Introductions
Tell us who you are, where and what you teach, how long (or briefly!) you've used Whole Brain Teaching, a charming fact about yourself and your WBT goals for your participation in this book club. Also, weighty issue ... should we refer to ourselves as Wibbeteers or Whole Brainers or ...? Coach B
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Hi All! My name is Kathy Powers aka blizzard1957. This next school year I will be teaching 6th & 7th Language Arts, Social Studies and 9th grade World Geography. It seems my schedule changes every year, but now that I am using WBT I know that I can handle the change. This past school year was my first using WBT and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteWBT has energized my 13-year teaching career because (clap) of the awesome classroom management system, the student engagement, and the funtricity. I hope through the Book Club to learn tons of usable information from other Wibbeteers and Whole Brainers and hopefully earn some certification points along the way. Can’t wait to hear from all!
I'm Julie, an elementary teacher from Louisiana, though most WBT forum and webcast visitors know me as Southern Teacher. Whole Brain Teaching has been a part of my classroom for the better part of 3 years. The small, rural private school I teach at was built in the middle of a cane field and just so happens to be the same school I attended K-12th grade. While we don't have funds for major technology like Smart boards and iPads, I can still use WBT techniques to keep things interesting and exciting for my students! As far as a name, I like Wibbeteers rather than Whole Brainers because there other "whole brain" education sites that aren't the same as Whole Brain Teaching and we want to stand out from the crowd!
ReplyDeleteSouthern Teacher
Southern Teacher WBT
Hello group. My name is Patrick Brûlé and I am a part-time PE teacher and parti-time assistant principal at a rural school in Northern Illinois. I have been teaching for 9 years there plus three more years in Colorado with adjudicated youth. I was introduced to WBT by a co-worker, Sarah Meador, and am very intrigue and excited to start using it next year in my PE class. My goal is to find ways to improve the curriculum delivery of an already hands-on subject which uses similar learning modalities. Whole Brainers is my vote.
ReplyDeleteVivian Shepardson aka kokoshep, I watch the webcasts and occasionally will speak up, but not often. I just purchased my copy of "Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids"! on Amazon, it should be here Friday. I am a former Head Start Teacher who is now a substitute here in New Mexico. I may be called to teach any class from pre-K to 5th grade. I'm planning to use whole brain teaching to make the day fun for kids and to maintain sanity ;) I vote for whole brainers.
ReplyDeletekokoshep
My name is Caitlin and I have been teaching for 10 years in Virginia. I am going into my 7th year of teaching 1st grade and did 4 years of pre-K before I fell in love with 1st grade. I have been using some aspects of Whole Brain Teaching this year and have loved what I've seen and experienced! I look forward to getting a better understanding of Whole Brain Teaching and getting some great ideas from others who utilize it in their classrooms. I like Wibbiteers...but maybe it's because I'm a firstie!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Mary and I have been teaching for 22 years! I've been at my current position, as an Intervention Specialist for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, for the last 16 years in a self contained classroom. I love facing new challenges everyday! I want to learn how to use the techniques and teaching styles in Whole Brain Teaching with my 3rd and 4th graders next year to engage them in their learning, so I'm looking forward to sharing ideas and thoughts with everyone here. I like Wibbiteers.
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm Melissa Smith and I teach in a private school just outside Chattanooga, TN. I teach 1st grade - going on 10 years. I've dabbled with WBT for two years now. I am on the road to being a certified teacher, just have to get that exemplary video made! I love everything about Whole Brain Teaching. My vote is Wibbiteers!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Smith's First Grade Class
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI'm Marie Everman. I have been teaching at an intermediate school in Charles Town, West Virginia for 24 years. I am a Learning Disabilities Specialist, a Reading Interventionist, and a SpEd TIS. My vote is for Wibbiteers.
Hello everyone! I am Marianne from North Augusta, SC. I just finished my 18th year of teaching. I taught for eleven years in grades 1, 2, 4 and Title 1, Math and Reading. After taking five years off to raise my two boys, I started back teaching 5 year old Kindergarten at a small private child development center. I've been there the last 7 years. I've been using WBT for about a year and a half. I'm looking forward to furthering my knowledge of WBT and integrating it fully in my class. My goal here is to learn all I can about WBT. I like the name Whole Brainers for the group.
ReplyDeleteHi all! I'm Sarah Meador, 12th year teacher, just finished up my 9th year in 6th grade science. If you have any questions about using this blog, please feel free to click on the link with my name and send me an email!
ReplyDeleteSarah
WBT in Middle School
Hi yall! I'm Lisa Rodriguez, third grade teacher in Marrero, Louisiana (suburb of New Orleans). I've taught for 22 years and when a fellow colleague posted about the WBT site on her blog, I checked it out and was hooked. I felt like a new teacher all over again, but one with confidence and experience. My style of teaching merged easily with the techniques of whole brain teaching. I've only been using it for 1 1/2 years, but am still adding components. I love the Super Improvers Wall. It really works so great!! My goal for this book club is as always, to gain more insight from my fellow educators! As Coach B always says, "Power to the Teachers!" I like the name 'whole brainer.'
ReplyDeleteHello Cyberspace Book Club! My name is Faten (pronounced fa teen). I just finished my first year teaching kindergarten as a certified teacher. I will be teaching first grade in Gretna, Louisiana next year. I learned about WBT teaching during my practicum and have used certain aspects of it in my classroom. I am excited about this Book Club and I am really looking forward to attending the conference in Pineville. My goal is to set up WBT classroom next year. I like being called a whole brainer. I look forward to learning with and from all of you.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Laken Harrell. I have been teaching in Virginia for 6 years now, 4 of which were in 2nd grade and 2 years in Title-1 reading and math. I have been using WBT for only 5 months now and am enjoying each and every day. I am so thankful for finding WBT because my "challenging students" are now engaged and able to focus for quick spurts of time and then transfer their energy to their gestures and their partner talking. I am hoping to learn more ways to engage students who are ADD and ADHD so that they are not a bother to their neighbors. After speaking with some fellow teachers who noticed my "different" teaching style, I enjoy being called a Whole Brainer, only because they did not understand what a Wibbitter was. I'm so excited for the book study! Last summer, I was informed that I was getting a very "active class" this school year. To help with this, I got ball seats donated. This has helped some students but other students, this has made them engaged but continuing to be active. I searched all winter break and found WBT. My entire Christmas break was spent looking up more and more information about WBT. As soon as we went back to school in January, I tried Class-Yes the first day and fell in love. I am so thankful for taking my break and researching a way to make myself a better teacher. WBT is wonderful and I can't wait to learn more!
