So, I'm reflecting on this last semester of teaching, and how I've been implementing WBT.

I work in a middle school, teaching self-contained class. So I teach 6th and 8th grade science, social studies, math, language arts, and electives (right now I'm doing technology). I'm getting rid of the elective, somehow, during third quarter, because I don't have a prep period when I do it.

Right there, in the WBT manual, it says, you gotta plan to do this. My problem is, I don't have enough time to plan all of this! I don't even know half of the social studies and science content I'm teaching, so I spend every night reading the textbooks myself to learn what I'm supposed to be teaching the next day, I'm doing mapping for five middle-school subjects, and that takes up my whole weekend.

Basically, I spend hours and hours every week planning, and I rarely actually get to the stage where I'm mapping out a lesson, because by the time I even have the day-to-day objectives done, I'm beat. And since I'm not a content expert in almost all the contents I teach, I spend the rest of the time learning it myself, not planning how to teach it.

What this has led to is that I pretty much only implement WBT stuff in Math, where I'm the most comfortable with the content (do have my cert for GenEd in this area), but since I have the same students all day, it's weird for me to just do it for one hour, so I can never build momentum, and with these kids (emotionally disabled), momentum is everything.

I'm sitting here planning for when we come back from break, and I feel like after every break I'm ready to go again and get all of this going full-time, but I can never get it to stick because I get bogged down just staying afloat. I've been using WBT for two years, and it's been amazing for me and for my students, but I feel like the demands of this position are keeping me from excelling.

Advice? Comments? Thanks!

The more you use WBT the more you will find yourself able to teach it off the cuff. It readily lends itself to covering content in science and social studies.

Do not worry that you are having a hard time planning with it! Look at all you are having to do. Nobody could take the time needed to plan it out with the type of schedule you are having to work in planning!

As you teach with science or social studies, and you have the kids working on worksheets, as you go over the answers have the kids teach each other the key points. If it is a critical idea or concept have them teach that to each other.

If you cannot think of a gesture on your own at that moment tell the kids to teach each other using any gestures they would like to use. As you and they get more used to doing this you will find that the gestures come easier and easier to both you and them. Ask them for suggestions on which gestures to use for key ideas.

Dave
When you run up against a tough teaching problem, like yours (too much to teach, too little time ... and very challenging students!), one good suggestion is to stop and give yourself something like this speech, "This is a tough problem, but many teachers across the U.S. could really benefit from a solution, if I could come up with one. So, yes it's difficult to cure this problem ... but the difficulty is absolutely linked to the importance of a cure ... so my tough problem, is now tough but very, very exciting!" Think of your classroom as a lab where you are experimenting with education solutions that will have an enormous benefit to teachers and students everywhere ... this approach has always made the most daunting teaching challenges exciting for me.

Now, specifically ... what could you do? I'll soon be posting a new download, QuickStart WBT ... that shows how little you need to use of WBT ... and still be effective. Try this experiment this year ... in any area where you don't have time to prepare, just use the Class-Yes, the Scoreboard and Teach-Okay. When you need variety, slowly, slowly feed in one brain toy at a time. Think that even if this method isn't totally effective with your kids, it will still build your WBT fluency ... so that eventually, you can Teach-Okay any lesson without advance planning! When you can do the Teach-Okay on the fly, it will make planning, when you have time, enormously easier!! Keep us posted ... you are part of a stellar crop of 2011-2012 interns!
Coach B

Thanks for the feedback and support. I got way ahead of myself now in planning out curriculum, so that will help. Going in on Tuesday to rejoin the fray. I'll report back.

Dave,

I am wishing you the best of luck in 2012. You really do have a demanding job! So many core subjects and such little planning time. If you have been doing WBT for 2 years, I am sure that you are good enough to use it across the board without planning as much as you would like to. You probably would not be an intern if Coach B didn't think you could handle it. If you have the same kids all day, then they know how to do it as well. Go easy on yourself. With emotional support, the basics are the most important: classroom rules and teach ok. I like what Jeff said about having the kids create gestures for themselves. They may remember key points better this way anyhow because the gesture made sense to them. The best of luck!

The older your kids are the more responsibility you can shift onto them for helping create the gestures.

In a survey I gave them the kids also like being told to explain ideas in their own words. I let them use either the gestures we have already established, or come up with their own while they are teaching a partner.

Dave,

I know where you're coming from. When you teach several different groups/classes a day with different lesson plans for each and not enough planning time, it can be very frustrating. Just remember, it's one day, one hour, one minute at a time. You can do this, and I'm sure you are doing it very well. Just keep doing the best you can and remember, you are making a difference!

Good luck,

Susan floyd
WBT Intern
2011-12

I have been in that situation with a lot of preps before and I actually think that WBT will make it easier for you to do less detailed planning once you get into the groove of doing it with each subject. You will get to the point where your students are really familiar with this and all you need to do is plan the major points in your lecture and the assignments. Eventually, your kids can help you with gestures. That is what I loved about middle school; they like making gestures once you make it their responsibility. It's not the most professionally done video, but you can go on youtube and search "mrs. macias seventh grade class" and see some examples of kids making and leading gestures. Also, this is a side note, but try to implement some routines that kids like, but allow you some time for grading and stuff like 20-30 minutes of SSR or group homework check times. Good luck!