I finally have a long term sub job teaching 8th Grade Alg 1 & 1A. Mighty Oh Yeah! Friday was my first day using the scoreboard, teaching the 5 rules, and Teach-OK to only two of the Alg 1A classes. It was a half day yesterday.

My questions are…

Low energy class:
2nd period is lethargic and quite a few of the students did not want to do the Teach OK. When one told me she wasn’t going to do the gestures, I was stumped. I believe I will eventually get them on board. Any advice will help.

Talking class:
In 3rd period about half the class are talkers and disruptors. I chose homework for the scoreboard but could not get the talkers quiet for more than 5 seconds. This was not even enough time to give them a point. The other half of the class that does their homework were upset they were getting extra problems because of the talkers. I do not like penalizing the students that are already complying. In addition, I have one student that keeps wandering around the room in addition to talking and disrupting. I did not even get to Teach-OK in that period. Help! What now?

The teacher (Language Arts) next to me uses WBT. I only had a chance to ask her about it between classes. She told me the students do not like to do the Teach-OK so I got the impression she doesn’t use it. According to the students, she does not use gestures either. Since we have a lot of the same students, how does that work with one teacher only using part of WBT?

From another posting on this forum, www.wholebrainteaching.com/Junior-High-/...70-Tough-period.html I found the following idea:

“I gave them each an index card and asked them to put their own name in the middle and the names of 4 friends from the classroom who'd they'd invite to a party...they really enjoyed that (if they only knew how I plan to use that information)! Then I had them turn it over and make two columns marked "yes" and "no" and asked them to list things under "yes" that they'd like to see on the scoreboard, and things they didn't want to see under "no"....Now I feel I have plenty of ammunition to begin again next week.

First thing to happen is seat changes based on friendships - they more troublesome you are, the more likely to be separated from those friends. I'll see how that impacts them next week. I also discovered that they are motivated by music, so maybe by sometime next week I'll switch to "Keep the DJ Happy".... ”

Should I try the index card idea? Any other advice?
Thanks

(Question)
Low energy class:
2nd period is lethargic and quite a few of the students did not want to do the Teach OK. When one told me she wasn’t going to do the gestures, I was stumped. I believe I will eventually get them on board. Any advice will help.

(Answer)
I explain to my kids the basics on how the brain makes memories, and have them teach that to each other. I follow that up be explaining that a big part of what I need to do is assess exactly what they know and do not know. Anyone can fake their way through a worksheet, but if you cannot teach is to a partner you do not know it!

I also tell them that teaching information to someone else is really one of the most powerful ways to learn that information for good. I ask them to just give it a chance and see how strong this really is. I also explain that what using the gestures means is that ultimately they will find that they are doing less work to learn more, and learn it for good.

If I still have kids that are reluctant to use the gestures I explain to them in a more one on one situation that I still need to know what they know. If they are using the gestures I can assess what they know quickly and easily. If they are not using the gestures then I really need them to do a packet of several worksheets to be able to assess what they know to the same depth that I can assess their classmates just by watching them do the Teach-OK. If they want the worksheets I give them a set of them to do the next day. It usually does not take long for them to switch over
Understand I am not at all kidding that I need to see that kind of paperwork to assess the depth of their knowledge in relation to what I can assess in relation to what I can assess in a matter if minutes if they are teaching each other.

(Question)
Talking class:
In 3rd period about half the class are talkers and disruptors. I chose homework for the scoreboard but could not get the talkers quiet for more than 5 seconds. This was not even enough time to give them a point. The other half of the class that does their homework were upset they were getting extra problems because of the talkers. I do not like penalizing the students that are already complying. In addition, I have one student that keeps wandering around the room in addition to talking and disrupting. I did not even get to Teach-OK in that period. Help! What now?

(Answer)
Use something different for the Scoreboard. Tell the class that you do not scold, instead you are going to practice, practice, practice. Run through the rules at the start of class. Hit how important Rule Two is. Tell the kids that you are going to practice Rule Two whenever folks are having a hard time staying focused. Explain that Rule Two is really to their advantage. It is allowing them to stand between someone who is not paying attention, and the teacher having to take action. If the rest of the class does the Rule Two practice it means that the kids are reminding their classmates of the rules so that it is not necessary for the teacher to embarrass them by calling their names out in class or anything like that.

When they are talking call ‘Rule Two!’ and have them all do it. If anyone sits it out do it again….and again.,..and again. If everyone is not bought in stop them, and explain that some people are doing really well, but others are having a hard time understanding and demonstrating Rule Two correctly. From this point on you are going to make a note of anyone who is experiencing this trouble, and for their benefit you are going t o pull them aside for a two minute practice. This is not a punishment it is just to insure that they have the necessary amount of extra practice so that they understand how Rule Two works and can fulfill their obligations to the rest of the class.

(Question)
The teacher (Language Arts) next to me uses WBT. I only had a chance to ask her about it between classes. She told me the students do not like to do the Teach-OK so I got the impression she doesn’t use it. According to the students, she does not use gestures either. Since we have a lot of the same students, how does that work with one teacher only using part of WBT?