ReplyDeleteHello all! My name is Krystal Long. I just finished my first full year of using WBT! This was my 7th year of classroom instruction. I currently teach 4th grade in Missouri. My school has had the opportunity to send 10 teachers to conferences over the last few years! I have fallen head over heals in teacher heaven with the program! I began the certification process this winter and my goal next school year is to get over my frustration of being videoed and finally post one of the videos of my implementation of a five step lesson plan. While I love to video the students, I hope to make a video that I feel comfortable submitting for the next level!
ReplyDeleteKrystal,
DeleteYou can do it! I need my Warrensburg pals by my side as we bring WBT to Western Missouri!
Hi Book Club Buddies! My name is Cathy. I have been teaching in Northern Illinois for 20 plus years. Currently, I am teaching third grade and have found WBT very engaging. Teaching has changed over the years, and one thing I have found increasingly challenging is getting the students to connect with the curriculum. We are more limited with what we do in the classroom as far as sparking their interest. WBT has proven successful in my classroom. However, I have not taken it as far as I would like to. I am hoping that reading the book will lead to me being comfortable enough with the components I have not yet explored to include them in the upcoming year.
ReplyDeleteGood day, my name is Jerry and I am a 4th grade teacher. I have been teaching for 8 years and have been using parts of WBT for the last 2 years, but maybe it has been 3 years. I began by using Class...Yes and the scoreboard. This year I branched out and used mind soccer, mirror words/gestures, lots of gestures, and the new CC powerpoints. My goal for the bookclub is to gain more knowledge about WBT, so I can be a pro this next year. I look forward to getting to many you you WBTeachers! I like the name whole brainer.
ReplyDeleteHey Everyone! Glad you all found your way over to our fantastic new WBT book club site! Thanks, Coach and Sarah Meador!! My name is Nancy Stoltenberg, Director of WBT Certification! I have had the pleasure of working with several of you on your certification journey!! I look forward to getting acquainted with so many more of you this summer! I have been teaching for 27 years, with the last 16 in 2nd grade in a Title 1 school in Palmdale, CA! WBT has reinvented my teaching style...never going back to "traditional" education! Please invite your colleagues to join us right here this summer! Free Funtricity will be available in major doses!!
ReplyDeleteSo excited to finally have a minute to type a hello to all! I am Melissa Ortuno, better know as Scrapbunny, and I teach Transitional Kindergarten in the bay area of California. I have been using mainly the Big 7 since WBT was Power Teaching and try to add a few new things each year. Charming fact is that in addition to my family and teaching my online time is spent running a Daily5/CAFE discussion group and facebook page, the WBT Kindergarten Facebook page and uploading Coach B's weekly webcasts to YouTube. My goal for this book study is to gather up enough points so that I will be at Level 9 in August, that is if my video session tomorrow goes well :) I prefer WBT'er because then a discussion always starts :)
ReplyDeleteHi all! My name is Kate Bowski and I am the Associate Director of Certification. I am just finishing up my 22nd year of teaching, the last 5 of which have been in 3rd grade in a rural/coastal school in Milton, DE. I am Nationally Board Certified and a mentor teacher for pre-service teachers. My career has spanned everything from middle schools under desegregation orders to an inner city alternative school to an upper crust elementary school. I found WBT about 6 years ago and implemented it slowly but surely over those years. I have never looked back to traditional teaching! I look forward to our discussions about Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids. Whenever possible, I promise to share the insights I have learned about WBT over the years and I'm sure I'll learn some new things along the way. Power to the Teachers!
ReplyDeleteHi! My name is Theressa, I am a 2nd grade teacher in a western suburb of Minneapolis. I started reading about WBT one year ago. This year, I implemented class yes and the scoreboard into my classroom. I have challenged myself to learn as much as I can this summer about WBT. I am new to all of this, but Whole Brainer appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteHello All! My name is Susan Casper. I work in Special Education -currently I am in 7th grade but will be looping with my students to 8th grade in the fall. I am also working on getting my masters degree in Elementary Education. My goals for this class is to learn as much as possible about WBT so that I can use that knowledge with my students. Since this is my first book club ever I am really excited (kind of funny since I love to read). I look forward to reading everyone's answers.
ReplyDeleteHello all! My name is Mariaan Carreiro; I have just completed my sixth year of teaching third grade. It has been my second year of using WBT in my classroom, and what an exciting journey it has been! I had Lindsey Roush as my mentor this semester, she has been inspirational and encouraging in helping me reach level 5. My goals with this book club are to review the WBT methods so that I know it inside-out, and to encourage other teachers to join in the WBT fun. I like Wibbeteers, we are the WBT wibbeteers, just like pioneers, on this new educational frontier, and I think of our students as the Whole Brainers.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Suffolk, Virginia. My name is Paige Kluck and I am a 4th grade teacher. I just completed my 25th year of teaching. I was introduced to WBT by a 1st grade colleague. My adventure began the week after Easter. My only regret is that I didn't find out about WBT sooner. My son recently asked me why I taught. My response was because I love kids. To which he replied, is that why you had six of us. So my day is not only filled with the funtricity, but my home life as well. I can say that, “Keep your Dear Mama happy” has become my favorite rule at home as well. I am hoping that this book discussion will prepare me for a vacation…one that starts in September…you know, the one to Teacher Heaven. As teachers, we often are given tasks that make us work harder, but I feel that by the time we finish this discussion, we all will be working smarter. As far as a name for us it really does not matter to me. I just want to be known as the fun teacher so maybe a “funtriciter.”
ReplyDeleteGood morning from Newburgh, NY. My name is Pat O'Hara, and I teach in a self-contained Special Education setting. I have 12 students in grades 3-5, with a HUGE range of learning abilities and behavior issues. My students are learning disabled, emotionally disabled, Down Syndrome, severely speech impaired ... And on and on! I "stumbled" upon WBT through Pinterest and teaching blogs. I had been looking for behavior intervention ideas that were more fun and hands-on, and now I am hooked! We have already mastered the 5 classroom rules (I actually hear them reminding themselves and others when they stray...woohoo!), Class-Yes, the Scoreboard, and working on Mirror. My personal goal this summer is to learn WBT as fully as possible so that my room is no longer "that class" and is the funcentric room instead! The name for our group ... Not sure! I just need the ideas and help to keep coming!
