Hello! I am an Art Education graduate and I have recently been introduced to Whole Brain Teaching. I had the opportunity to observe a teacher who used WBT in her classroom and I was awe-struck by the results. She didn't use all of the levels, but even just using a few of the basic rules of WBT made a world of difference in her classroom and the attitude of the students.

I would love to implement WBT in my own room when I get started, but I am curious if there are any topic-specific ideas anyone has as far as using WBT in an art room. As an art teacher, the students will often be engaged in self-directed behavior as they work on projects and have to navigate the room to get supplies... sometimes I have to stretch to apply all of the WBT rules to the art environment.

My question is this: Has anyone out there had success using WBT in an art room or have any ideas about ways to adapt the ideas of WBT to the topic of art?

Hello, I'm an art teacher who uses Whole Brain Teaching. I'm pretty new at both teaching and Whole Brain though. I use the Score Board, Class-Yes & Hands & Eyes. Next year I'm wanting to see if I can do the whole system though. I haven't figured out how I will accomplish the practice cards though and my kids really need individual accountability.

Let me know what ends up working for you.

Amanda Davis - New Art Teacher

Hello! I am an Art Education graduate and I have recently been introduced to Whole Brain Teaching. I had the opportunity to observe a teacher who used WBT in her classroom and I was awe-struck by the results. She didn't use all of the levels, but even just using a few of the basic rules of WBT made a world of difference in her classroom and the attitude of the students.

I would love to implement WBT in my own room when I get started, but I am curious if there are any topic-specific ideas anyone has as far as using WBT in an art room. As an art teacher, the students will often be engaged in self-directed behavior as they work on projects and have to navigate the room to get supplies... sometimes I have to stretch to apply all of the WBT rules to the art environment.

My question is this: Has anyone out there had success using WBT in an art room or have any ideas about ways to adapt the ideas of WBT to the topic of art?

I am also interested in whole brain teaching in the art room. I am going into my fourth year of teaching. Next year I will be at two elementary schools, seeing 26 classes a week at one school and 9 at the other. Each class has art once a week for 35 minutes. Please help!!

I was wondering if my fellow art teachers would like to brain storm together about how to tweak things for an art class? I am going to take the next couple of days and really squeeze my brain for ideas. I posted about the mini slide pockets also, but wanted to know if my fellow art teacher's want to brain storm on here together??

Amanda

I've just learned about WBT and would like to use it in some capacity in my classroom. I watched some of the youtube videos by Chris Biffle and others and I noticed that the rules can be introduces using different hand signals and wording. I think that each teacher can create the rules that work for his/her classroom.

For art, I think that cleaning up and material/supply usage is an important rule that need to be addressed. I also think that the number of rules should be 5--it is an easy # to remember. Here are my suggestions:
Rule 1: follow directions quickly but safely (I have cleanup responsibilities chart that I go over before every clean-up time. I consider that as as my directions)
rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak
Rule 3: work quietly at your seat
Rule 4: Make creative and respectful choices (that should cover respecting materials and and others' artwork)
Rule 5: Keep your dear teacher happy

I was thinking about the rule of getting permission to leave seat because some of my students tend to walk around and talk to others rather than work. However, I do not want to add another rule. I do like rule 5 because it is a default rule for those older students who tend to twist reality. Getting out of their seat can fall into rule 4.

I would appreciate comments/suggestions.

I love the suggested "twists" to the art rules: Remember WBT is for YOU & the benefits of the Rules with the gestures is to "weave" them throughout your instruction so that your class will eventually be a "self-monitored" class.

I don't think there really is much you have to tweak for art class~ as long as you have a room of students with something to teach~ WBT can be your key to success for Classroom Management and Instructional Delivery!

*Most definitely check out the Big 7. The use of these tools will increase student engagement and their retention of information. Whatever you are teaching~ techniques, vocabulary, directions, etc. should be "chunked" into "micro~lectures" using the Teach! Okay! with mirrors and/or mirrors and words.
*I do not know if you get into Art History, but if you do, check out the "Brain Toys" as a means for higher levels of learning.
*Any vocabulary that you teach can be put into the "Power Pix" format~ Question/ Answer with an accompanying picture and gesture. For example, "What is a primary color?" could be an essential question, and the answer could be "Primary colors are a set of colors that can be combined to make a new color." Your gesture could be pointer fingers on each hand (those are the primary colors) standing up straight like the number one; then hook them together (when you say the word combined; then lay them on top of each other (when you say to make a new color)." Your picture could be a circle of red and circle of blue overlapping like a venn diagram with purple in the middle.

Of course you all are the art experts so I am sure that you can come up with better "Power Pix" ideas, but you get the idea.

Hope all this helps;)