I'm almost finished with my degree, starting student teaching on January 3rd. I've been instructed by my college to remember that I'm a guest in my host teacher's room and that I should use her classroom management etc. I'd like to try a little WBT. I'll be in a first grade class and I thought that using gestures and teach/okay might work. I'd appreciate any feedback from all of you Wibbeteers!

I look forward to the day that I have my own class! I'm switching careers and not only am I thrilled to finally be a teacher but I'm thrilled that I discovered WBT!

dklein,

Yea for you! You are almost done and on your way to teaching in your own classroom. As you begin the student-teaching experience, make sure that communication is first and foremost. You will learn a ton of teaching strategies from your mentor teacher, but at the same time, your mentor teacher may learn some new strategies from you. If your mentor teacher does not use WBT in his/her classroom, I would just explain to him/her what you have learned and would like to try while you are student-teaching. I am sure that she/he will be thrilled that you are taking the initiative to try-out the WBT strategies!

Have fun!

Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

Hi dklein!

Welcome to the wonderful world of teaching, WBT style! Since implementing WBT in my classroom, my teaching career has transformed. Laura gave you some great advice! Go into your student teaching with a positive attitude, get a feel for your classroom, and your cooperating teacher. Don't be afraid to talk with your cooperating teacher and share the WBT style with him/her. If they aren't familiar with it, they may be open to the idea, and may decide that it's something they will want to continue to use even after you are out of their classroom. Even if they use a different teaching method, I feel that you can definitely tie some of the things from WBT into your lessons. I had a student teacher start the year with me this year, and I introduced WBT to her. She ended up loving it and saw a tremendous difference in behavior when she used it as opposed to when she didn't. For her second eight weeks, she was in a 5th grade classroom in a different district. She shared WBT with her cooperating teacher during this experience, and that teacher welcomed it after seeing it action! Try it out, and let us know how it goes!

Thanks,
Staci Glass
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

dklein,

I am SO glad you shared this! I'm currently working on my education degree too and discovered whole brain teaching during my last student teaching placement in November. My cooperating teacher had no issues with me using WBT and I loved it! WBT is something that I know I will continue using but with my second student teaching placement coming up, I am nervous about if my new cooperating teacher will be as accommodating. I shared this with one of my professors who, similar to your experience, reminded me that I was a guest in the classroom and that a "strategy such as that will leave your teacher picking up the pieces after you leave". I'm currently corresponding with my cooperating teacher, as I don't start student teaching until March, so I hope he will give the ok to use WBT!

Please keep us updated with how you do during your placement!

Kirsten
www.misslwholebrainteaching.weebly.com

I should have come back sooner to update this post. I ended up using my host teacher's management through out student teaching. It was a wonderful experience. It all gave me a greater understanding of the importance of WBT. I've been subbing since March. I use WBT as much as possible. Most subbing has been only for a day or two here and there. Even so, I intro the rules, scoreboard and class-yes. It is wonderful! The kids always report back to the teacher and they all say whatever I'm doing, to keep it up. I share WBT with them, of course.

The best test of WBT for me was a recent opportunity to sub for 2 full weeks. The 2nd grade class is known to be difficult, including a chair thrower. I was nervous but it turned out to be great. As they all learned the rules, the entire class calmed down, which help the chair thrower control himself. I was amazed at the difference in just a few days. By the end of my time, I was so sad to leave, we really made great progress in those two weeks. Thank you for sharing WBT!!