hi...this is my third year using WTB with amazing results, I'm an EFL teacher in Mexico so, besides the main issue of classroom management, I have to deal with the language barrier.

This school term I'm having 5th grade and classes are divided in two parts, in the morning kids have all subjects given in spanish. After lunch, they have the same subjects but given in English.

The main problem is that kids are, certainly, comparing both classes and they are more empathetic with mine, expressing their discomfort about the other teacher that yells and threatens them all the time.

Last Tuesday, The Spanish coordinator and English coordinator talk to me and they argue that I was exposing the other teacher, I was, at the end, the bad guy for treating kids right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What should I do???

Hi
I am so sorry that you are having this frustration! I would encourage them to keep enjoying your classes and remind them that you are there for them to learn. Steer them in another direction when they openly complain in a group setting. If there is a person for them to air their concerns with, encourage them to go to that person. One thing is for sure you know that WBT works and maybe your frustrated team mates may get on board. Hang in there and keep up the great work with your kids!

Hi there:)
I absolutely agree with Dawn. You absolutely should enjoy your classes and feel confident that you are providing an environment that is going to be the best for student learning. Please don't feel pressured by the coordinators to change what you are doing. Let me ask you this~ are either in charge of what you do adminstratively? If they are, you may want to address the areas of why this method of teaching is beneficial for students and their learning. IF it is not~ then I would say just to brush this incident off your shoulders and keep on teaching:)!
Andrea

That is why it is so important to get the word out about WBT. Nobody had heard of it in my district until I started to spread the word. Sometimes teachers get worried that this kind of teaching is too "NEW AGE" and that only younger teachers are adaptable to this way of teaching. They may feel their way is the right way. Sadly, while they're still screaming, they are missing out on this wonderful much easier style of teaching. Try to get the word out and help your colleagues out as much as possible. Maybe you can invite them to your room to see you in action and the much more calmer atmosphere and techniques that WBT has guided you with. You can expect some teachers to get a sense of envy from you dur to the attention that you will get from WBT. However, all that can easily go away by helping them with WBT info. Good luck!!

Well, although coordinators know perfectly well why kids are having such preference towards my class, they cannot accept that one teacher can develop this environment in a classroom, Spanish teachers have this old fashioned ideas about lecturing and classroom management that, certainly, they will not change because this school really stands by them....if something goes wrong, blame the english teacher!!!

I'm a young teacher(25 years old) but I do know what it is to spend half an hour calming students down and 10 minutes giving a lesson to start all over again, I found WTB because I had a very challenging class, something needed to be done immediately!!!!! and I knew school wasn't there for me in order to solve my students issues.

Hopefully, coordinators realize that giving a good class and have students to love you doesn't mean you want your partner to be hated or disrespected but all the way around!!!

What I really have clear in my mind is that under any circumstances I will stop using WTB

and don't forget.....people who come to see your classroom will be able to see student engagement and active learning and they will not be able to argue with that!

Keep your head up!!!

I think the best way to address this issue is to invite the 'skeptics’ into your classroom and let them witness whole brain teaching in action. There is no way to argue with 100% engagement! I'm surprised that your coordinators are come down on you when success is being reached in your room...yet, this way of thinking cannot be changed overnight. Remain proactive and continue with your great work. You could refer your coordinators to Robert Marazano's research on the 9 High Yield Strategies. WBT reinforces many of the strategies Robert Marazano's research has proved to be good effective teaching practices!