ReplyDeleteHello fellow Wibbeteers! My name is Deanna Schuler. Those from the WBT site know me as daisydee226. I am in Warrensburg, MO. I just finished my 10th year of teaching all at the same district, building, and believe it or not same room. This was my second year of 3rd grade (I LOVE third grade and wish I would have found it sooner!) I taught 7 years of fifth grade and one year of fourth (I looped with that class up to fifth grade). This is my second year of using WBT (I found it two days after my last day of fifth grade.) I was stalking third grade teachers on ProTeacher trying to find out what I would need for my room and decided I needed simpler more direct rules... and I found Andrea Schnidler's videos! I was HOOKED! I was lucky enough to attend the WBT conference in West Plains, MO a couple weeks later. I have since attended five other conferences with Coach B and also the mini conferences put on by the co-directors of WBT Missouri this year. I am also SUPER excited to be attending the National Conference for the first time! My favorite part of WBT is the Super Improver Wall... this truly transformed my class and me as a teacher! I am currently at Level four of certification. I am only a video away from level 5 + I have enough points to be at Level 7. (I have a feeling Coach has a whole trunk of Special Assignments waiting for me this summer!) I love that name but I agree with Laken when she said that some people wouldn't understand Wibbeteer! So I am going with Whole Brainers!
ReplyDeleteHi all! I am Jeni, a teacher in Utah. I have taught for 5 years, the last 3 in 1st grade. I was first exposed to WBT 2 years ago, and used "Teach/Ok" in one tiny section of my class teaching as I didn't fully research the you-tube video I watched. Over last summer, I researched WBT and went back to work fully energized to use the class management system and integrate PowerPix, Super Improvers, and the 5-step lesson plan into my teaching. I didn't implement it perfectly, but...BEST. YEAR. EVER!!!! I am learning more about WBT this summer so that I can continue to improve my teaching so every year can be the best year.
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Marty Hohman. I teach 3rd grade in Ohio. This was my first year using WBT. I was intoduced to WBT at a conference in Columbus, Ohio. I was only in the session for 1 hour and I knew I needed to know more. My students really responded well to everything that I used from WBT. Their favorite part was going to Whole Brain College with Coach B. I am excited to go to the national conference next week to meet all my WBT idols and to learn so much more. My goals for next year would be to be more consistant with the scoreboard and to gain more confidence using the 5 step lesson. I truly feel like I have died and gone to teacher heaven!
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Beth Moore. I teach 5th grade in a small rural Catholic school. This past year I used the 5 rules in my classroom and was overwhelmed at how well my students reacted to it! It was very impressive! This year I hope to implement more WBT! My goals are to narrow my "talking" down to 50-60 words! (Very difficult for me since I love to talk!), have a SIW up and going for the entire year and utilize the 5 step lesson more often! Can't wait to dive into this book and learn the steps to reach my teacher heaven! By the way, I think we should be Whole Brainers!
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Shelley Nizynski Reese. I teach 2nd grade in a multi-ethnic community where over 50 languages from across the world are spoken in students’ homes. I attended a Whole Brain Teaching conference last summer in Ohio and loved the ideas presented. I eagerly implemented my new learning, as best as I could, and loved learning from others through their blogs. I can't wait to read this book and learn from you! I think I will also start the certification process! :)
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is Jena Grantham. I teach kindergarten in a small town in Michigan. I just finished my first year of teaching and am excited to start the second year in the fall. I have been very interested in WBT and used a few simple things from it last year in my classroom like the rules (tweeked a bit), class-yes, and the scoreboard. I am eager to learn much more! Whole brainers unite!
ReplyDeleteHello, class! My name is Melissa Williams and I teach first grade in a rural district in NE Ohio. I went to the WBT 2-day conference held at Walsh University during summer 2012 and I've been hooked on WBT ever since! I use the rules, scoreboard, and any gestures I can find or figure out with the CCSS for first grade. The most exciting part of my year this past year is that the two other first grade teachers and I used the super improver wall! It was amazing and the kids were always on their toes eager to learn and be the best class citizens--what a motivator!
ReplyDeleteHello my name is Marlene Scholfield and I have just completed my thirteenth year of teaching. For the past three years I have been in first grade but before that taught 4K, 5K and first. I have been using WBT for about 2 years. I found this when my principal thought that I needed ore help with my classroom manage,net and she would direct me to a source. Fortunately, I found this! That was the best year ever, I look forward to learning more about how I can fully implement this in my classroom so we can have another great year. If I had to vote for a name I would go with Webbitters.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! My name is Brandi and I have taught for 9 years. I teach in southern California and I've taught 1st and 2nd grade. I read up on WBT last summer and implemented a few principles (5 rules, class-yes, teach-ok). I want to learn more about the strategies and philosophies behind WBT in order to more fully implement it next year. I would also like to begin the certification process because I love the kind of teacher I am using WBT strategies!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, my name is Amber Laue (Laue is pronounced like cow but with an L" I teach first grade in Illinois, but I have taught art, second grade and kindergarten also. This is my seventh year teaching. 4 years were in kindergarten, two in first grade, half a year in second grade, and half a year in art. I dabbled a little bit with whole brain teaching last year, but didn't really understand it. Now that I have the book and have found some really amazing WBT blogs, I feel like I have a better understanding of what it should look like in my classroom. I joined the book club because I want to really reflect on what I am learning and once I write about it,I think it will stick in my head. I feel renewed, refreshed and excited to start the new school year. A charming fact about me...that is difficult!
ReplyDelete¡Hola! My name is Heidi Keith and I teach Spanish to 2nd-5th graders in Birmingham, MI. I have been using WBT for one class year and my students and I love it! My (charming?) fact is that I recently performed stand up comedy at a local theatre where I occasionally volunteer. My goal for the book club is to think through how I can more effectively integrate the strategies. I want them to become second nature. My vote is for Whole Brainers because while it's less fun than Wibbeteers, it more clearly communicates what we're about!
