It is December 15th , we have 3 more days until Christmas break....and the excitement is building! Many, many special activities on the way and the countdown has started! Tomorrow, my class will be taping their first YouTube video submission demonstrating their use of WBT for a Science lesson! The school year is now half over and we have been practicing and using WBT structures since day 1! My principal is still amazed as he visits our classroom and is able to see the student engagement in every lesson!
Next, we have had a lot of college students visiting in our buildings, as it is the end of the semester and they need to finish their observation hours. What a great way to share WBT strategies with the future generation of teachers! They not only are seeing WBT in action, but they also are going back to their professors and classmates to share about WBT.
Lastly, as we begin Christmas break, it is a time of reflection , looking ahead to the New Year, and the second semester of the school year. My school is very involved with data-driven instruction and setting SMART goals, so our students will be as prepared as they can be to perform successfully on the big standardized tests in the Spring. I know when we analyze our data at the beginning of next year from that test, our goals are going to be met, growth will be noted, and WBT strategies helped our students get there! My building is also on the countdown to the New Year, as our first of the year professional development will be a Whole Brain Teaching Workshop! Give me a Mighty OH YEAH!!!! Plus, the live WBT TV sessions begin as well! You can find WBT TV and many, many other resources at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Enjoy the holidays with family and friends! Take time to sit back, relax, and re-engerize for the New Year!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Really...tomorrow is December???
I can't believe that tomorrow is December and in a few more weeks it will be the end of 2nd quarter!! Where does the school year go? So little time to get everything accomplished in one school year! I am so thankful for WBT and the strategies that help me to be an effective teacher for my students! There are many extra activities going on at this time of the year and WBT keeps everyone grounded and engaged in each lesson!
To keep the students engaged and involved in the process, I have added a few things to our daily routine. To keep my students motivated by the scoreboard, I have a daily board rotation schedule which allows each of my students on a specific day of the week to design the scoreboard. Students get to choose the color, the design, what they are playing for, and the saying for the day! Such a small, routine procedure that is motivating my students and getting their buy-in to give their all each day in the classroom! To sum it up, it's the small things that make the difference! For a treasure trove of small ideas that make a BIG difference, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
WBT Rocks!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
To keep the students engaged and involved in the process, I have added a few things to our daily routine. To keep my students motivated by the scoreboard, I have a daily board rotation schedule which allows each of my students on a specific day of the week to design the scoreboard. Students get to choose the color, the design, what they are playing for, and the saying for the day! Such a small, routine procedure that is motivating my students and getting their buy-in to give their all each day in the classroom! To sum it up, it's the small things that make the difference! For a treasure trove of small ideas that make a BIG difference, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
WBT Rocks!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Hollywood....Here we come!!
Here we are again and Friday is mid-term of second quarter! This time of the year just flies by and it is the New Year before we know it! This time of the year is hectic, crazy, and busy with lots to accomplish, even though it seems like there is something special on the calendar at least 2-3 times a week! As the days go by, December will be here and that is the deadline for the first WBT YouTube submission from my class!
From the beginning of the school year, students use the digital cameras and videos for several projects and presentations. They are now feeling like pros when it comes to using the technology, as well as being part of the presentations! I am hoping that this new found appreciation and confidence will show up the day we make our class video. I am excited, as well as my students are excited about participating in a project that will help other students learn new concepts or review concepts that they were previously taught!
To learn about WBT visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Hollywood....Here We Come!!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
From the beginning of the school year, students use the digital cameras and videos for several projects and presentations. They are now feeling like pros when it comes to using the technology, as well as being part of the presentations! I am hoping that this new found appreciation and confidence will show up the day we make our class video. I am excited, as well as my students are excited about participating in a project that will help other students learn new concepts or review concepts that they were previously taught!
To learn about WBT visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Hollywood....Here We Come!!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Super Improvers Wall
Last weekend, I went to my classroom to work and I put up the words SUPER IMPROVERS WALL on the back wall. First thing on Monday morning as the students began to arrive, it did not take long for a student to ask....What is the SUPER IMPROVERS WALL??? I casually replied, "I'll tell you more later!"
