Whole Brain Teaching #2 Class-Yes

Whole Brain Teaching has enhanced the way I approach teaching.

Last year I used just the Five Rules.

 You can go here to read about it. 

This year I intend to use more elements, such as the Class-Yes, the Scoreboard, Mirror, Teach-OK, Hands and Eyes . . .

All of it!

I want to do it ALL because I can see all the great benefits each will have in my classroom.

The Class-Yes is considered Step 1

 and the Five Rules are considered Step 2.

The reason I started with the Five Rules first was because I was searching the Internet trying to figure out what I wanted for my classroom rules and how I was going to present them.

Through my search I came across Whole Brain Teaching and Chris Biffle's videos.

I was intrigued to say the least.

I am not only a teacher but a life-long learner;

I would love to learn from educators and professors that use this method of teaching.

The Class-Yes is a WONDERFUL attention-getter.

I can see myself using it A LOT in my classroom.

It's simple and it's a powerful management method.

This is how it works; every time the teacher says "Class"

 the students respond with "Yes". 

Whatever way the teacher says it that's the way the students must respond.

If the teacher says it it a long drawn out low voice "Cl-a-ss"

 then the response is "Y-e-s".

Or if the teacher says it twice in a high pitch voice "Class Class" 

then the response is a high "Yes Yes".

It's fun!

It's engaging!

It works with all ages!

Since I teach First Grade this is how I think it could play out in an elementary classroom. 

Here are two scenarios. 

I think you'll agree it has its advantages.

Elementary Classroom:

Teacher: "Have a seat."  . . .

 "Let me have your attention up here." . . .

 "Sit in your chair." . . .

"I'm waiting on              to put that away and look up here." . . .

"Okay, today we are going to learn about  . . ."

(Teacher is now slightly aggravated and has lost about six minutes of instructional time.)

Same Elementary Classroom using the Class-Yes:

Teacher: "Class!"

Students: "Yes!"

Teacher: "Classity Class!"

Student: "Yesity Yes!"

Teacher: "Today we are going to learn about . . ."

(Students are engaged and waiting to hear what the teacher will say next.)

Getting and keeping your students engaged is the obstacle we deal with on a daily basis. 

Our school meets together for Chapel every Wednesday and it can be hard to get 100+ students to "listen up".

With my success of Class-Yes in my classroom I hope to be able to suggest the power of the Class-Yes to our principal for Chapel.

Whether your a new teacher or a seasoned teacher the Class-Yes could alleviate a lot of aggravation.

I think seasoned teachers might actually gain more benefit,

 especially if you are starting to feel a little burnt out.

It's time to liven it up!

Power Teaching may be just what you need to rekindle your love of teaching.

Start here with the video below.

I love this video that Chris Biffle made because he tells you that it's never to late in the year to start. Even if it's the middle of the school year you can begin the Class-Yes. The way he says to present it; as if you had planned on starting it Today is absolutely critical to its success in your classroom.

I wish you all "Much success this school year!"

Update: Teachers returned last Thursday, so I will be creating lesson plans instead of blog posts. I still intend to post, they may just come farther and fewer between.

Whole Brain Teaching #1 The 5 Rules

I am beginning my certification in Whole Brain Teaching and so I am breathing new life back into this blog.  I just completed my second year of teaching, well year one was student teaching, AND THEN my first full year of independent teaching, it was amazing! My stint in student teaching left me feeling ill prepared, (at least that's how I felt; I was told by a seasoned teacher that all teachers feel that way their first year) so the summer between student teaching and becoming a "real" teacher I searched the internet for MORE preparation and what I found was WBT. I watched a series of videos and absolutely loved how engaging and fun it looked. It was definitely not the way I had learned as a child, or how I was taught to teach in my college courses. Lectures. WBT would keep my "lectures" lively and reach all my students and their differentiated learning styles, especially my bodily-kinesthetic learners. I had gone to Howard Gardener's seminar about the theory of Multiple Intelligences early in my college years and it  was an experience that has always been in the forefront of my mind when I plan my lessons. It is always my objective to differentiate my teaching to engage each learning style (SUPER interesting if you want to read more on the theory of Multiple Intelligences  {here}).

Anyhow, I knew WBT would take time for me to learn and implement, and being that this was my first year on my own, majority of it would have to wait till next summer (this summer). Baby steps. So I just focused in on the Five Rules of WBT and this is how it went...

On the first day of school I had intended to come up with class rules as a whole class. You know; where the students think they're making the rules but you are really guiding them to the same rules you would have made without them.  Oh, the nature of psychology. I had  learned this approach in college and had read about it on many teacher blogs, but then low and behold I found the Five Rules of Whole Brain Teaching and decided to take this out-of-the-box approach. I then found other teachers on the internet that were also using the Five Rules of WBT. I read about how it was working in their classrooms and solidified my commitment to this approach. To my delight an awesome teacher in blogland had already created cute posters that had my classroom Zebra theme and so I quickly printed those beauties out and laminated them (I am OBBSSESSED with laminating EVERYTHING in my classroom! Seriously their should be a 12 Step program for teachers like me!) You can snag yours for free {here}.

So instead, on the first day I stood between my eager First Graders and my cute little posters of the 5 Rules. Then I began  to teach. I taught them each rule with the hand gestures I had learned from the WBT videos. They LOVED the rules and the gestures, it was almost like a game for them. We practiced them several times throughout the first two weeks. Then throughout the year all I had to do to correct a rule breaker was say, "Rule number 2"! All the students respond with the rule, "Raise your hand for permission to speak!" and the gesture. I never had to point out the one who was breaking the rule and they were all back on track and engaged.

I (we) especially love Rule 5: Keep Your Dear Teacher Happy! Instead of listing all the dos and don'ts in 20+ rules the first four rules of WBT cover all the common rules teachers want followed in the classroom and number 5 covers Everything else!  The kids loved saying and gesturing Rule #5, too! I think because they had never heard a rule like it before. Again, here are the Five Rules of Whole Brain Teaching in my classroom!

If you are interested in getting started with Whole Brain teaching start with this video here. Chris Biffle does an excellent job teaching in his video series. I would love to learn from him in person. Remember these rules apply to All grade levels!!