Whole Brain Teaching is great for focusing and directing the mental and physical energy of students, but does anyone have suggestions on how to help students to calm down / quiet down after recess? Reading a story to my second graders doesn't help because they're so revved up, they keep interrupting me to make comments about the story! I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Hey, for my grade one students I use this time for them to work with their partner on super speed. For one they have to cooperate (no smilies) and they have to work fast, use the energy while it is at a high. They come in excited, get busy and they are on a timer. So no time for monkey business.

Try it, Annette

I am starting whole brain in 2 weeks with first grade. When do you start super speed? I am thinking that I may have to start with numbers not facts. Any advice? Thanks! Katie

I did not do super speed at first, we hit that about the second month and I started them as a whole group with me until we got the hang of how do do it. Yes we started with numbers.

Did that help ~ Annette

After recess is an awesome opportunity to practice the rules as well. I have my students do the 5 classroom rules whole group to refocus their attention to class work.

Annette had a great suggestion of doing Super Speed to refocus.

Tiffany
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

Grade 2 teacher,
I LOVE to read to my students after recess too. Have you tried doing the read-aloud, and asking the students to come up with gestures (silently) as you read? This is one of the steps outlined in "The Crazy Professor Reading Game", and it worked extremely well for me this year with my first graders. They had to focus and listen to me as I read, and gesturing along kept them involved, yet not all revved up.

Deb Weigel
Co-Director, WBT Model Classrooms

Katie,
I started SuperSpeed Letters the second or third week of school with my first graders. At first, I projected it up on the Smartboard, and asked a student to partner with me. I modeled being number 1&2, and switching off. The next day, I had 2 students model, following the same procedure. The third day, we reviewed how to play, and then they got to do it with their partner. Once they learn the process, you can play SS Letters, SS Phonics, SS Numbers, or SS 100. Some of my students already knew the 100 sight words, so I had them play SS 100 a few times, then switched them right over to SS 1000. By the end of the first quarter, about 1/2 of my class could pass all 100 sight words, so then they moved on to SS 1000.
I started SS addition at the end of the first quarter, and we played SS addition and subtraction all year, setting and breaking records. I did have 4 students on SS multiplication, because they were ready. These 4 were also reading at 4-5th grade level, so I always needed to keep them challenged. But, I did have 2 who were working far below first grade level, so I used Biffytoons and SS 100 with them the whole year. It is great to be able to differentiate, as students are able to continue at their own pace.
For me, the key was setting the procedure and my expectations for the games, then the rest was a piece of cake!
Deb Weigel
Co-Director, WBT Model Classrooms

Great idea! Thanks!