"I didn't have a good weekend because I couldn't wait to come back to school."
Student 24- Bell's Room 2012
We have officially been back to school for one week. The first two days were wedded bliss with me implementing the whole brain approach. Now, the milk is settling and the creme is rising to the top. It's time to begin the student improvers wall. I will begin this process tomorrow, on a Friday to give the students and myself something to look forward to next week.
While I am loving the approach to behavior, I am having to really think out the process for teaching. Some parts of the wbt lesson plan have become second nature already but others I have to create on the fly. Here are the lesson- steps.
1. Class - Yes
2. Ask a Question
3. Give the Answer with gesture
4. Teach - Okay
Where I get in trouble is with always asking a question and having a gesture ready. To be honest, I also am struggling with how much I speak. We are only supposed to give short bursts of information but I am noticing how much I talk. I really do talk a lot.
The other area that requires serious thought is the gesture. I am having a tough time figuring out when I will need a gesture until I'm up in front of the class teaching it and then I have to magically pull it out of the air. I definitely hope to get better at anticipating the gesture ahead of time.
My gesture success this week is place -value. While having kids place both hands out in front of them, I have them wiggle their pinky on the right hand for the one's position. They then wiggle their right hand ring finger for the 10's and so on, moving over to the left hand for the thousands and millions. I believe it helps them see place value and hopefully understand.
I am teaching two classes of math this year, one science (4 times), and one reading class. I am going to primarily focus my wbt approach in math. It feels like the natural area where I want kids excited and pumped up about learning.
Until next time,
Bells
1 comment:
When I did my dissertation research on a collaboration approach between a regular education teacher, special education teacher, and SLP, the one thing all 3 of them said when they examined the transcripts of their lessons was "Wow, we talk way too much as teachers. They children never get to speak."' I think teachers feel so much pressure to make sure they cover everything, they can't breathe or have time to listen to the kids.
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