ReplyDeleteGreetings! I teach a resource class for kinders and first graders in a very rural district in north Mississippi. Just got back from the WBT conference in Louisiana and am pumped about next year! I've taught SPED for 23 years, am a NBCT and a BCBA. WBT is more exciting than anything I've come in contact with in a long time. I used the 5 rules last year, class/yes and hands/eyes but wanted to get the benefit of training from Coach B at the national convention and NOW I'm so pumped about how much my students are going to be able to accomplish! A charming fact? My husband is going to be teaching my 2nd grade special students (I had K-2 last year) AND they built a wall down the middle of my classroom---half for him and half for me. We're going to be WBT probably more "together" than we'd actually planned. LOL We've already been asked to do a district-wide training for WBT when school begins so we are pretty excited about the possibilities of other teachers joining us this year! My vote is for Whole Brainers.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to play the games on page 5 of the certification booklet and it always says that the code isn't good and the class has expired. I get this
ReplyDelete1. Rookie
Answer the following questions, Rookie. Two questions. One minute. True and False. Make Coach B proud.
You do not have access to this quiz. Please contact your instructor for further assistance.
"Help Me" (Hands are up)
Kathy ... there was a bug in the quiz. Try again ... I think it's fixed!
DeleteChris
My name is Melinda Sprinkle, and I currently teach United States History 1865-Present to sixth graders in Virginia. I also teach one sixth grade World Cultures class. I love teaching history to middle school students, and I love to travel. I have been to Mexico, Japan, Canada, Germany, the Dominican Republic, and many states throughout America. My love of history and travel combined with my love of technology make a great mix in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteProfessionally: Personal education is an important part of being a teacher. I currently hold a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from VA. Tech–”Go Hokies!” I also have my National Board Teaching Certificate in Early Adolescence/Social Studies-History.
Whole Brain Teaching is a new adventure for me as I continuing to learn in the 21st century. I am excited to be a part of this cohort of educators. During this book club , I want to learn more about Whole Brain Teaching and how to master WBT techniques with my classes. I want to help all of my students become better learners, especially the 'hard to reach,' challenging students.
My name is Meredith Pearson. I teach fifth grade in Vernal, UT. I've been teaching for three years and I've been using WBT for two. My first year with WBT I struggled with consistency. This past year I made consistency my goal, and I scored in the Highly Effective range in classroom management on my teacher evaluation. I owe that success to my perseverance with WBT!
ReplyDeleteA charming fact about myself is that I love to sing loud, overly-dramatic songs. I try to be respectful of my neighbors, though one night I sang too late, and I got some loud bangs on the wall. Sorry!
My goal with this study is to learn more about what WBT has to offer because I mainly use The Big Seven. I also want to create some lesson plans that incorporate more of the Teach-Okay concept.
As far as the weighty issue, my vote goes for Whole Brainers.
I'm excited to be a part of this! The book is a great, easy read. Thank you for putting it out. I'm so thankful I found this resource two years ago!
Good Afternoon all,
ReplyDeleteI'm Rosemarie Lee. I am a special educator in an ICT classroom for a charter school in West Harlem, New York. I'm a career changers who's been teaching for nearly 7 years now! I am a mother of 2 vibrant children who, I swear, wake up every day with the intent on driving me up the wall. ;-)
Needless to say, I stuck with teaching because it is challenging and even though I know exactly what I'm dealing with when I go to work every day, I thrive on the excitement that no day is the same!
In an attempt to preserve my sanity and continue to instruct my students with zest, I found WBT and have been enlightened! I hope that through WBT the school, that I work for, will continue to be able take in students that the other schools don't want while changing the views of those who say my students can't or don't want to learn. Lastly, I will be lurking and learning from all of you here. Happy Teaching!
Hi, My name is Terrell Whitby and I am currently working at a level 5 EBD school in Maryland. I have been using WBT for 18 months with outstanding results. It is a wonderful resource that allows students who have had chronic failure history to be engaged successfully in the learning process. It works with the most difficult students and allows you to transform your classroom into a kinetic sphere of learning. Happy Teaching.
ReplyDeleteGood evening!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Desiree, and this fall will be my first chance to use WBT, although I've been reading about it for about a year and a half now. I just didn't have a class to use it in. I"m now moving across the country to Saskatchewan to teach in a northern first grade classroom where I'm planning to use WBT daily from day one.Now that I have a classroom to use this with, I'm going to renew my study of the program and start off with this book club to help me get energized.
My name is Kim Kirkpatrick and I am teaching Kindergarten in Fort Worth, TX. This will be my first year to use WBT but I have played with components for a few years. I look forward to fully implementing this in the fall. I know I have a lot to learn and am excited about learning it!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Charlotte Deibel and I teach 2nd grade in Gaithersburg, MD. I stumbled upon WBT last summer through another email group I use for the Daily 5, and loved it. I started to learn about it in August, so while I had the intention to fully implement it, I only ended up using the Class/Yes, Scoreboard and 5 Rules (although that was very loosely). But my entire teaching team LOVED Class/Yes, and it is now a schoolwide thing. I am excited about truly fully implementing all the elements this school year and happy to be a part of this book study.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Debbie Petty and I have taught Pre-K in Alabama for 4 years now. I just came across WBT via a link in an online course about classroom management. I fell in love with Class/Yes and the Scoreboard. I hope to learn a lot more from this book club as I want to implement this when school starts.
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ReplyDeleteI am Diane Strickland. I have been teaching in Texas for 15 years; the last five years in second grade. I used (dabbled in) WBT for the first time last year. I mainly used the rules, Class-Yes, and Teach-Okay. I could not keep the scoreboard going but am determined to do it next year. I would forget to give points so often that, when I did remember, it seemed too random. Next year, I will wear it around my neck if that's what it takes! (No, seriously...in a sheet protector with some yarn through the end holes. Then I can't possibly forget to use it.)
ReplyDeleteMy copy of the book is on its way. My goal is to post and earn points on as many chapters/lessons as I can. School starts in a month, so I know I need to finish up by that time. I'm listening to many of the podcasts again and hope to get a better picture of how and when to use more of the WBT strategies and materials in my classroom, especially the scoreboard, SIW, superspeed math, power pix, and the brain toys.
I prefer "Wibbeteers" because (clap!) it invites people to ask about it. I think that people are probably more likely to assume they know what is meant by "Whole Brain" teacher. "Wibbeteer" is more likely to spark a conversation.
Hello Fellow Wibbeteers,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sophie and I’m an ESL pullout teacher (K-8) in New York. I am a French native, from Paris (most people find it to be a charming fact… ;-). I have taught in the US my entire working life (so far, 20 years), and this school year will be my third year using WBT. Throughout my career, I have taught French and ESL in varied settings, from K through college. These days, I particularly enjoy teaching the little ones.
