I taught 6th grade science for 7 years, got burned out with the 6th graders mentality and changed school systems and grade levels to 1st. With all the teacher layoffs in NC this past year, my new school has put me into 6th grade social studies this year - back with 6th graders but with a totally unfamiliar subject. I have instituted WBT in an effort to enjoy this age group again and to help them internalize the subject materials and have fun. While I am seeing the benefits of WBT with them, after 2 weeks of school, I am not sure if I am doing it right. How often do you practice the rules? Do I need gestures for everything? Vocab? Directions? How often should I mark points on the scoreboard? For what exactly? I have taught them the rules, teach/okay, class/yes (which they are getting very good at), mighty Oh Yeah, and the might Groan. Should I stick with this for a while? I have some very chronic talkers and one student who has to have the last word and doesn't seem to realize he is talking back - sees it as arguing his point. Basically, help!! I believe in this system, but don't want to sabotage it myself before it has a chance to work. For the sake of my sanity, I need this to work.

I'm new to this myself and also in a new grade. Yesterday I was reading about GUFF and it seems to deal specifically with the issues of the students that have to have the last word and the class' silent approval of their behavior. Read it and try it. It can't hurt! Good luck;)

Ok...maybe I can chime in and hopefully Biffle will see I am listening to him LOL! Your efforts are not futile Biffle LOL!

Ok...its only been two weeks and it is a LONG YEAR! I would stick with the score board for now! Practicing Rules...well as many times as you think they need to. I practice rules with my kinders first thing in the morning, mid morning, before recess, after lunch, mid afternoon, and before we dismiss to go home! You might not need to this much with your older students but then again you might.

Score board...well I reward for anything I see that I LIKE! If all my students transition correctly they get a point, if they are all working hard not talking they get a point....ALWAYS follow the +/-3 rule. When they get 3 points ahead I find SOMETHING to give myself a point....it could be friends not sitting in their chairs right...someone daydreaming....SOMETHING! I never point out the student...more like "oooo I see some friends not sitting in their chairs correctly....that's my point...etc"

As Biffle told me....stick with the score board for a while....they will buy into it...you have to find what makes them tick. What do they care about and want to play for...with 6th graders maybe its less homework/more homework...and if your school is like mine where they are required to have a certain amount of homework you can "rig" it where if they win they are still getting the amount of homework you have to give them.

I have been in school three weeks and have made some mistakes. Started the practice cards too soon and independents too soon....and I have decided (although I thought I might start Monday previously) to wait on the practice cards and just stick with the scoreboard for a few more weeks. Mine are 5-6 year olds so it is going to take them longer to get great at it...and for week three...I really shouldn't be so picky...cuz I am very blessed with how well the majority are doing.

So stick with it girl! They will get it. I would think that gestures for vocabulary and major concepts are necessary for WBT...kinda the whole point. But as Biffle and the others said in the conference I went to...there are going to be teachers that take aspects of WBT and adapt it to your classroom...in fact I bet we all do! That is what keeps us all asking questions...to get ideas from other teachers!

Blessings,
Farrah Shipley
www.teacherpage.com/mrsshipley

Well, I hate to say it Farrah, because like most teachers I thrive on nit picking ... but that was a great, great answer! For an overview of the entire system, I suggest teachers first look at the "First Steps" menu above ... this describes our Big Seven techniques for classroom instruction that can be used every single day all year ... the next menu "Levels" describes the six stages of our classroom management system that evolves over the year ... again, stay with the Scoreboard as long as you possibly can ... months if possible ... then go to the White Cards in the Card Practice system ... Farrah ... you can be Queen of Anything for the rest of Labor Day.

AWE!!!!!!!!!!! I am blushing.... Now where did I put that crown....LOL!

Farrah

After reading this thread a few questions came to my head. One, I understand the concept of the whole score board, and have read the getting started section. But what are the points actually for? My students want to know what they get in the end. I am now teaching 7th grade language arts and social studies, new school, new grade, new curriculum for me. I spend hours at home studing myself just to be sure I know what I am talking about, then I get in the classroom and get tripped up by the small things example the score board.
I have been using the rules and gesture for several years, the ten finger whoos and its cool turn and tell your neighbor until I say switch, but I don't have it all together. I am missing some key points and YES I NEED SOME HELP! (please don't send the psych ward after me just yet though)
Second question is in regards to the 3 second parties. How often do you have these? ...
Maybe the answer to all of this is that I need to go to a refresher course.

mskosburn;

First, take a deep breath! All of us new to WBT are in the same boat! Let me see if I can help from what I understand and the one-day seminar I went to, and if I miss something or get something messed up, please you experts, feel free to jump in.

Right, then. About the scoreboard. At first, Biffle recommends that it be for homework pages/ problem numbers if your doing math. Remember, the scoreboard is completely fixed, so you decide in advance by how much your kiddos will lose/win/draw by. Remember the +/- 3 rule - don't let them get ahead of you by more than 3 points, and don't penalize by more than three before noticing something positive, no matter how small. There is another whole thread and many discussions about the scoreboard and how to use it for both positive things (from students) point of view. Once you have them convinced that you mean business, then you can play for "game time" (See Mind Soccer, Super Speed ______(fill in content area) etc on this board.) or other items that don't cost you anything but the kids really want.

The Mighty Oh Yeah! is only to be a one-second party, and like the Mighty Groan, it is up to you to decide to call it and the kids need to wait for you, otherwise you can penalize them. Try to read the mood of your kids. Both the groan and the oh yeah unites them with you and is fun.

Just take it slow and steady, one day at a time. When you have opportunity, go back through the Teaching Challenging Teens. Even just skimming through it will help you begin again.

Keep us posted as to your progress!