June Currently

Photo Credit:

Listening:  It seems like the best time for me to accomplish anything computer related, or me, myself, and I related, is late at night.  It sure is quiet, and I get a lot done.  Too bad I can see well to clean up or clean out.  Tee Hee!

Loving:  I absolutely love my summer break away from teaching.  I love to sleep later, stay in my pjs later, and drink that extra cup of "soffee."  That's what my 2 year old calls coffee.  Soffee!  I love seeing my boys all day long!

Thinking:  I really need some alone time with my 8 year old son.  I know he misses his mommy time without a baby brother.  The little one gets so much attention.  I think we need to go see Monsters University--just the two of us.  Wouldn't that be fun!

Wanting:  My home remodeling project is still not finished, and by the looks of things, it's going to be a while.  The builders are taking FOREVER.  Did I say forever?  :)  It's going to be awesome when it's finished though.

Needing:  I always use my summer break to clean out and clean up my home.  Room by room, it slowly gets done.  Need I say more?

3 Vaca. Essentials:  If I don't carry sunscreen, my nose gets burnt.  My kiddos need it, too.  I love to take photos, and when I don't have by huge DSLR, my iPhone does the job.  I like to capture video, too.  Finally, I always require a sippy cup for the 2 year old.  It's a must when we leave the house!

 

WBT Book Club Chapters 8-10: Teach-Okay

The Seven Politcal Regions of the United States

Teacher: Claaaaaaaaass!

Students: Yeeeeeeeees!

Teacher: Today, we are going to talk about the seven political regions of the United States.  Tell your neighbor how excited you are to learn about the seven regions!  Teach!

Students: Okay!  (Students teach their neighbor what the teacher just said.)  

Teacher: Class!  Class!  Class!

Students: Yes!  Yes!  Yes!

Teacher: The United States is made up of 50 states.  A state is an example of a political region.  States may be grouped as part of different regions.  A political region is an area of a county.  In this U.S. History class, we group the 50 states by regions.  There are seven regions we need to learn.  Teach!

Students: Okay!  (Students teach their neighbor what the teacher just said).

Teacher:  U.S. Regions, Class!

Students: U.S. Regions, Yes! (Students will teach their neighbor how many U.S. states there are, what a region is, and how many regions they are going to learn.)

Teacher: Classity, Class Class!

Students: Yessity, Yes Yes!

Teacher: We will learn our regions by traveling from the east to the west across the United States.  The first two regions are the Northeast and the Southeast.  The Northeast is in the northern and eastern part of the U.S. (Teacher points to the north and east.)  The Northeast is know for having cold temperatures during the winter, so we will think of the color purple, a cool color, when talking about the Northeast.  The Southeast is in the southern and eastern part of the U.S. (Teacher points to the south and east.)  The Southeast is know for fertile green farmland, so we will use the color green, for grass, when thinking about the Southeast.  Clap!  Clap! Air Whiteboard-Teach!

Students: Clap!  Clap!  Okay!  (Students will draw and use a large imaginary whiteboard during this remaining part of this lesson.  It is one of WBTs "Brain Toys."  To begin, students draw a white board by drawing/saying, "Zip.  Zip.  Zip."  Then, they wipe off the lower left corner by wiping/saying, "EEE...EEE...EEE."  Students will trace the outline of the U.S. on their board and then us it to teach the Northeast and Southeast regions.) 

Teacher:  Zippity, Zippity Class!

Students: Zippity, Zippity Yes!

Teacher: Now, that we have learned about the Northeast and Southeast, we move to the middle of the U.S. (Teacher moves her hands to the Northeast and Southeast then places hands on hips to represent the middle.)  The middle part of America is called the Midwest because it is in the middle.  We will color code the Midwest yellow because in this region, temperatures begin to heat up. (Teacher fans herself using her hand.)  Midwest, whiteboard Teach!

Students: Midwest, whiteboard Okay!  (Students use the Air Whiteboard to review the Northeast, Southeast and to tell about the Midwest.)

Teacher: Geo., Class!

Students: Geo., Yes!