Fingers crossed, I will be appointed in a few weeks to teach in my dream district… I sealed the job offer after a successful WBT demo lesson for a group of K-1 English Language Learners (Beginners & Intermediate).
Over the past 2 years, I’ve integrated many elements of WBT, but this year, I’m ready to go WBT 100% and so excited about it! This book club is such a wonderful opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the techniques, and to become an active part of a WBT learning community. 2 years ago, I stumbled about one of Farrah Shipley’s YouTube videos, and I have been hooked ever since!
Welcome everyone, it is such a privilege to be part of this WBT book club!
Best,
Sophie
Hi, my name Katelyn I’m from southern Louisiana. I’ve been teaching for three years but this is my first year teaching first grade. We just had our second child in July and I’m currently on maternity leave. My first day back is the Tuesday after Labor Day and I will be jumping in with WBT the first day back. My goal in participating in this book club is to load myself up with new ideas and strategies to bring to my students to help them be successful. Also, I would like to be able to use the book club to ask questions about WBT and things that are or are not working throughout the school year. I really cannot wait to go back to work and get started, which is something I couldn’t say with my first child! Oh, and I prefer Wibbeteers. :)
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm Krissa White from Pensacola, Florida! I've taught middle school for 4 years, and now I'm teaching Kindergarten in an inner-city school. This is my second year. 100% of my students are testing at below grade level at the beginning of this school year, so I have my work cut out for me! I started WBT last year with the help of a fellow teacher, but this year I am learning every step! One charming fact about me is that I lived in Hawaii twice for a total of 4 1/2 years and I loved every minute of it! I prefer the term "Whole Brainers." Krissa White
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Alice Pomeroy and this is my 14th year teaching. Over the years I have used parts of the Whole Brain Teaching. This year, I spend the first day introducing rules, the scoreboard and the class yes after watching some videos on youtube. I had never tried the scoreboard, but I love it. During the day, I will spontaneously use it when I see my class waning and it is amazing. It really wakes up the children and gets them motivated again. I also use the teach okay about once a week, trying to use it more, but again when I use it they love it and are truly engaged. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi- My name is Sarah Ward. This is my second year using Whole Brain teaching methods! I could not be any happier with the way these strategies have changed my classroom. The students are super engaged and my lessons are so positive and fun. I love sharing wbt with anyone and everyone! This is my 10th year teaching and my 9th year in second grade. I love second! I think whole brainers is a fun name, but either one is cool. I am ready to learn more each day. Thank you so much for sharing these ideas !
ReplyDeleteHi- My name is Nichole Monroe. I have ben teaching for 4 years in North Eastern Kansas. I taught First grade for 1 year and Kindergarten for 3 years. I attended a school district meeting with several other Kindergarten teachers and on eof them had started using WBT in her classroom and she was loving the outcome. She shared some information with us and I was hooked! I immediately purchased the book and I have been knee deep in all things Whole Brain ever since. I have implemented some of the strategies and I continue to learn, read, implement, and reflect daily. Thank you so much for such great ideas, I look forward to learning much more. I think whole brainers is a cute name.
ReplyDeleteHello to all, My name is Fabiola Macias. I am an English and French teacher ,both as second languages at an Elementary school in Cuernavaca, Mexico. I became a Whole Brainer by a blessed click on Google, trying to find a way to help my students to learn a bit easily these two foreign languages. I teach 3th, 4th and 5th grade and my students are quite challenging specifically for not understanding any word I say to them. WBT came to the rescue with the great scoreboards and hands gestures. Now we had a technique they could manage to understand and follow, although it has been a slow process , I call it an all-around success! I am sure that my students will surpass expectations when it comes to speaking a foreign language. My next goal: to be a Certified Whole Brainer!
ReplyDeleteHi. My name is Leah Carpenter. I teach second grade. I have taught for ten years in a classroom. I live in Arkansas. I have just started using Whole Brain Teaching this year. An amazing teacher, Amelia Foster, introduced me. Our grade level team is going to be doing a book study as our team based learning project. I have had the book for a couple of weeks and I have learned so much.
ReplyDeleteA fact about myself is that I love to do things for people I love.
My long term goal as a WBT is for it to become second nature to me in the classroom. Also, I would love to improve the behavior and motivation of the students in my class.
I am not sure of what I would like the name to be.
Hey! My name is Tonya Kipe. I love jeep rides, taking pictures, and hanging out with my family. I teach fourth grade. I have several years experience as a substitute teacher and I have been teaching for 2 years. I found WBT when I was looking for classroom ideas during my internship. I used class, yes, teach ok, gestures with the learning and rules, and the scoreboard. This year I wanted to implement more, but have had a difficult time with behavior. I want to learn how to master the techniques for challenging students as well as improve in the other areas I started. I would love our whole day to be engaging. I vote Whole Brainers.
ReplyDeleteHello, All! My name is Lauren Beck. I teach first grade in Towson, Maryland. I've been using Whole Brain Teaching for just about one school year. A fun fact is that I was inspired to try Whole Brain Teaching by a wonderful first grade teacher (Rachel F.) from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. My goals for this book club are to really grasp the extended concepts of Whole Brain Teaching. I currently use Class-Yes, the 5 Rules, Teach-OK, Scoreboard, Mirror, and Hands and Eyes. I would like to master the Guff Counter and independents especially for the few behavioral problems that I have in my classroom. My vote for the super important name election would have to be Whole Brainiacs. Nice to be here, everyone!
ReplyDeleteEureka! A year ago I was looking online before beginning a new ESL job in the Middle East with Arabic speaking college students when I discovered Chris Biffle and WBT on youtube. Chris's methods were exactly the type of style that would fit my students and me. My 2 classes are 2 hours each with 28 students in each class.
ReplyDeleteI co-share with another teacher who teaches the same students for 2 hours each. I was a bit worried last week as my first observation was coming up by those who hired me. I am a risk taker but I wasn't sure how my adoption of WBT would go over. When I looked at the observation report he had written that he loved this teaching style. I would like to go to a conference when I am back in the USA during the summer break and learn how to be more consistent on an everyday basis with WBT methods. I use Class-YES. the 5 Rules, Teach OK and the Because Clapper I seem to forget to use the Scoreboard (maybe because the board is behind so much furniture it is not easy to reach).. I have not figured out how to stop the chatter in Arabic when the students are doing individual writing and I am checking group's work. I would like to hear to integrate WBT within this heavily exam based foundation. We administer exams each week on the English language, which count as part of their final scores. I would like to learn more about everything in WBT including the Gulf Counter and engaging students to stop their peers from speaking Arabic during class time. Brainiacs Brainiacs is my favorite. Very nice to meet others and hope I can pay it forward as Chris has done.
