WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What an amazing year! It has gone by fast but it has been up to this point in my teaching career the most rewarding year and most fun! I haven't been on for a while well because quite frankly I have been a little busy teaching my WB kinders! And they are awesome! For those of you that have seen the you tube video let me say...that was in the first month and well...they are just champions now!

It is the end of February and I am introducing the practice cards....ok Biffle...give me a shout out for waiting!

We have gotten to crunch time now with standardized tests coming up and a little more "control" and "focus" is really needed so out come the practice cards to help with those two or three that just seem to be attention seekers.

I am so excited about next year as well....ready to take all the stuff I learned this year from implementing the WBT concepts and correcting those "mistakes" you make the first time around and make it even better next year.

Also...THANKS so much for the super speed games.....I have 18 students now and 12 of them are reading on a 1st grade level...like mid year 1st grade last assessment we took. THAT IS AMAZING! Also...the 6 who are not on that level are reading at a beginning 1st grade level!

HOW AMAZING IS THAT!!!!

Loving my WB Kinders....

And yes Mr. Biffle I have used nothing but the SCOREBOARD all year!!!!!

Wow! It's so encouraging to hear about success stories-- particularly in kinder, where some teachers struggle to implement this. You'll have to let us know how the Practice Cards go for you.

For the sake of reflective conversation, what would you say are those 'mistakes' that you want to go back and fix? I've been WBT-ing for three years, and I STILL have many each year that I change the following year. My fist year, by two biggest mistakes were-- lack of consistency (due to lack of confidence) and introducing too many things all at once too soon.


And yet...it still worked wonders!

Oh Jackie...

Absolutely I would love to share the mistakes I think I made.

#1....mixing the WBT with our Direct instruction and Independent work style. Its great for the DI but when it comes to independent work it is hard. Our Kinders are expected to site for 1 hour 30 min each day and work on a "seatwork" packet. This is a school policy. I don't like it...but it is how we are expected to do it. So...while I am working with my reading group, the other two groups are at their desks with review sheets. So I am having a hard time implementing the score board while I am at the reading table...the mistake was that I didn't train my TA well enough to do the score board during this time...but that has corrected itself now. And we are doing great.

#2.....Trying too much at one time. The info from Andrea for kindergarten was a success...but I didn't stick with that for a while. I tried to move too fast and the kids were trying so hard to keep up. So once I slowed it down I was able to really make them champs with WBT!

#3.....Patience....I was loving it when they caught onto something quickly but so frustrated when they didn't...often quitting something and then trying to implement it later. I should have just stuck with it and been patient.

#4...I would have introduced the super speed games sooner....they were real motivation to the kids once they learned how to play...


Thanks for asking

Omigoodness I can totally relate! Moving down from third grade (where they were introduced to it all the first week and had it down by the second week) I had to learn to break it down and let them master each technique only by trial and error! That first year was quite the eye opener! I think it is awesome you have stuck it out and are reflecting back on your year. Doesn't it just make you so excited for next year! Congratulations---happy first year of WBT!!!!

RiseKinder...

It is so great to hear how your year is going for you.
Speaking of Reflective teaching here are some reflections that I have made regarding WBT:

1. Inconsisently using the scoreboard, especially returning from a long weekend or Spring Break. (Last week)

2. Thinking that I had to implement all things WBT, at once. Especially in Kindergarten, it is important for students to have a good grasp on a concept before adding on.

3. Not using the forum as often as I could to ask questions or share things that worked for my class.

I also like what you said about patience...Our students are young and therefore need a bit more time than students that have been in school for a while.
So it's time to set some new goals and have a Great end of the school year!

Calito Texas Girl:
Those are some awesome insights...and you are right---consistency and a slower pace will have a tremendous impact on your year next year. Keep in mind though---it's never too late to be consistent, so start that now and you can end your year with bigger success! For a slower pace for kinder-checking out my document "How to start the year off in kinder". It's more of a pacing guideline, but it gives you an idea of what I have found works for me. Of course everyone is different (and of course every class is, too;) ) so you may find that you will need to tweak it to work for you (when don't we have to do that! LOL); but it will give you a place to start for next year!
, Andrea

Ok I am a horrible Kinder teacher member of this community! LOL! That was a mouthful! I have been so busy with testing and assessments that I have had no down time! So....


I am so with you on the using the forum more! I signed up for the webcast tomorrow and I am excited about it!

I am really working on some things that I am going to try next year to help with consistency.

So over all I am excited!

I will report...this year...this kindergarten class (which because of our grouping of students according to pre-k assessment)....was not expected to perform well on the end of the year standardized testing we do...CAT AND GATES! But I am happy to report that my wonderful kinders hung neck in neck with the other kinder class (the more advanced kids) and I give 90% of the credit to WBT! It kept them on task and focused and gave them a way to learn the material while still maintaining the DI classroom environment that my school has in place!

Thanks a bunch guys!!

Any summer seminars!

Farrah Shipley

RiseKinder,
I understand about testing and assessments we are about to start ours over the next 2 weeks. I am so very excited to see the results and will take time to share them, as well.
It is so great to hear that your students made so many strides this year. I wonder if other teachers at your school saw what you were doing and hopped on the WBT train with you?

Here's to almost Summer!

To be honest....I am like the most "hated" teacher on campus LOL! I am joking but I see the eye rolls and the looks when I can walk into a classroom anywhere on campus (we are Prek-8th) and say CLASS...and I immediately get YESSSSSSSS!!!!!! LOL!

Actually most of the teachers on our campus are so stuck in "THEIR WAYS" that it will probably take a couple years for them to come on over...but I am sticking with it! LOL! It is funny to see so many students tell me "GOOD MORNING MRS.SHIPLEY" and I don't even know them. LOL! But know me as that crazy loud but fun teacher!

Love it!

Farrah