Teacher: Now, we move a little farther west to the Rocky Mountain/Western region.  Here, we have the Rocky Mountains that stretch as far north as Canada and as far south as Mexico.  (Teacher uses hands to show where Canada and Mexico are.)  This region gets its name from being on the western side of the U.S. and because The Rocky Mountains, the largest mountain range in American, runs through this region.  Brown will be the region color to show mountains.  (Teacher points west and uses both hands to create 'mountain peaks.')  In a whisper the teacher says, "Whiteboard, Teach!"

Students: In a whisper, students say, "Whiteboard, Okay!"  (Students tell their neighbor about the Rocky/Mountain Region.) 

Teacher: Class Class!  Class Class Class!

Students: Yes Yes!  Yes Yes Yes!

Teacher: Ok! We have now discussed the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Rocky Mountain/Western Regions of the U.S..  We have three more to go!  Tell your neighbor what regions we have already discussed and how many we have left.  Teach!

Students: Okay! (Students review the regions so far and how many are left.)

Teacher: Class!

Students: Yes! 

Teacher: The Southwest region is in the southern and western part of the United States.  It's climate is hot hot, hot and dry, dry, dry, so we will use the hotest color there is-RED!  (Teacher uses her hand to show where south and west are and fans herself to describe the climate.)  Hot!  Hot!  Hot!  Whiteboard!  Teach!

Students: Hot!  Hot!  Hot!  Whiteboad!  Yes!  (Students teach their neighbor the location, climate, and color for the Southwest.)

Teacher: Last Two, Class!

Students: Last Two, Yes!

Teacher: The Pacific region borders the Pacific Ocean.  It is in the far western part of the connected 48 states.  Because it borders the ocean, we will think of the color blue for this region.  (Teacher creates waves with hand, points to the west, then clasps hands together to show connected.)  The final region is not connected to the U.S. main land.  Sooooooo, we call these two states the Non-Contiguous region.  Alaska is connected to Canada, and Hawaii is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean.  We will use orange to represent this Non-Contiguous region.  (Teacher unclasps hands to show non-contiguous, points north to Canada, west to Hawaii, and creates an O to show the color orange.)  Whiteboard-Teeeeeach!

Students: Whiteboard-Yeeeeeees!  (Students teacher their neighbor about the Pacific and Non-Contiguous regions.)

Teacher: Oh, Class!

Students: Oh, Yes!  

Teacher: Alright!  Let's sum up these regions.  A region is an area of a country and a way to group the 50 states.  We have to know the 7 Regions of the United States and where they are.  These include the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountain/Western, Southwest, Pacific, and Non-Contiguous regions.  (Teacher holds up 7 fingers and then points to each area using her hands as a compass.)  Final Teach!

Students: Final Okay!  (Students teacher their neighbor what teacher has just said.)

WBT Book Club Chapter 7: Five, Powerful Classroom Rules

My sixth grade team is planning on implementing WBT this fall.  We teach on a team of four, including one math, science, language, and history teacher.  Introducing the five classroom rules on day one will be significant.  Using the same gestures, reasoning for each rule, and getting students to "buy in" to the rules will also be invaluable.  Each of us will introduce each of the five rules really well with each of our four core classes, especially during the first several days of school.  This will show each student that the Canterbury Castle teachers are united our their rules and our expectations. 

The one rule I feel is important in sixth grade is Rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak.  There are times when students should be allowed to speak freely, but during regular day-to-day activies, "chaos" can prevented by following this rule.  Sixth graders are social butterflies, they love to talk, talk, talk, and Rule 2 helps keep order.  I plan to use the Scoreboard to reward points when students are following this rule, especially when it has been broken and improvement takes place.  As noted in Coach Bs individual rule videos, sometimes it might be necessary to have a time set aside for classes to practice "purposefully" breaking a rule.  When the students are given a chance to "act out" the breaking of a rule, it gives opportunity to discuss the importance of following the rule.  Reminding students that they voted on the rules also brings attention back to the importance of the rules.  

Daily and throughout the year, I will verbally call out the rules, especially Rule 2.  When a student breaks Rule 2, I will say, "Rule 2" and hold up 2 fingers.  Students with then unite as a group and say, "Rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak" while holding up two fingers and gesturing a talking motion with their hands.  It is amazing how offenders conform to the united group.

As you can see, rehearsal is the key.  As I "vary my tone of voice, the size of my gestures, and even allow students to lead the rehearsal of classroom rules," the five classroom rules, especially Rule 2, will be reinvigorated and even amusing throughout the whole school year.  I'm so excited just thinking about it!