Hello!! My name is Ashley Pierce. I have been teaching fourth grade for three years in Missouri. I attended a Whole Brain Teaching Conference two years ago and was blown away. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend last summer and I could tell a difference in my WBT strategies in my classroom this year. Coach, please come back to Missouri. I need to be inspired!! I started the year out using a lot of the strategies, but then I began to slack off. I really do not have a reason why, but I miss the energy that WBT gives me and my students. It really is electrifying and completely exhausting by the end of the day. I decided to recharge and read Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids. I am also watching the weekly webinars on Monday nights. I am looking forward to jumping back into Whole Brain Teaching and never looking back!
ReplyDeleteHello fellow Whole Brainers! (I like that one!) My name is Heidi and I teach 1st grade at a priority school in Wisconsin. I started the school year with 36 firsties packed into one little classroom without an assistant! I had very little support, so one night when I was at home pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to manage these kids, I came across Whole Brain Teaching. My life, and my student's lives, have changed so much! In the past 6 months of using WBT, I have been able to implement class/yes, teach/okay, mirrors, hands and eyes, and the super improver board. I also use WBT reading, writing, and math. My goal is to learn even more about WBT and help other staff members implement this in their classrooms as well! I will be attending the National Conference in June and am working on becoming a Whole Brain Certified Teacher!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Heidi Baird. I am from a very small town in Northern Pennsylvania where I never had more than 11 - 12 kids in my classes when I was in school and there was only one class for each grade level. I now live in the largely populated Tampa Bay area where I usually see at least 19 - 20 kids in my classroom each year with at least five classes in each grade level. I currently teach 3rd grade at Belcher Elementary in Clearwater, Florida.
ReplyDeleteI have been using Whole Brain Teaching for one year after attending a training with Coach B last summer. My goal is to learn new Whole Brain Teaching strategies to implement that I may not have understood or was unable to grasp after my training and the first read of the book. I love Whole Brain Teaching and since I seem to do everything the Whole Brain Teaching way these days (just ask my family) I think we should be called the Whole Brainers!
Hello! My name is Kelly Avery. I live in Bossier City, Louisiana, and I teach at W. T. Lewis Elementary school. I graduated from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. I will begin my 19th year of teaching in the fall of 2014. I am currently an ELA/Social Living teacher in 2nd grade.
ReplyDeleteA colleague of mine introduced me to the classroom management side of WBT last year. After being intrigued and wanting to find out more, I began to watch YouTube videos; however, it was not until I attended the WBT National Conference last week that I realized WBT offered so much more than just classroom management strategies. (The 33 Brainies blew me away, and I am super pumped about creating my Super Improvers wall!)
A charming fact about myself is that I prefer to dig my toes in the sand rather than the snow, and my favorite vacations are any that include the Caribbean.
My personal goal is to learn as much information as I can through the WBT Book Club. My hope is that by implementing these WBT strategies, I will be able to reach students that traditional teaching did not reach. As far as the weighty issue, my preference is Whole Brainers.
Kelly Avery
2014 Intern
My name is Steven Shipley and I am currently (2014-15) a third year teacher. Last two years I taught Kinder although this year I will be moving up to 1st grade. (OHHH YA!) Kinder was fun in many ways but I am super excited about 1st. Some of my kids will loop with me and I will get some from other classes.
ReplyDeleteAt my school we teach 6 months ahead of grade level. Our curricula is advanced and challenges the kids and the parents. Parent involvement is very important for our kids to succeed and that is an area that suffers the most each year. At orientation each year I stress the importance of parent involvement although they do not seem to believe me until almost Christmas when their child is failing due to lack of work at home.
I use Whole Brain Teaching in my classroom for management and for Writing. Classroom management with WBT is great because I do not have to buy anything but stickers. There is no treasure box or school store tickets to keep track of. No clip chart for the kids to abuse and waste my teaching time moving cards or a close pin. Using the scoreboard and Super Improver Wall keeps my behavior problems to a minimum. Now WBT does have other ways to help with challenging students but it is not always necessary to use each year. Last year I only used the scoreboard and the SIW and that was all I needed. The year before I did use the practice cards a little but have never really had to go any further than that in any year that I taught.
As I get ready for my first year in 1st grade I have been bitten by the teaching bug in a new way. This year I have looked forward to it more than any other year that I have taught. My initial teaching area that I wanted was upper elementary although I have a renewed passion this year that I did not even have my first year of teaching. I feel more prepared this year than any year before.
I received my certification through Texas Teachers alternative certification. My journey to teaching was not a direct line. In the past I have done Auto Mechanics and Heating and Air Conditioning for 20 years. In 2010 a diagnoses of Chronic Mylogenic Leukemia caused me to have to change my plans in life. I was a semester away from graduating Wayland Baptist University so I looked in to teaching due to my wife and her passion for it. So through all the struggles in life I have found a profession that I truly love and wished I would have done this 20 years ago.
I like Whole Brainers.
That is a little about me. If you have questions email me......stevenlaneshipley@gmail.com
Testing, testing. I wrote an introduction a couple of days ago, but it disappeared into a cyber black hole. I'm seeing if it will work before I type a lot again.
ReplyDeleteOkay! It stuck this time, so I'll rewrite the introduction.
ReplyDeleteI teach fifth grade science, reading, and language arts in a rural community in South Dakota. I'm a veteran teacher (second generation of fifth graders). I love teaching, but each year discipline problems and a lack of engagement drained more out of me. A few years ago I discovered the Whole Brain Teaching website. Gradually I have used more the techniques and materials developed by Coach B and his merry band. I love the engagement of my students and that I can automatically refocus them. So, I have decided to take the plunge and fully implement the program with the new school year and to become at least a state presenter.
My name is Sheryl Larson (aka teacher sd)
DeleteClass? Yes! Good, I have your attention. :-) My name is Jessica Rickard (aka Hannah1873 or Mrs. Rickard) and I have been using the basic WBT tools for a few years. I have taught 3rd grade, 6th grade Intensive Reading, World Geography, Ancient Civilizations, 9th grade Intensive Reading and English, 10th grade English, and 11th grade English Honors. Oh, Yeah! This year I will be teaching 7th grade Advanced Language Arts. I'm changing schools and my district is adopting new curriculum. So many changes! I am looking forward to the new challenge and I am excited to take my WBT skills to the next level.
