Week two already. We have started so many different aspects of wbt and now we are learning to use these on a regular basis. This week the children met Biffy Blue Bird who helped us with our rhyming words. They were amazed when we had our first try at 100 words with the electronic version of Superspeed 100.We have now learnt all our rules and are practicing them daily. We have also started using our Super Improvers Wall. On Friday we had our first game of Mind Soccer when the smiley faces won. They are certainly keen to play that game again.
Next week I will begin having students as rule leaders and I know they will love that. The funbursts to practice rule one are enjoyed by all and the children are getting the idea of following directions quickly. Demonstrating breaking the rules or what something is not, seems to work with this group of children. Getting 100 percent participation is something to continue to work on. At this stage they are not use to using their whole brains and the expectation to be involved in what we are doing.
I have made many changes to my room and the way the class runs. Part of this is because I have a child repeating and I do not want year one to be the same as last year for him. Secondly, it is because of the reading I am doing in relation to the brain and learning. David Sousa's book How the Brain Learns gives lots of great foundation information that is really helping me. It is putting Whole Brain Teaching into perspective and encouraging me to go deeper with what I am doing. I certainly feel inspired.
I have adjusted my jobs for students to be week long jobs rather than daily job, changed to make better use of time. I am giving students more time to enjoy reading rather than always read and do a follow up activity. This is after reading The Book Whisperer. I am changing how I run my blocks of time in class to make better use of the prime time to teach and learn in a lesson. I am learning so much and looking forward to taking my class forward with whole brain teaching.
Week three I will be using red green writing, the genius ladder and superspeed grammar. I will keep you informed of progress and am going to add some photos of my room as well. I am also going to look into the Crazy Professor reading game. Maybe this could help with read to self time.
To the stars, hoot, hoot!
Showing posts with label Super Improvers Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Improvers Wall. Show all posts
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Friday, August 3, 2012
Student Engagement and The Red, Green Writing System
The Red, Green Writing System is one aspect of the Whole Brain Teaching focus on students making progress in their writing skills. The system uses timed writing sessions that have a clear writing skill focus. One red dot is placed above a poor example of the skill. A green dot is placed above a good example of that skill. Students know exactly what to stop doing, and what to keep doing.
This has been our fourth week of using the Red, Green Writing System. I am amazed by the difference that ten minutes of free writing with a clear focus on particular skills, can make. When I told the children it was red green writing time, they cheered. One boy proudly announced he knew what he was going to write about. Weekly diary recount writing about our weekend adventures had never recieved that response. The fact that students are given a choice on the topic has increased motivation. They know what the focus is and they get immediate feedback has led to writing progress with increased student engagement.
Rewarding students with stars for improvement on the Super Improvers Wall has added to the excitement now associated with Red, Green Writing. Students no longer write similar things each Monday. Critical thinking is used as students ask and answer their own questions each week. What topic shall I choose? How shall I write it? What text type shall I use? What punctuation do I need? Am I using my writing lines? Am I forming my letters neatly and correctly? The children are really thinking about their writing now.
In conclusiong the Red, Green Writing System has greatly changed my approach to Monday writing time. It has also changed student attitudes to writing and progress in writing skills. I am looking forward to great things happening with the children as they grow a love of writing.
This has been our fourth week of using the Red, Green Writing System. I am amazed by the difference that ten minutes of free writing with a clear focus on particular skills, can make. When I told the children it was red green writing time, they cheered. One boy proudly announced he knew what he was going to write about. Weekly diary recount writing about our weekend adventures had never recieved that response. The fact that students are given a choice on the topic has increased motivation. They know what the focus is and they get immediate feedback has led to writing progress with increased student engagement.
Rewarding students with stars for improvement on the Super Improvers Wall has added to the excitement now associated with Red, Green Writing. Students no longer write similar things each Monday. Critical thinking is used as students ask and answer their own questions each week. What topic shall I choose? How shall I write it? What text type shall I use? What punctuation do I need? Am I using my writing lines? Am I forming my letters neatly and correctly? The children are really thinking about their writing now.
In conclusiong the Red, Green Writing System has greatly changed my approach to Monday writing time. It has also changed student attitudes to writing and progress in writing skills. I am looking forward to great things happening with the children as they grow a love of writing.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
A Fresh Start with Whole Brain Teaching
The holidays are drawing to a close and it is time to start the preparations for a new term. Today I visited the newsagent and purchased cardboard, stickers, rulers and pencils to start making classroom signs. First on the list is our Three star Homework chart. Next I will be making our Genius ladder. Then I will make a new Super Improvers Wall Chart. These are all items that will be used regularly in our classroom. Linda Conway states that "It's not what is poured into a student that counts but what is planted."(ntlf.com) These charts help to work on planting positive concepts about learning in the minds of our students.
The Three Star Homework chart encourages effort and individual progress. Students in my grade one class are challenged to read, practice sight words and complete a spelling task each night, Monday through Thursday. If they can complete each task, each night, they get three stars at the end of the week. Each star counts toward the amount of Mind Soccer we get to play on Friday afternoon. Much to my amazement I have been asked how they can get four stars. A little effort each day helps prepare students to build good habits for future learning and plants positive concepts in their minds about learning.
The Genuis Ladder is something the students really have taken to and use the terms on the ladder in their own conversations about sentences. My goal with the new chart is to use it more regularly each week. My plan is to link it with Green and Red Writing System and the Grammar PP. Writing is such an important skill to develop and help students improve at their own level and pace. By using these Whole Brain Teaching strategies students will be encouraged to work to their personal best, no matter what that is. These consistently used techniques will help to plant more positive concepts about learning.
The Super Improvers Wall has so many wider reaching uses with the main focus on individual progress. Children love to be acknowledged for the effort they put in. Building in solid, regular feedback for children on their progress is essential in developing a childs love of learning. Each star or progression on the chart helps plant more positive concepts about learning.
In conclusion prepartion is key to Whole Brain Teaching success for the children and for their teacher. Any one ready to plant good things this term? The best thing about planting is that you eventually see a beautiful plant. I look forward to having lots of beautiful learning being planted and growing this term.
The Three Star Homework chart encourages effort and individual progress. Students in my grade one class are challenged to read, practice sight words and complete a spelling task each night, Monday through Thursday. If they can complete each task, each night, they get three stars at the end of the week. Each star counts toward the amount of Mind Soccer we get to play on Friday afternoon. Much to my amazement I have been asked how they can get four stars. A little effort each day helps prepare students to build good habits for future learning and plants positive concepts in their minds about learning.
The Genuis Ladder is something the students really have taken to and use the terms on the ladder in their own conversations about sentences. My goal with the new chart is to use it more regularly each week. My plan is to link it with Green and Red Writing System and the Grammar PP. Writing is such an important skill to develop and help students improve at their own level and pace. By using these Whole Brain Teaching strategies students will be encouraged to work to their personal best, no matter what that is. These consistently used techniques will help to plant more positive concepts about learning.
The Super Improvers Wall has so many wider reaching uses with the main focus on individual progress. Children love to be acknowledged for the effort they put in. Building in solid, regular feedback for children on their progress is essential in developing a childs love of learning. Each star or progression on the chart helps plant more positive concepts about learning.
In conclusion prepartion is key to Whole Brain Teaching success for the children and for their teacher. Any one ready to plant good things this term? The best thing about planting is that you eventually see a beautiful plant. I look forward to having lots of beautiful learning being planted and growing this term.
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