One week has gone by, student excitement is high, and I am ready to add the student nametags and color code to the wall on Monday. I am sure that the new additions to the wall will be noticed as soon as the students arrive in the classroom. After watching WBT TV 503 SUPER IMPROVERS WALL at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/ , I am ready to explain the process to my students.
This week, I am also going to introduce the practice cards to my students. First quarter has ended and we are now in second quarter. I have a couple of students who are going to benefit greatly from the use of the combination of strategies.
Have a great week!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
One week has gone by, student excitement is high, and I am ready to add the student nametags and color code to the wall on Monday. I am sure that the new additions to the wall will be noticed as soon as the students arrive in the classroom. After watching WBT TV 503 SUPER IMPROVERS WALL at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/ , I am ready to explain the process to my students.
This week, I am also going to introduce the practice cards to my students. First quarter has ended and we are now in second quarter. I have a couple of students who are going to benefit greatly from the use of the combination of strategies.
Have a great week!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Student leaders teach parents WBT strategies at Family Night!
Parent/teacher conferences are over and the year is moving right along. Last week, 5th grade students and their parents participated in Family Night activities at our school. The night began with dinner and conversations. After the dinner concluded, it was time for the learning to begin for the students, as well as, the parents!
First, the students came to the front of the library and were instructed that they were going to teach their parents the WBT strategies that are used in the classroom each day at school. The teachers facilitated, while the student leaders modeled for their parents the five rules. After the rules were practiced, we moved on to the attention getter "class-yes!" The students and their parents practiced this strategy throughout the evening. As the lessons were being taught, the students and their parents used "teach-okay!" to review the information from the lessons. The collaboration and participation from the families netted many "mighty oh yeahs!" by the end of the evening!
The Family Night was a hit and the students will continue teaching more of the WBT strategies to their parents at the next Family Night activity. Parent comments included: this isn't the way we were taught in school, this is fun and engaging, my student doesn't ever complain about coming to school this year, and now I know why my student comes home and says, "My teacher is funny and our classroom and learning is fun!" Students modeling/leading/teaching their parents is a great way to extend their learning and involve their parents!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
First, the students came to the front of the library and were instructed that they were going to teach their parents the WBT strategies that are used in the classroom each day at school. The teachers facilitated, while the student leaders modeled for their parents the five rules. After the rules were practiced, we moved on to the attention getter "class-yes!" The students and their parents practiced this strategy throughout the evening. As the lessons were being taught, the students and their parents used "teach-okay!" to review the information from the lessons. The collaboration and participation from the families netted many "mighty oh yeahs!" by the end of the evening!
The Family Night was a hit and the students will continue teaching more of the WBT strategies to their parents at the next Family Night activity. Parent comments included: this isn't the way we were taught in school, this is fun and engaging, my student doesn't ever complain about coming to school this year, and now I know why my student comes home and says, "My teacher is funny and our classroom and learning is fun!" Students modeling/leading/teaching their parents is a great way to extend their learning and involve their parents!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Golden Thread of Fun
This is a great reminder: always weave the golden thread of fun through each day and students will be engaged, active learners who are having fun:) Since school started, on the scoreboard, my students were playing for talking time. In the beginning, this was exciting to them, but now we are at the end of first quarter and they are ready for something new. That something new will be MIND SOCCER! Now that I am ready to add mind soccer to the mix, I am spending my weekend refreshing myself on the ins and outs of the game, so this REF is ready to go! I have watched the WBT TV 507 broadcast, as well as, watched the YouTube video by Chris Rekstad. I now feel even more prepared than ever to begin next week! Last week, my students began asking about mind soccer and I followed Chris Rekstad's advice. The first day they asked, "What is mind soccer?" I replied, "I will tell you at the end of the day!" Well, the end of the day came, the bell rang, and my kids were like "What about mind soccer?" I simply stated, "Oh, it looks like we ran out of time for today, but we will learn more tomorrow!" (heeheehee)....At the end of the second day, I put our mind soccer field on the SMARTboard, but once again at the end of the day, we were so busy with teacher read aloud and packing up, that time flew, the bell rang, and we once again left without a full explanation. Finally, at the end of the fourth day, the kids were introduced to the game of mind soccer, but still we have not played!
