Ok guys...I'm venturing into new territory... I've spent this year honing in on what works with at-risk super-challenging middle-schoolers....


Now I'm moving on...and I'm even MORE intimidated by what lies ahead. I've accepted a position in Utah (yeah!! Utah Whole Brain Teaching here we come!...) as a GATE specialist. I'll be working with 3rd and 4th graders, groups of about 15 at a time.

Has anyone worked with advanced learners or GATE students with WBT? Any feedback....what to expect...etc...?

I'm so used to using WBT as a way to 'fix problems'...what if your students don't have learning 'problems'....how do I tailor it to still enhance their learning experience?

I'll be doing alot of research over the summer, but if anyone has feedback or experiences, I'd love to hear it. In the meantime, I'll keep you posted.

My most diffiuclt/rewarding class was a GATE math class of 8th graders. I don't have any clue what elementary GATE students are like, but at GT Algebra I class was a tough bunch.

The fun part is they were super smart, and would work really hard - as long as I could keep them busy and not let things get boring. The liked Whole Brain Teaching because they liked rules, boundaries and a structured environment, but did not think that they needed gestures - they always felt like they could do it with out. I taught this class at the very begining of learning how to Whole Brain Teach, and I did not know or undertand a lot of the brain based learning, I think it would go a long way to explain, why Whole Brain Teaching works.

Good luck at your new job!!!

I hate to expose my ignorance, but what is GATE?

Same as GT, Gifted and Talented Education