(Answer)
Share what I have explained here with the need of using gestures and why you should use them with her. If she still does not want to that is fine. You can still do it yourself.

Thanks for the advice. When do you do the individual practice? Since my last period is the worst, I cannot keep them after class or they will miss the bus. I would still like to try that. I also like the idea of worksheets for the non-gesturers.

An update: the AP came into my 7th period last week to help get the class under control. This is the group where at least half are on a weekly, if not daily, referral & suspension plan. I must have written 9 referrals in two days for that class. They are certainly in the Industrial Strength WBT category. I am just trying to get them in their seats and quiet long enough for me to go over the rules. I used the less/more homework the first day but after 2 points in the more homework column, one boy decided they couldn’t win and that was that. He was very vocal and the rest of the class just gave up. The classroom was chaos. The next day is when the AP came in to help.

My 3rd period is also filled with talkers. I tried to do a review today but there was too much chaos. I even tried using an extra day until the test on the scoreboard. No dice. At this point, half the class gets an extra day of review and half have to take the test tomorrow.

I am a long term sub until Christmas break. I just started last Monday. It is actually nice I get to “practice” WBT on these students until I get my own permanent classroom.

For the lethargic class, use the Scoreboard to motivate them! If they're not using gestures, point for you! And having them Mighty Groan will wake them up a bit, too.

You also might want to switch to Industrial Strength WBT for the really difficult class. Pure reward. Class leaders. They can't give up then. Alternatively, try this: I've been in this situation. I had a class where I actually "broke the rules" and put them 30 points behind. The stakes were minutes after school. They went through the five stages of grief, and when they were finally ready to discuss things, I told them that each mark represented a time when they acted poorly, but that all of their points were times when they acted well. I did not determine the number of points on the board, they did. They had the power to bring themselves back. And they started to do so.

Finally, this is harder for you because you're there temporarily, but for the class where you have one or two difficult kids, keep in mind that the idea of the scoreboard is sort of like RTI: get the 80% of the students behind you, then use them as leverage against the rest as you go up the levels. Don't focus on the few kids who are difficult, they will be easier to deal with when you have the rest with you.

WBT Intern 2011-2012

Good ideas, Jeff. But now I have another question for you:

How do I get MYSELF to follow Rule 2? I know that seems silly. But I have small groups, usually around a kidney table. We're sitting close together, and they often get so excited to share, and I get so excited to hear their answer, that I let the rule slide.

It really does just take practice from you as well as from them. As teachers we often (myself included) have some of the same habits in the classroom that we do not want the kids to have.

Practice. That is all, just practice.

dsudia,

Thank you for the reminder: the idea of the scoreboard is sort of like RTI: get the 80% of the students behind you, then use them as leverage against the rest as you go up the levels. Don't focus on the few kids who are difficult, they will be easier to deal with when you have the rest with you.


Which on most days is easy to do, but some days.....the whirlwind begins as soon as they walk in the door:)

Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

Oh believe me, I know. My students all have emotional/behavioral disabilities, and I've had to greatly modify how I use the Scoreboard in class for just that reason. For those students I'd try to take a minute and just pull them aside and talk to them privately while the class is doing a practice problem or something. Sometimes the student just needs attention of some kind, and that attention will calm down the behavior.

David Sudia
WBT Intern
2011-2012

I have a very similar instance in my class. I have found that making a fuss, in front of the class, only creates a negative reaction. Where as, they are simply looking for some type of attention, whether it's positive or negative. For example, today I had to pull aside a student that insists of making noises constantly. I have found that a few reminders, in private, provides the best results.

Heather Hansen
Wbt intern
2011/12

Some days I feel like I can't even take a breath in class because if I pause for one second - they will start talking!

I did help that a bit by having competition between the different periods. "Oh No! First period is beating you!"...things like that.

Also the big winners for the month - get to play mind soccer with the black lights on! Or use white gloves for gesturing with the black lights! (black lights 10 bucks at Wal-Mart - priceless in terms of student motivation!

An idea I learned in a training this summer was to have individual marker boards (I purchased mine at the dollar store) and keep them at the tables or individual desks. If students have a question/comment then they have to write it on their board and as I walk around the room I will address the question to them individually or tell them I will answer it right after class. If it is a question that I think would benefit the whole class then I stop the class and address it. This way students get their thoughts written down, but they don't dictate when I will start and stop my class. I work in an ED classroom (mostly students with ADHD), and 80% of the time when I remind them to write it on their marker board they decide it wasn't really that important (i.e. off topic, for entertainment purposes).

fridaycat,

I LOVE the idea of purchasing cheap black lights and white gloves to use during Mind Soccer and/or to encourage the use of gestures. I am a student teacher who used WBT during my last student teaching placement in high school but will be in Grade 5 from March to May. I am definitely going to use this with my Grade 5 class.
I am in my 20's and love black lights so I'm sure the students will be thrilled haha.

www.misslwholebrainteaching.blogspot.com