WBT Book Club Chapter 5: 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? 

As I think about my own teaching style, I am more likely to activate the visual cortex (seeing), the Motor Cortex (movement), the Wernicke's Area (listenting), and the Limbic System (Emotions) parts of the brain.  Most teachers tend to incorporate lessons that include the learning style they like best, and I am no different.  I am a very visual learner, so I use images and video clips a lot in my lessons.  I have always tried, though, to incorporate other learning styles, too, although my lessons lean toward auditory and visual.  I have been told by former students that I am called the 'Color-Coding Nazi.' Ha!  Ha!  I do think that color, as opposed to black and white, 'wakes the brain.'  We chant and march, sing, listen to music, and many students even create their own lyrics.  I also have students create their own podcasts (digital voice recordings) that we listen to as a group.  Act-It-Outs are a part of my lesson planning, too.  Students take a topic, often a problem in history, and present a short skit (often moderated by a news host-me) to the class.  I use a great deal of maps in my lessons, as well.  I have student led lessons that allow the kids to mark on large U.S. and world maps about what we have been studying.  

I also use an interactive notebook with my history students.  Essentially, the left side of the notebook is the instructional side, and the right side of the notebook is the student side.  (Left side: input, right side: output)  We color code a lot in our notebooks.  I have used the term 'mental model' since the beginning of my teaching career to describe to students mental images we see in our head when we hear certain terms, ideas, and vocabulary words.  I even have students draw 'mental models' on their notes and on their 'output' notebook side.  There are many 'student side' activities that help learners process new information for later recall.  

Until I found Whole Brain Teaching, I was least likely to activate the Pre-Frontal Cortex (the brain's light switch), the Amygdala (pleasure/pain), and the Broca's Area (Speaking).  Let's face it!  It is very difficult to get middle school students interested in learning content material.  My whole group discussions rarely ever included half the class.  However, since implementing WBT strategies on a 'consistent basis' this spring, I am more alert during my planning of lessons.  Using WBTs Core Four and The Big Seven has helped me be more relaxed and more humorous, an attribute my sixth graders love and appreciate.  I am a better teacher because I think I am activating more parts of my own brain.  Now, I can't imagine teaching without using WB!

WBT Book Club 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?

Maintaining good classroom management has always been a weakness of mine.  It wasn't until I took a class through Walsh University this spring that I discovered many unique, successful ways to help me  monitor my progress and help manage and chart student behavior.  When charting myself, I focused on controlling my emotions, keeping my tone of voice in check, and confronting challening students individually.  I kept a simple binder with each class roster printed with student names and columns for days of the week.  The last thing I did before leaving for the day was pick up the binder at the door and reflect.  After several weeks of use, it became very routine for me to rate myself and give myself a weekly score.  I have definitely learned that, "I cannot manage student behavior if I cannot manage my own." 

I was also very successful with monitoring student behavior.  Very much like my own personal rating system, I used a Behavior Rating System for charting student progress.  Now, I will say I was apprehensive about using this system because it is not like me to stop and reflect.  Good teachers reflect though, and I discovered wonderful things about my students.  First, I was forced (yes, the class forced me to try the rating system) to think about my students as individuals.  I thought about their assignment completion, their classroom behavior, their attitude, their on/off task tendencies, and whether or not they followed classroom rules.  My consistent use of this rating system allowed me to know my students better.  I categorized them by placing them into groups including the Go-Alongs, Fence Sitters, Challenging Students, Leaders, and Model students.  Each week, I picked up my binder and rated each student.  The rating scale included: 5 points for model, 4 points for leader, 3 points for go-along, 2 points for fence sitter, and 1 point for challenging.  After totaling the points, I always divided the number by the total students in the class, and this became my average score.  The whole concept of points and 'moving my students' to new levels challenged me to do more.  As Coach B. always says, "Who doesn't like a good game with levels?"  I know I love to play a good game on my iPhone, and the progress chart challenged me to do more.  I found myself looking for ways to help my students advance on the chart.  I, in fact, became a better teacher!  I used this system on a weekly basis.  Sometimes there was very little progress, and other times, I thought I would cry.  When you teach a student for months and you move them from 'Challenging' to 'Fence Sitter,' you truly want to cry with excitement.  Sometimes, growth is small, but consistent charting over time, the small becomes enourmous and noticable.    

