OK, so I"m doing well with WBT this fall, and my classes are really going nicely, with lots of Go-Alongs and Alphas, and only a few fence-sitters. Recently, during our warmup Vocab Review Teach-OK, I noticed one of my students not doing the gestures and came over to investigate. When I encouraged him to do them, he said he found that they actually confuse him more than help him. So, I backed off and said that he could just speak the definitions instead.

Should I have insisted he use the gestures, or at least come up with some that make sense for him if he doesn't like mine? I'm worried that the rest of my class will notice and decide it's OK for them to NOT do them, as well...

Thoughts?

- Jen

PS we're talking freshmen in high school, by the way....

We have found that a few students in every 100 are not helped by gestures ... if you are convinced this student is attentive, give him a pass .. if other students complain, just say, "Jason (or whatever his name is) has made a special deal with me. Students who complain about my choices as a teacher are, of course, breaking Rule #5."

Jen,

I'm curious to know how did Biffle's suggestion worked out with your child that was getting confused by gestures? How did the class respond to it, especially at your grade level? I have a teacher I'm supporting with a similar situation and I wanted to share your experience.

I told the student (who found the gestures distracting) that, while he did not have to do them, he still had to teach his partner verbally. He has been fine with that, and the other kids haven't really noticed this special arrangement, or, if they have (some of his immediate neighbors) they go along with doing the gestures anyway (because they enjoy moving around and know that the gestures help them to learn). So it hasn't really been a problem. And...he's the ONLY student in my classes this semester who has said it's a problem, so I believe him.

I teach 9th grade, and the particular class I'm speaking of is my Honors Physics class. I have no real classroom management issues with them.

But, if it WERE to become an issue ("How come so-and-so doesn't have to do gesture?") I agree with Coach B that you'd just have to invoke Rule 5 and be consistent about it.

Hope this helps.

- Jen

You could also try encouraging him to talk with his hands as he teaches his partner, unless he is already doing this. I would look at that if it does become an issue. Additionally, just the motions without him feeling like he has to remember specific gestures.