Teach, Okay!!

Today I decided to try to take a quick video of some of the different teaching tools of WBT.  My students saw that I was holding my phone, but I don't know if they realized I was video taping them.  Please excuse the shaky quick clips that I have taken.  I just thought it would be great to have you get a glimpse of my classroom and see how the students are learning. :)

The first video you can see is of the rules.  Since day one of school this year my class has practiced these rules.  We have discussed what they are and how to follow them.  

The second video for you is the video of my students practicing the PowerPix from WBT.  I absolutely love the Powerpix and the Teach, Okay method!  My students are understanding the concepts and I couldn't ask for anything more. It is really cool to watch them answer the questions and really know what they are talking about.  The greatest thing about Teach, Okay is that I get to watch and see who is understanding and who isn't.  I can then pull them aside if they are not understanding and help them understand the concept.  I am very proud of my class and the progress they have made so far.  We recently just added the switch part so some students are still catching on to that but I see them trying and really "getting" the concepts. 

How is your school year going so far?  Are you using any part of WBT in your classroom?

 

SIW Update

This year I am trying out the Super Improvers Wall from Whole Brain Teaching.  

At the beginning of the year I had the white stars placed throughout the whole board.  I soon realized that yes, it looked good, but the students were not able to reach their stars.  If the students couldn't reach their stars to place their stickers on then I didn't think it would motivate the students as well.  I ended up moving all the stars lower so the students would be able to put their own star on.

Last week was my first week implementing this wall into my classroom.  I had to test the students on their alphabet knowledge again for mid-terms.  If they improved from the beginning of the year, I gave them a star.   It was so cool to see how excited the students were to add a star to their star.  I can't wait to have them add more.  I do think this is going to be a great motivator.  

Have you started using your SIW?  How is it going?

 

Day 9 of 2012, WBT

Today was my 9th day of school.  Rules and procedures have been in place and practiced.  I believe that the students should be able to follow and understand the rules and procedures now.  We started Daily 5 on the second day of school.  I always think it is so overwhelming to get my kinders into the Daily 5, however this year my students are doing AWESOME!!!  Take a look for yourself!

We have been building our stamina for Read to Self and Work on Writing.  We are around 7/8 minutes for each.  The students get so excited when they beat the time from the previous day.  I always go back and forth on if I want to do Daily 5 or if I want to do my regular centers.  This year is difficult because Daily 5 takes time and dedication to teach the students.  I have to be ready by the first of September for guided reading groups!  I love Daily 5 but it has really stressed me about not being ready.  After thinking and thinking about it, I decided to continue with Daily 5.  Daily 5 is great and makes the students LOVE reading and writing.  Although I think my other centers do it, there is just something about Daily 5 that keeps bringing me back to do it with my class.  My fingers are crossed that my class will be ready by September for small groups, but if they are not, then I will deal with it then.  

At my school we have certain worksheets we have to complete during center time.  It is a part of our reading curriculum.  I love that Daily 5 doesn't have any worksheets with it.  It is all hands-on and that is the way I love to teach.  What I have worked out in the past is that the students have to complete their worksheet first, then they go to their first choice of Daily 5.  

Well, I have taken the leap!  The leap to WBT!!  So far I have taught my kids Class! Yes! and the rules.  Today I started Teach!  Ok!.  I am loving all it!

I didn't think I really liked the 3 peats!  I thought it made the students look like robots.  Well, let me just tell you.  They are AWESOME!!  The 3 peats help the students remember/know what to do.  It helps them learn to do things quickly!  It gives them motivation to follow the direction quickly!  Oh my!! I just can't believe how much I love them!!  They are my new favorite thing.  Today I also started some of the Power Pix.  I look forward to using them more and more and Teach! Ok!  I can't wait to see the difference this makes in my class this year.

Well, I am off to redesign my lesson plan!  Also look for a new 5 Senses integrated unit on TPT (another one of my favorite things).

 

My Super Improvers Wall

All week (and last week, and the week before that) I have been putting together my classroom.  It is my favorite thing to do.  I LOVE decorating.  This year I wanted to create a Super Improvers Wall (Find more information about it at WBT).  I thought up a theme and got an idea of how I wanted to make the board look.  Well, today I am going to show you.

But, before I do show you I wanted to tell you why I wanted to do this board.  I love the idea of having the students put a sticker on a star when they have improved on something.  It can be improvement on anything.  This is allowing me to show the students that I notice their improvement and I acknowledge it.  It allows improvement for your best (high) students and your worst (low) students to feel great about themselves.  It allows your worst behavior student to see them self as an  improver.  Therefore, giving them a positive!  As teachers we want all of our students to feel successful and important.  I believe using a Super Improvers Wall will allow this. 

Here is my Rock'in Improvers Wall!  

I thought the rock theme would be perfect for my classroom.  I have all the stars already cut out.  I am going to have the students put stickers on their stars when they earn them.  I love the glitter on the guitars!  I think it is so fun!!  I got the idea for the words on the colors from Arlee Hall!!  Thanks Arlee!!  We had talked about themes on the Kindergarten WBT Facebook Fan Page and he posted what he used.  I loved it, so I made my own!!  

Do you have a SIW or something like it?