ReplyDeleteJessica! I'm so glad I found your post! I'm a newbie to WBT and starting my 13th year of teaching. I teach 10th grade honors and on-level English. As I expected, buy-in has run the gamut from total enjoyment to complete disdain. One parent has already removed their child from honors class (after 8 days of school) using words such as silly, ridiculous, weird, and brainwashing. The parent declined a classroom visit saying, "I've already seen enough." They watched the on-line videos and judged my teaching without setting foot in my classroom! The child sat there with a look of disdain on their face most of the time, so I'm not surprised, just disappointed. I am very concerned with keeping things up to grade level for this very reason. I don't want the teens to feel as if they are being treated like Elementary students. I realize this is only one student, but I've never had a parent remove a student from my class because of my methods. By the same token, another young lady in the same class is having a blast with it. Help me out, please, before I lose my enthusiasm and confidence. It is already bruised.
DeleteThis is my third post... I'm not sure what is happening to my posts. Nonetheless... third times the charm right? My name is Sherry Thompson. I teach 4th grade in St. Mary Parish in southern Louisiana. This will be my 8th year teaching 4th grade. I teach all subjects except for math. I was introduced to WBT at a district in-service about 3 years ago and have been using it ever since. I recently went to the national conference in Pineville, LA. I'm ready to fully implement WBT. There is so much more that I have been missing out on. A charming fact about myself is that I love learning. Some would call me a career student. I plan to begin my doctorate in the near future, but first I will work on getting my National Board Certification. My goal for participating in this book club is to fully implement WBT in my classroom for the entire school year and have my LEAP scores sky rocket! I'm very optimistic about that. Lastly, I like Whole Brainers. It sounds cool. I'm crossing my fingers that this will post this time!
ReplyDeleteSome may color me as a pink and purple free spirit others maybe consider me the nerd - factual, disciplined, and somewhat fun! Whole Brainers seem encompass all of those things and more! Hello my name is Linda Upshaw - I am entering my sixth year of education! Teaching is my second career; I retired from the United States Navy after serving 25 years! Whoop! Whoop! (Texas Thang!). I hail from Houston Texas and I now work and live in San Marcos Texas at Texas Preparatory Charter School. I taught high school for 4 years in San Antonio Texas through the Troops to Teachers program. I have officially taught all grade levels - and after this year all subjects! I found out that my campus is going to try something new this year and I would be teaching all subjects to one grade, one class - 6th grade. Not just any 6th grade class - the former 5th grade class that was out of control, unruly, untamable, refuse to follow directions etc.... Seriously - wow now this will be a challenge. Thus this news lead me to say to self, "You have to up your game in classroom management!" As a former Naval Officer, it was easy to get adults to follow orders and directions. 11 year old's, a whole different ball game! I read a post on teachers pay teachers website that led me to a blog about Whole Brain Teaching. I watched a Chris Biffle video and I was like "NO WAY"! Hooked like a jaw bone fish! I purchased my book - borderline stalked the UPS truck in my neighborhood waiting on it to get started. I am so enthusiastic about this journey and I look forward to learning from everyone on the site! Teach On!
ReplyDeleteHello Whole Brainers! That’s my vote for Coach B’s Question about what to call ourselves. I think if I refer to myself as a Wibbeteer, folk might think I’m a cub scout. My name is Jim Hobley. Last year was year 14 of teaching. It was year one of the revolution—the Whole Brain Teaching revolution. Honestly, WBT revolutionized my mindset for teaching. I taught second grade last year for the first time, after having taught upper grades for years. I feared it might be the death of me. Whole Brain teaching was one of the foundational pieces that helped last year to be the most successful I’ve had.
ReplyDeleteI planned and gradually introduced the Big 7, including lots of practice. I took Coach’s comment to heart that I would have to repeat (a lot). I did repeat. I ran “plays” like a football coach until they were automatic. Later in the year, I would sit back in awe when I would see kids using “because clappers” or “example poppers” without being asked. One of my favorite features was “Teach! Okay!” It was amazing to see every student engaged in thinking and sharing their ideas. It was even more impressive to see the listeners mirroring the speakers. I was truly impressed by the Super Improvers. Students invested wholeheartedly in seeking to improve themselves and celebrating the improvement of others.
I have spent this summer immersing myself in Whole Brain Writing. I look forward to connecting with other “Whole Brainers” and trading recipes for success. WBT certification seems like a way for me to hold myself accountable for continuous improvement. I enjoyed reading many of the posts above and look forward to cheering each other on.
Hello Everyone! My name is Keisha McHargue. I have been teaching for five years in Iowa and Kansas. I began using Whole Brain Teaching about half way through my first year of teaching when I saw a youtube video of an elementary teacher using it in her classroom. I teach middle school and thought that I would try it there. I did lots of research, watching Coach B's videos and look up the brain science. I decided, "Yes, this is what my students need!" Ever since then I haven't looked back. Teaching has been wonderful, and as Coach B says it has been "teacher heaven"!
ReplyDeleteThis year my intent is to become Whole Brain Teaching certified. I preach the Whole Brain Teaching strategies to my fellow colleagues, but I want to make sure I am truly implementing everything with validity. I hope to begin this book study in order to gain a deeper understanding of each portion of whole brain teaching and to engage in a community of learners that all want to make a difference in the learning of students.
Class! Yes! Hands and eyes! My name is Tabitha Da Silva and I am a kindergarten Dual language teacher in Pasadena, TX. I Have been using WBT for a year and a half now and I am in Love (hand over heart). A charming fact about my self is that I also lead young adults at my church and help with the children's ministry. I hope that by working with Farrah Shipley and using WBT every day in my classroom that I will have 100% engagement level and my spanish speakers will increase dramatically in their English Language development.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Cynthia Christian. I have been teaching for 16 year, 13 of those years in Alexandria, Virginia. I have never used WBT. I discovered WBT only two days ago while surfing through YouTube videos. I was so intrigued that I bought the book and quickly read the first 13 chapters! My goal is to learn as much as I can about WBT and implement the program when school starts in September. I joined the book club to further my comprehension.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! I am so excited to be involved in a book club that will encourage me and help me on the exciting adventure of WBT. Since the ripe old age of 13, I have been a teacher or assistant teacher in some capacity for 32 years. I was a teacher in Chesterfield County, VA for 7 years and taught kindergarten and second grade.