The Behavioral Rating System allowed me to know my students on a personal level.  It allowed me to see students that sometimes go unnoticed.  The chart also caused me to have conversations with students that I would not have had otherwise.  I want my students to know I care, and charting the progress of myself and my students definitely allowed me to 'know my students and their needs' more than I have in all of my teaching years.  I can't wait to use it next year!

Behavior Progress Chart Rating Score:  Two Thumbs Up and a Mighty Ten Finger Woo

WBT Book Club 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.  

Melinda-

This school year has been great, and I know you are ready for a much needed break.  Before you pack that final box and leave for summer break, I just wanted to remind you of two mistakes you have made this year.  I really want you to think about these challenges and work to correct them in the upcoming school year.  

First, challenging students can test even the most patient of teachers.  You can't lose your temper in front of them.  You are not known to yell at students, but sometimes you raise your voice.  Please know that when we lose our temper, the challenging students become more challenging.  Many students live with "high volume yellers," and if yelling worked, our challenging students would be our "Alpha" model students.  

Second, you keep a fairly organized classroom, but let's face it, your desk and work station get messy by the end of the day.  You started the year off great, but by December you were locking the door and leaving without cleaning up your high traffic areas.  Now, what does that tell your students?  I have to give credit where credit is due though.  You always have your plans ready, and you always know what you are teaching.  But, you need to put miscellaneous items away and keep them in the proper place.  "At minimum, there should be a place for everything in your classroom, and everything should always be in the same place."  If we expect all our students to be organized, especially our most challenging students, then we must be organized ALL of the time.  

You have lots of great teaching attributes in your favor that help even the most challenging of students.  You never confront a student in front of their peers, you have a passion for teaching United States History, you are always looking for new ideas to use in your classroom, and you are always willing to grow and try new things.  You found WBT, didn't you?  Who knows you better than me?  Uhhhh, no one!  So, when you read this letter again come September, remember that you are great.  You are incontrol of your classroom.  Don't lose your temper, and stay organized each day.  Your teaching skills ROCK, Melinda!

Respectfully yours,

Me, Myself, and I

Melinda

WBT Book Club Chapters 1 and 2: Intro and Origin

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 so excited to be here this morning!  I'm thrilled that our new middle school has been chosen to implement Whole Brain Teaching!  This summer, we had the opportunity to participate in the WBT Book Club, and now it's time to implement all of those fabulous ideas we have been learning about. 

I want you all to think back to last year's students.  I know it's been a while, but I'm sure you can remember your students well.  Take a moment to remember.  (Pause.)  Now, think about your most challenging kids.  You know, the ones that talk out of turn, refuse to participate, don't turn in assignments, talk back, can't keep up with nor bring materials to class, and they distract others.  As hard as we try, it's difficult to engage these learners. 

Before taking this principalship, I was able to take a Whole Brain Teaching class through Walsh University, and I learned a lot about how the brain learns.  Chris Biffle, or Coach B. as he's called, is the leader of WBT, and he states, "Challenging kids are rebels.  Punishment makes them more rebelious.  Most want to be a part of the class and that's why they work so hard to get attention."  As educators, if we are to help these students, we must be willing to change and try new strategies.  The key law of WBT is, "The longer teachers talk, the more students we lose."  Our students are no different than us.  You don't want to sit through long lectures, and your students don't either.  And, even the most lively class discussions only engage a fraction of our students.  

The WBT book holds "detailed instructions for teaching challenging kids."  And, the rest of your class will love it, too.  

My consistent use of WBT strategies helped me help my challenging students.  I believe it will help you and your students, too.  Whole Brain Teaching will make all the difference!

I love Whole Brain Teaching with my whole heart!  This past spring, I did, in fact, take an online class through Walsh University instructed by Dr. Brobeck and Dr. Digianantonio.  It created an opportunity for me to use WBT consistently with my sixth graders.  The techniques came at a time in my career when I needed a boost.  Now, my new teaching style has caused a ripple effect among my team members and other sixth grade level teachers.  Currently, five other sixth grade teachers have purchased the book.  WBT is addictive!  It has forever changed my classroom attitude and the principles that govern the happenings in each of my middle school classes.  Oh yeah!