classrooms where teachers are excited to teach. It is focused learning while engaging in a game like manner, where the class can earn points and privileges such as longer recess times.  Once you learn the strategy of the WBT, it is easy to use and allows you to teach in small sessions and with class involvement. This high energy controlled environment, will motivate students of all ages to follow the rules because WBT makes it fun and inviting. 

I am providing you with the book by Chris Biffle called whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids. One of my favorite quotes in the book is “If a student’s whole brain is involved in learning, there isn't any mental area left over for challenging behavior”.  This is a read that is bound to change your life as a teacher.  You will watch students who were once distracted rebels and rule breakers, flourish and blossom into students who love to learn and become loyalists of your classroom.   You will be sobbing tears of joy, when you see how fun teaching can be.  What an accomplishment for a teacher.

Through much research and looking for a better way to manage my classroom, I stumbled upon a WBT video, than read the book.  I run a class of 12 3 and 4 year old's so behavior management is critical.  I started small with the Class/Yes, 5 rules and scoreboard.  I knew I did something right based on the response from my class and their excitement and energy.  It allows them to be engaged in the learning process and moving as children always want to do. It is easier to teach with passion and know I am getting through even to the most difficult of children. 

WBT first 2 weeks

WBT Blog June 18, 2013 My first 2 weeks of WBT Preschoolers

I started the process of WBT on June 4^th 2013 with my 2 1/2 to 4 years old, class of 12 kids.  We started with the 5 Class rules & Class/Yes the first week than went to Hand and eyes the 2^nd week along with the scoreboard.  Can I just say it has had amazing results!  The class management has been so helpful.  Even though these kids are little they” get it”! I am so proud of how far they have come and how they call each other out instead of meJ

They love getting points on the scoreboard and work hard to earn points.  Always getting the almighty Groan or Oh Ya!  Love it.

I have found that it engages the student’s mind and body at the same time, so it works very quickly and they learn fast.  We are just incorporating the turn and teach/Okay, which has been interesting to watch them learn.

Parent feed-back has been positive to say the least.  I have parents asking, what are you teaching them?  My child is saying “when my teacher is happy, I’m happy”.  I laughed and said yes, making their dear teacher happy is one of my rules and they are quite fond with trying to carry it out.  The yes has spilled into the home as well.  When a parent says the child’s name the child responds  “YESSSS” such a positive response compared to the past not wanting to do what the parent asks.

I am happy I embarked on this journey into WBT and look forward to the next blog and how the class is moving forward with it.