I will be moving to a new school and from 6th grade to 8th grade for the upcoming school year. I have been researching WBT and want to implement it. I am open for any suggestions. I am wondering if 8th graders will "by-in" to the concept. I am also moving from a middle-class population to a majority minority and low-income group of students.(very excited about the move) Again, any suggestions will be helpful.

I am also wondering what types of rewards/consequences have worked best for others in the past.

Thanks for the help.

Kelly a good place to start is right here, look at the first steps and then read some of the blogs from middle school teachers. If you tap on the forum tab there is a spot to communicate with just middle school people. Also watch you tube there are really good examples there. Go for it your in an area where I think kids will thrive on these methods. Good luck, keep us all posted.

I teach 8th grade and the kids respond really well. I explain why we are using the techniques to them.

For rewards I use less homework, free seating (for one day only), but their favorite by far is the Instant Game- letting them stop the class and play a five minute review game.

Kelly,

I have been using WBT for a while now and have used it successfully in HS setting... Explaining "why" definitely helps...I agree with Jeff about rewards, my students love playing Mind Soccer. In the math class they also really like having "extra" SuperSpeed Math time...and I continually find new gestures and ideas by looking at the plethora of videos others have posted...

Yeah, the great thing about that age is that they're old enough to understand more complex concepts, so you can really explain how doing these things helps them remember and learn better by talking about the brain.

A list of rewards we generated at the conference today in the middle/secondary school discussion:

Homework (more or less math problems, for example)
Game time
Music (play a song if they win)
Art time
Personal whiteboards
Computer time
Changing seats/partners
Chat time
Release time (I let my kids go up to 3 minutes early or late)
Jeopardy
Mind Soccer
Reading time

Mix it up!

My kids initially thought I was trying to embarrass them. A conversation that worked great for me was saying, "Wasn't third grade more fun than sixth grade?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why does middle school have to be boring and lame?"

"I dunno."

"It doesn't! I'm doing this so we can have fun learning! Let's have fun!"

That worked pretty well.

WBT Intern 2011-2012