This has been an interesting week. The kids are move at lightning pace through the curriculum. I gave a math pretest and half the standards they already know. I have spent a lot of time teaching the whole brain procedures and working on procedures school-wide. I have even borrowed some whole brain ideas that other teachers were using in their rooms that work really well. I am going to give a quick overview of what we have accomplished.
Class Expectations the Whole Brain Way
1. Follow Directions Quickly - Make sure you use the hand motions of something zooming along.
2. Raise your hand for permission to speak - Raise your hand and then lower it using your hand to make the talking motion.
3 Raise your hand for permission to get out of your seat - Raise your hand and then lower it using your hands to make the motion of someone walking.
4. Make smart choices - Tap the side of your head with your finger.
5. Keep your dear teacher happy - frame your face with your fingers and smile.
Each rule has a motion that goes with it and helps student to remember it quickly and allows them to internalize them. If you teach the Whole Brain Procedures you can have the students teach each other the rules and procedures. We even play Simon says with the rules and procedures.
1. Class? Yes? With this one the teacher says Class? and the students respond Yes? and then get quiet. They have to respond the exact way you say it too so mix it up. I do things like Class? Class? Class? OR Class= E- I - E - I - O. The kids love it!
2. Hands & Eyes - When you have something really important to say to them say Hands and Eyes and they put their hands in their laps and look at you intently. Some of them even stare you down. Make sure you use it when you want to say something important not just every single time. That way they know what is coming it truly important.
3. Teach. OK! When you want them to teach other. Teach and little, tell them they are going to be teaching each other what they just learned. Say Teach and Clap once. They respond with OK and one clap and then they turn to their partner and teach.
4. Switch! When you want to switch partners doing the teaching.
5. Mirror. When you want students to listen and copy your gestures exactly. Works really well with things they need to remember with steps. Add the motions and they really get it. I use this a lot and then have them teach each other using the mirror actions.
6. Yes! No way! - When you want to quickly assess learning. Ask them true/false or yes/no questions. They respond with Yes and raise their fist or arms OR they respond with no way and do a gesture that means no.
Some Whole Brain Techniques Created by other teachers.
1. Bodies and Chairs - teach students how to stand quietly behind their desk with their chairs pushed in. When you say Bodies and Chairs they stand and say Bodies and Chairs three times. This gives them time to stand, push in the chair, and then get quiet. Works like a charm. I can't find the blog I found this one. Not my idea but it does work well.
2. Criss Cross - When you want them to come to the carpet, sit down, and put any materials (dry erase boards, folders, papers) down so you can teach the mini-lesson. You say "Criss Cross' they respond "Applesauce (cross legs), spoons in your bowl (put down materials in front of you).
Some Kind of Whole Brain Techniques that we use without knowing it. They are signals for specific kinds of behaviors with specific expectations.
1. Good Morning Readers/Writers/Mathematicians - When this is said the students get out materials and come to the carpet and get ready for this workshop.
2. Turn and Talk - Much like the Teach Okay. It allows students to share knowledge and teach each other.
3. Up off you go - When workshop is over you say this and motion with your hands like you are shooing them away. The students get up quietly and return to their desks getting right to work.
I created one technique of my own to go with the 4-S Line.
I know we want them to line up to go into the hall in a certain manner. I call it the 4S because all the things we want them to do start with S. Straight (both hands out to make sure you are behind the person in front of you), Single File (look forward and back to make sure you are in line), Silent (finger over lip) and Safe (hands at your side). I created hand motions to go with each letter. The kids do them automatically to make sure they are straight, single file, silent and safe.
These little tricks are helping me make my classroom run smoother by cueing appropriate behavior and an action that goes with each one. I love them teaching each other. Hope your week is going as well as mine!
TGT
No comments:
Post a Comment