Teacher Tricks Tuesday- Whole Brain Teaching

Last summer was when I made my first pin on Pinterest.  My life, like many of yours, will never be the same again.  As I was preparing for the new school year, I found myself finding so many brilliant ideas on there that made me so excited to get started with my new group of firsties.  One of my most life-changing finds was a pin that led me to a YouTube video of a teacher using Whole-Brain Teaching.  Our school has not had this training,  but I used what I gathered from the videos in my classroom and it is AWESOME!  I have since registered for the WBT website and watched the videos, read the research, and applied other aspects of it in my classroom ( I highly recommend you do this...there's a lot more videos with detailed explanations of their philosophy).  I can't wait to start this next year with an ever better grasp of it!  HERE is the link to the WBT website.

I started to type out a long description of what I’ve learned from the videos, but then I figured it’d be much better for me to just give you links to some of these videos so you can see for yourself and take what you want from them!  WBT is full of lots of little "teacher tricks" that help with classroom management and engagement.  The best part?  You can start a lot of the concepts now- right here in the middle of the year!  Another great part?  These little "tricks" aren't time consuming at all!  In fact, all of these little things you can do are meant to be quick commands with quick responses to keep the students engaged and actively learning!

I hope they inspire you like they have me.  I really have noticed a difference in behavior management, engagement, and information recall!  If you watch these videos and like what you see, you’ll have to let me know what you try in your classroom and what works for you!  And if you already use whole-brain teaching, would you share with us other ideas that bring success to your teaching?

Here you go...

#1

#2

#3

**Search on YouTube for "Whole Brain Teaching" and you'll find lots of great videos for your grade level!

Happy watching!

**Disclaimer: A criticism I have read by from some of the video comments on YouTube is that kids aren't really "learning" this way...that they're just using repetition to recall information.  Let me say, before I receive similar criticism, that my understanding of WBT is that it is meant to be used as an effective management tool and teaching aid, not the sole means of instruction.  Of course, all teachers want their students to think critically and comprehend deeply.  But they need a foundation of basics in order to do that.  I think WBT is a great way to establish that while keeping the students on task. 

Musical Monday: Singin' 'Bout the Strategies!

If you’ve ever observed in my classroom, you know that I can and do put anything to a tune to help with my lessons.  I have many, many favorites and will share one or two each Monday.

Today I’m going to share a series of songs I’m MOST proud of…the reading strategy songs.  I hit the mother load when I began Googling to find some songs about reading because I wanted to put together an end-of-year program for my parents for the spring.  I found nothing.  Then more nothing.  Then…jackpot!! I came across THIS website which had a bunch.  YOU HAVE GOT TO GO TO THAT SITE! Now!!

My students were doing so well with the comprehension strategies after learning these songs that I ended up creating a Christmas-themed program instead of waiting until spring!  I called it “Season’s Readings” and invited parents, administration, and our 4^th grade reading buddies that come read with us on Fridays.  They wore jeans, white shirts, and Santa hats.  I had each student memorize one short line to help explain the strategies in between each song.  It turned out A-DORABLE! 

And even though it’s not the Christmas season, I’m spreading a little holiday cheer by giving you the two additional songs I wrote to supplement what was missing from the website…AND if you comment with your e-mail address I'll e-mail you the script I typed up for my class in addition to the PowerPoint I created for our program!

I hope you enjoy!  Let me know if you choose to use this in your classroom.  It’d make my day!

Here are the songs that I added to the ones from the site:

Predictions

(to the tune of “Jingle Bells”)

When you read a book

And you find a certain clue

If you use your brain

You’ll know just what to do

Good readers will predict

Just what will happen next

It makes you want to read some more

And helps you get the text

(Chorus)

Oh! Let’s predict! Let’s predict!

What will happen next?

Look into the crystal ball and give it your best guess.

Let’s predict! Let’s predict!

What will happen next?

Look into the crystal ball and give it your best guess.

Yes!

I Can Read!

(to the tune of “Let it Snow”)

Oh when I was in kindergarten

My reading was just startin’

But now I’ve got what I need

I can read, I can read, I can read!

When I open a brand new book

I can’t wait to just dive right on in

And now when I take a look

I know strategies to begin!

Oh at first reading was quite frightful

But at last, it’s so delightful

‘Cause I’ve got the tools I need

I can read, I can read, I can read.

