Brothers and Sisters, I am here to testify! Whole Brain Teaching is rocking my world! I found WBT completely by accident (except there are no accidents really)the first weekend after school started this year. I viewed one of Biffle's videos on YouTube and I think I actually heard the angels sing. I thought, "I have been looking for this and didn't even know it!" I spent the rest of the weekend viewing every WBT video I could find and checking out the website. The following Monday, I started with Class-Yes and the Scoreboard. It was AMAZING! Class-Yes alone is worth the price of admission! Not having to hit the chimes (which are ALWAYS on the other side of the room no matter where I am) or do some cockamamie clapping rhythm was great. And to have all 26 of them facing me with their hands folded ready for the next thing was and is AWESOME!

Next I tried Teach-Okay which is BRILLIANT! I mean BRILL-EE-YENT!!! I have always avoided partnering activities because they are always so messy and chaotic and only the confident students participate anyway. Plus, getting their attention back was always next to impossible, too. Now, with Teach-Okay, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IS ENGAGED! Even the students who think they are in the invisible seats are participating. And getting their attention back is as easy as saying "Class!" Can I get a Hallelujah?

A couple of colleagues began to take notice of what was going on in my classroom and I invited them to come with me to the Hemet Conference in November, which they did. They loved it and now they are using it in their classrooms, too. My principal happens to be working on his doctorate in using brain compatible teaching techniques in the classroom (uh, can you say, WBT?!) so he is extremely excited about what I'm doing. He hopes to bring Biffle and crew to our school for pre-service training next year! Woo-hoo! (Let's just hope I don't get RIFed! )

I am in my 15th year of teaching and I think I was getting a little stale. WBT has completely revitalized me and helped me create a wonderful classroom environment where we all learn and have a ball doing it. I confess to being a little bit of a ham so I have a great time coming up with humorous ways of saying "class" or "teach" as well as entertaining "woooo's."

My next steps? Well, I just implemented Mind Soccer and SuperSpeed Math. My students love them. They beg me to let them do it. Did you hear me? They B-E-G me to let them practice math facts and review what they've learned. That is GENIUS! Now if I could just get Biffle to release those Power Pix for 2nd Grade (as promised in Hemet, hint, hint) I will think I have died and gone to heaven!

So I am a proud WBT convert. I have seen the Whole Brain Teaching light and I am spreading the word. Can I get an amen?

AMEN!!! (and I hear ya on the Power Pix. I would love to play with them a bit as I review for testing season coming up...)

I'm sorry. That really wasn't enthusiastic enough. Not enough words highlighted in color. Too few exclamation marks. Maybe, just maybe, however, you might see the grade level Power Pix coming soon. Rub you hands together and tell your neighbor ... O sweet mama, I can't wait for those Power Pix!!!!

LOL. I don't know about Patti, but I will tell my neighbors EVERY day "O sweet MAMA, I can't WAIT the Power Pix!" Every day! And I know they will say it right back to me.

Thank you!!!

Your excitement is what I felt when I found WBT ..... but I must be missing something. What am I doing wrong? I've started the rules and we review them all the time. But kids are STILL popping up out of their desk all the time, or blurting or etc, etc.

Woobie5,
Use the Scoreboard to reinforce the rules. It REALLY helps!
Deb

The scoreboard is the key to all WBT, you can do wonders.

Okay, I am jumping in. I did start Class-Yes and scoreboard. I tried teach-okay but after watching videos all day yesterday I can see where I need to revisit this. Tomorrow I intend to do the rules only because I like them better and I love #5. We have done hands and eyes. I also now have a better understanding of the scoreboard. Wasn't getting that before but feel better about it after my video marathon yesterday. I think we will also do switch tomorrow during the rules instruction. I really would like to see more. I am a little scared about the teach-okay and micro lessons. I love the idea, but don't really know how to break the lessons down into such tiny chunks. That will be my achiles heel. Any suggestions on that would be hugely appreciated.

You're going to rock 2nd Grade with your positive can do attitude! Farrah Shippley's blog site has excellent videos on the 5 step lesson with young children. Go to mrsshipleywholebrainteaching.blogspot.com Good luck! Teach-Okay is amazing for student engagement and critical thinking! I teach 2nd grade and I use it all day long!
Nancy Stoltenberg
WBT Intern 2011-2012
blog: nstoltenbergwbt.blogspot.com

POWER PICS FOR SECOND GRADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES, Yes, Yes, I hope they're
coming sooooooooooooooooon!

Power Pix for 2nd are available for download under free ebooks. You can also download WBT Model Classroom for an explanation on setting up your power pix wall. My kids practice everyday! Love the gestures for reinforcement!
Nancy Stoltenberg
WBT Intern 2011-2012

Power Pics are GREAAAAAATTTT!

Yes. I teach second grade too and I agree that powerpix is a great way to review information learned or just to learn little nuggets of information that is not covered yet so the students have a little background information about the topic.

I'm using PowerPics from 1st thru 3rd grade! Awesome!!

I attended an awesome workshop with Chris B. and Chris R. in Bakersfield. Oh, Yeah! My students are moving up the SuperImprover Wall! Woo Hoo! I've got the Scoreboard Rockin', Practice Cards, NO GUFF, and Independents! So, what is that, my class is up to Level FOUR! We are Rockin' with WBT in my classroom!