OK,

I discovered your website in July an have been POURING over it, watching and re-watching the videos, and I am TOTALLY jazzed to try WBT this Fall (my second year of teaching).

I do have some questions. (Well, many, really, but I'll limit myself here).

1) Do you find it gets "old?" I'm guessing I'll be the only teacher in my school doing WBT at first, but I'm hoping it will catch on. If so, I could see the kids going from one WBT Classroom to another. Would that get tiresome? Or is it easy to keep things fresh? (By varying gestures, celebrations, and incentives?)

2) Teach/OK: I'm thinking of using Teach/OK not only to review micro-lecture concepts, but also as a "check for understanding" when giving multistep directions - which I often do when running a Science lab. Just wondering if anyone else here is a fellow high school Science teacher who has tried this in a lab situation?

(I get SO tired of repeating myself when giving lab directions!!!!!)

- Jen

Hi Jen,

After awhile I came up with a few new variations on "Class, Yes!" attention grabbers with the help of my students. My personal favourites are:

Teacher: "Loyal Subjects!"

Class: "Yes, your Highness!"

and,

Teacher: "Team!"

Class: "Yes, Coach!"

Plus, if you are ever stuck, you can come here and brainstorm with us. I watched a lot of the youtube videos and also the downloadable story about Mrs. Maestra called, "Teaching Challenging Teenagers" was very inspirational!

Liann

For number 1 you are on the right track. Any technique, no matter how good can lose its effectiveness over time without variation. Ask Biff about the louvres of a sea slug and habituation.

For number 2, I am a middle school science teacher and, as you anticipated, it works great in labs.

Go for it!

I used class/yes for the entire school year. I teach second grade, but I never found that the children got tired of responding to it. It really became such a part of our daily routines. I guess you could come up with your own personal command as Liann suggested to switch it up a little. Good luck!!

JeffBattle wrote:
Yes, seeing the Picasso Nudibranch exhibit make the passports, expense, trip, and aqualung all worth it.

Think of it this way -- Whole-Brain Teaching is a method of running your classroom, and of delivering quality instruction, and having lots of fun. It's not something that gets 'old' because it's not presented as being a 'novel' thing in itself once you've done it a while...it becomes a part of your classroom community -- even a 'language' and a way of operating. Certain games could 'get old'... and at times your students may become 'lax' because it IS so natural, but then you change up little tiny things, and you up your own energy level for them to feed off. Just like before you discovered WBT...you teach and run your class pretty much the same way every day, and that's the background stuff that doesn't 'get old'...it just.. works! Then, you change up the little things in various activities, games, lessons, visuals, whatever....

Feel free to ask us for suggestions, tips, etc... we're always here, and we all have been through the first few years which are the most work.

Thanks everyone!

I'm very excited about using the WBT system this Fall, but a little nervous as well. I appreciate your ideas (I LOVE the "Your Highness!")

- Jen

As the others have suggested, applying variations to keep the students on their toes is very effective. Remember to keep in mind that the attention getter and 'Teach-Okay' should become procedures in your classroom...not just novelty. Just as students are expected to stand in line without hitting their neighbors for example...establish these components of WBT as procedures to maintain classroom discipline so you are able to maximize learning opportunities.

After attending the WBT conference on Thursday, in Arizona, I am so enthused about WBT. Even after using it for well over a year now, there is so much more to incorporate. WBT is a way to entice students, this will allow them to see that learning IS so much fun. One thing that Chris Rekstad used as a variation of class/yes was states and capitals. If he said Phoenix, students would reply Arizona. You could use this accordingly to the grade you teach such as multiplication facts or whatever concept you are working on. Hopefully this will spruce things up for you.