(Slow)

I can read…..I can read….I can READ!

Teacher Tricks Tuesday- Push Lights

Ok, I found this great management idea via Pinterest, which is originally from The Lesson Plan Diva. 

This picture is from The Lesson Plan Diva's blog.

You get one of those cheap push-lights from Wal-Mart, the dollar store, etc.  When the light is on, students are not allowed to come up and ask you questions. This way you can devote your time to the kiddos you're with and not have to be interrupted during that precious, minimal time you have in the small group setting.  As soon as I saw this idea on Pinterest, I bought a light and used it the very next day. I love it!

Then that got me thinking...I have a classroom that has bathrooms in the room- one for boys and one for girls.  It's a one-toilet closet-style restroom.  I can't tell you how many times I've had quiet work time interrupted by someone yelling "I'M IN HERE, CLOSE THE DOOR!!" (which is kind of funny, to be honest, but very disruptive!)  So I recently thought about purchasing two more push-lights to hang on the wall, one by each door, to use as an "occupied" sign.  When they go into the restroom, they push the light to turn it on.  When they leave, they turn it off!  It's a quiet, easy signal that shows when a restroom is available or not.  I can't wait to try it! 

I'm starting to see lots of other great uses for these cheap little push lights.  What are some other brilliant ways you have seen them used?

Long Time, No See!

Well, I had quit the blog because I didn't feel like I had enough time to update, but I have made a (not so 'new' year's) resolution to get it going again.  This time, I have a plan....

Musical Mondays- Music is my favorite method of teaching concepts, so Mondays will be dedicated to how I incorporate chants, songs, and music in the classroom (or songs I find on line and want to share)

Teacher Tricks Tuesday- Classroom management/teaching tools I use or the good ideas I find and want to try

Why I Teach Wednesday- Stories of things that happen to me throughout the week that remind me why I chose to teach in the first place- whether it's funny or sweet, I'll share my favorite story/stories here.

Thrifty Thursdays- This is when I'll share my exciting dollar store/re-purposing finds.  Whether it's an idea I see somewhere else or one of my own, I'll be sure to pass along the frugal finds on Thursdays!

Favorite Finds Fridays- This is usually where I'll post awesome teaching ideas I find on Pinterest and other blogs! 

I can't wait to get going again!  And I'm looking forward to your feedback and ideas as I go!  I hope you all have a great week, and just to get it started (enter Black Eyed Peas song here), here's a "Musical Monday!"

*******

This morning during my planning period I was thinking about my lesson on commas.  I wanted something to make it "stick" better with them.  So, thanks to my mother's genes, I pulled out my old faithful trick...rewriting words to familiar tunes.  I whipped up this little diddy just in time for my class to return to me.  I taught them the lyrics today and they loved it!  I think it's a keeper for the future!  Here it is:

(To the Tune of the "Be Careful Little Eyes What You See" Song)

A comma tells you "pause" when you read.

A comma tells you "pause" when you read.

When you're reading in a book,

Be sure to take a look.

A comma tells you "pause" when you read.

A comma goes between the date and year.

A comma goes between the date and year.

When you go to write the date,

Use a comma to separate.

'Cause a comma goes between the date and year. 

A comma goes between a town and state.

A comma goes between a town and state.

When you want to name a place,

Put a comma in the space.

'Cause a comma goes between a town and state.

Use a comma when you write a list of words.

Use a comma when you write a list of words.

When you want to make a list,

You must remember this:

Use a comma when you write a list of words.

**FYI I didn't write anything about commas in friendly letters b/c we weren't focusing on this.  If you want to write your own verses for those, feel free to and don't forget to share! :)

I hope someone who reads this finds it handy!  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the song, other methods for teaching about commas, and as I said, additional verses you may decide to make up!  

I hope you have a wonderful week.  Stay classy, teachers!

Food For Thought

I haven't posted in a while, but I don't have tons of time so here's a quickie.   We started blends and digraphs last week.  After an "I don't think they had any idea what I was talking about" lesson, I wanted to find a way to explain it to them so that it "clicks" and speaks to them on their level.  My brilliant husband came up with the idea to compare blends to milk and cereal and digraphs to chocolate milk.  Lost?  Let me explain...

A blend is two or more letters that go together (we say them fast together), but we can still pick apart their individual sounds.  Similarly, milk and cereal go together, but we can still separate the milk from the cereal.