After viewing the WBT TV 507 segment, I now have all the tools that I need. Here are some highlights: mind soccer is flexible and the ref needs to have about 50-60 questions ready to go. Select a captain, flip a coin, and the winners' team begins. When the answers are fast, loud, accurate, and the whole team is answering, move the ball. The teams will cheer/groan and if there is a wrong answer yell STEAL! If teams complain, blow the whistle and shout PENALTY! Use a timer and for the first time playing set it for one to two minutes! The one rule for the game is KEEP THE REF HAPPY!
Teachers should have the scoreboard for short term rewards and mind soccer for long term rewards. Once the class earns 10 stars, they will play Mind Soccer Fridays! As the year progresses variations to add: freeball (both teams answer...ref says..I'm thinking of a weather tool (or any topic)...the team to answer first wins), shoot-out (5 member kickers and team captain blocker), and the one that makes me laugh when Coach B modeled MONKEY DEFENSE (when one team answers, the other team makes monkey noises to distract)! For more information, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Remember it's a loonnnggg year, so save the good stuff ,and LEARNING should be FUN!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
After viewing the WBT TV 507 segment, I now have all the tools that I need. Here are some highlights: mind soccer is flexible and the ref needs to have about 50-60 questions ready to go. Select a captain, flip a coin, and the winners' team begins. When the answers are fast, loud, accurate, and the whole team is answering, move the ball. The teams will cheer/groan and if there is a wrong answer yell STEAL! If teams complain, blow the whistle and shout PENALTY! Use a timer and for the first time playing set it for one to two minutes! The one rule for the game is KEEP THE REF HAPPY!
Teachers should have the scoreboard for short term rewards and mind soccer for long term rewards. Once the class earns 10 stars, they will play Mind Soccer Fridays! As the year progresses variations to add: freeball (both teams answer...ref says..I'm thinking of a weather tool (or any topic)...the team to answer first wins), shoot-out (5 member kickers and team captain blocker), and the one that makes me laugh when Coach B modeled MONKEY DEFENSE (when one team answers, the other team makes monkey noises to distract)! For more information, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Remember it's a loonnnggg year, so save the good stuff ,and LEARNING should be FUN!
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
Friday, October 7, 2011
Next best thing.....
I can't believe that it is already the second week in October! This time of year just flies by and I can't believe that in a week first quarter will be ending! Parent-Teacher conferences are right around the corner as well! There is a lot of interest in WBT in my building this year and we were suppose to haveWBT professional development at the beginning of the year, but due to unforeseen circumstances with the presenter, our pd had to be postponed until January. Due to the change, some of the teachers in my building don't want to hop on the WBT train until the pd in January. My entire grade level is on board and now that WBT is hosting WBT TV every Tuesday evening, I believe this will be the key to getting more teachers on board now instead of waiting for January to roll around! What a great opportunity to get together with fellow teachers to collaborate and master WBT strategies!
I have found that with WBT, the more you watch, interact, and review the strategies and procedures, the more successful you will be at teaching your students and the student engagement/learning will soar to new heights! WBT TV provides you an opportunity every week to learn and practice WBT strategies and interact with others around the world. If you cannot make it to the live broadcast, you can always get online and watch the weekly segment in the archives. WBT TV also provides you with weekly PD credit and for a small fee you can download the electronic resource packet! I think that is working smarter, not harder! Give me an OH YEAH!!!
For more information on WBT TV, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
I have found that with WBT, the more you watch, interact, and review the strategies and procedures, the more successful you will be at teaching your students and the student engagement/learning will soar to new heights! WBT TV provides you an opportunity every week to learn and practice WBT strategies and interact with others around the world. If you cannot make it to the live broadcast, you can always get online and watch the weekly segment in the archives. WBT TV also provides you with weekly PD credit and for a small fee you can download the electronic resource packet! I think that is working smarter, not harder! Give me an OH YEAH!!!
For more information on WBT TV, please visit http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/
Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012
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