A digraph is two or more letters that when combined make a completely different sound.  You cannot hear their individual sounds.  When chocolate syrup and milk are mixed together, they make something different.  You cannot pick out the syrup or the milk once they've been combined.  

I brought in the different ingredients and used the analogy there in front of them.  TA-DAH!  They really seemed to understand after having that concrete example to go by! Way to go, husband!  He's always been smarter than me, but now he's starting to out-creative me, too!  Jerk! 

Here's the little anchor chart we made as a class...not my finest work, but it's something to go by!  I also included a fun chart we made after reading Dishy Washy and brainstorming all of the digraphs we found.  I've created monsters. They can't STOP pointing out blends and digraphs...even at the most inopportune times (i.e calendar math..."Mrs. Guillo!  Thursday has a 'th' digraph!").  But if they're going to interrupt a lesson, I'd rather them interrupt me with those thoughtful comments :)  I'm proud of their hard work these last few weeks.  I feel like we're really starting to make some big progress these days...getting away from the 'beginning of the school year' feel and really into the heart of the year!  Yippee!

You may be wondering, "Why is her chart cut all weird like that?"  I'd like to tell you that it was because I was 'going green' and used that part for something else, but I'd just be covering up the fact that I totally butchered the cat's tail, so I had to draw another one and cut the original off :)

Christmas Came Early

I created this over the summer and since I'm wide awake, I figured I might as well share it now so that you can print, laminate, and cut when you have the time and have it ready for December!  I created a game using a calendar as the game board itself.  The question cards emphasize calendar knowledge/skills.  The first one to "ring in the new year" is the winner!  I have NOT used this yet, so there is always room for error, but I think it will be fun!

If I have enough interest from my followers, I might create a few more with different months/themes.  What do ya'll think?

Also, if you like reading my blog, would you become a follower and/or recommend it to others?  I want to build a big follower base.  The more followers, the more giveaways, so bring 'em on!

Here's the game:

So when Christmas rolls around, don't say I never gave you anything! :)

I've Got the Power(point)!

So I was lying in bed this morning and I had an idea for my literacy centers.  I decided I would make a PowerPoint presentation to help manage the rotations and hopefully provide a silent cue for the transitions.  I used the same icons as the labels I have in my classroom, for consistency's sake.  And although I have their names in a pocket chart in my classroom already, I decided to use their numbers and put them on the slides as well, just as one more reminder of where they need to be.  

I decided to have each slide display what group should  be with me at guided reading, and where everyone else should be.  I have it set to automatically switch slides after 18 minutes so that I don't have to do a thing!  Then there is a different chime that occurs after a one and a half minute delay, and the words on the slide blink.  This will indicate that they should be finished with their transitions and beginning the next center.  I like having the buffer time to ensure that they clean up correctly and have time to get where they're going...but not too much time ;)  I have the whole slide show set up so that I don't have to touch a thing once I get it started!  It will (hopefully) be a great tool to have to keep me focused on my kiddos and their reading and the kiddos focused on their jobs.  I can't wait to try this!  

Click here to see the PowerPoint!

By the way...

Here's an explanation of how my literacy centers work.  Each student goes to two centers a day.  They start out at one and it lasts about 2 of my guided reading groups.  Then they switch with the center whose icon is right next to it for the last two rotations.  Of course, during part of that time, they will be pulled back for their own guided reading time, so that averages them at each center for about 30 minutes.  During those centers, they have some sort of work that they have to complete in order to keep them accountable.  They turn this work in at a designated spot in their center folders.  I check it every day and they have a sticker chart where they will get a "happy" or "saddy" depending on the quality of work turned in.  When their chart is filled up with mostly "happies," they get to pick out of the treasure box.

Also, to keep them busy with purposeful and productive activities the whole time, I copied an idea from Renee Edwards, a great teacher who provided an inservice for us this summer.  I created a task chart like this:

Then I prioritized the activities for them to do in that corner.  Of course, the items in box 1 and 2 are the ones I want they to finish and turn in by the end of centers.  Numbers 3, 4, and 5 are less important, but still equally as purposeful.  They might be things like targeted literacy games, activities they've previously done for review, or other activities that don't require a written answer. This way, students who work quickly will have an itemized list of what to do next and keep busy.  The students who take longer to work have the time they need and they know what to work on first to make sure they have the most important work done in time.  What a great management tool!