ReplyDeleteFourteen years ago the Lord called me to stay home with my children. This started a whole new chapter in my life and I was blessed to be able to start a Jr. Kindergarten in my home, and have been teaching here ever since. I also tutor several students who struggle with reading, writing and math and homeschool.
My wonderful family is made up of my husband Travis, daughter Bethanny (who is currently attending Liberty University), and Courtney (a senior in high school who I homeschool), We also have 2 little red poodles, 2 rag doll cats, and a frog.
I first discover WBT on Pinterest and fell in love with a video clip of a teacher using the techniques in her classroom. This led me to many Youtube videos, and eventually the WBT website. I have spent many hours studying the methods and have set my classroom up as a WBT room. It is so exciting planning how the school year will go with these wonderful ideas and I am participating in this book club to help solidify what I learn and to encourage and be encouraged by other newbies. I can not wait to learn all of the fabulous ideas everyone has to share.
Hello everyone! My name is Anna Laura Kowalska and I come from Poland. This is the country of my birth where I decided to revolutionize whole educational system! Yes, just that. I have been teaching English since 2007. I have started just after my Bachelor's studies. My students are in gymnasium (Polish system is divided into 3 levels of obligatory education - primary, gymnasium and high schol) and that means I have to deal not only with their immature lymbic system but also developing personalities and teenage life problems. That is how I found WBT. Fed up with my all methods, sitting and searching some inspiration on FB I decided to sink into WBT. I cannot wait to share and to read all your encouraging and professionally developing posts.
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Jody and I'm new to WBT. I literally downloaded the book last night and am very excited to begin. I teach Business and DigiTools at a high school that is literally five miles from the U.S./Canada border. Great community and great students. Small community and everyone literally knows everyone else, except me, I drive 50 minutes to work each way. The social/talk factor in all my classes is pretty high. I do have some ELL learners and really hope that this management and learning system will help them learn the language and processes, especially when it comes to understanding computer applications.
ReplyDeleteOne charming thing about myself would be that I'm the proud owner of three rescued dogs and one ate a blood pressure pill yesterday. First time I've ever had to induce vomiting to a small dog, but we were successful and he was able to enjoy both the Seahawk's and Sounder's games today with my husband. Woo-Woo!! I have no preference in what we call ourselves, I'm just thankful this Thanksgiving that I found you all!
Oh, my name is Jody Bogues aka UpRiver Princess.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Veronica Ramig and I teach second grade at an elementary school in Westminster, Colorado. This is my eighth year of teaching and I previously taught both first and third grade. I began using the Whole Brain Teaching Method in December of 2014 so it has only been a couple of weeks in the classroom. I have already fallen in love with WBT because of its joy factor in my 29 students.
ReplyDeleteI love to explore the beautiful outdoors of my wonderful state. I consistently explore new mountain hideaways by hiking and camping. I would love to start a group of mountain explorers with some young people next summer!
My goal for WBT is to become certified to the Advanced Intermediate level and perhaps higher in the future. I believe we should call ourselves Whole Brainers!
My name is Amy Ehmann. I teach second grade in Westminster, Colorado. I was exposed to Whole Brain Teaching four years ago when I was able to watch a veteran teacher implement the system in her classroom. I started off this year by slowly implementing “class yes” and the five rules. Recently I introduced the score board. I am very excited to continue to learn more about WBT.
ReplyDeleteIn my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, traveling, hiking, reading, biking, kayaking, going to the movies, and hanging out with my family and dogs. I love all of the opportunities for outdoor activities that living in Colorado provides.
My name is Elisabeth Thompson and I teach in a small school system in rural western Virginia. I began teaching in 1998 and have taught 5th and 6th grades for one year each, with the remainder of my time being spent in 1st grade. I became a NBCT in 2014. I have been searching for something to energize my teaching and to shift the focus back on the students and their learning. I became exposed to WBT by a colleague who suggested the Super Speed games for a struggling student. Like a kid in a candy store, I have not been able to stop looking at and reading the information on the site. Since January 2015, I have implemented Class/Yes, Teach/Okay, Mirror, and Classroom Expectations. I am amazed at the positive effect these simple strategies have had on my classroom. I am hooked! My book is on its way and I am anxious to dive in! I want to learn as much as I can as I work my way through the certification process. I haven't been this starry eyed about teaching since I started!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Monika Fridrich. I am a kindergarten teacher from upstate New York. This is my seventh year of teaching kindergarten. I am originally from Czech Republic. Teaching is my second career; I am a chemist by trade. I started using the basics of the Whole Brain Teaching almost three years ago. It renewed my belief that it is possible (and necessary) to sew the golden thread of fun throughout each lesson. Thanks to WBT, I love teaching now as much as I did the day I started. Last year, my student-teacher and our P.E. teacher saw me using WBT strategies in my classroom and they loved it. I liked the feeling of spreading the word about WBT. So, I decided to go on a journey to become an instructor. My first steps led me back to the WholeBrainTeaching.com and I discovered a whole new side of WBT. There is so much more to WBT than the classroom management strategies that I used! I hope that being a part of this book club will help me persevere in learning more, thinking deeper about what I learned, and that it will give me the courage and ideas to try new things. I also hope that being a part of this community will be my guide on a life-long journey to become a better teacher, somebody who inspires others to give WBT a try. Because, as we all know, once they give it a try, they will be hooked.
ReplyDeleteHello all! My name is Hannah Meacham and I am a 6th grade humanities inclusion teacher in Indiana. I teach language arts and social studies, while my teaching partner teaches the math and science. I teach in a high poverty district where more than 70% of our students are on a free or reduced lunch. Although I am not a licensed special education teacher, half of my students have IEPs. My partner and I co-teach with an inclusion teacher who goes between both rooms! This is only my second year of teaching! I absolutely love every minute of it. One thing I pride myself on and something that I get rave reviews on in my evaluations are my classroom management techniques. Whole Brain Teaching is at the center of everything I do! My students understand the rules the first day of school and begin to follow all of the expectations with Whole Brain Teaching by the end of the first week of school. I use mirrored words at least four or five times a day, along with class class class. My students understand that in doing these things, I am either trying to get attention or work with them to remember something important! Whole Brain Teaching has allowed me to be an exceptional classroom manager!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Amelia Cortes. I just completed/survived my first year as an Assistant Principal in an elementary school located in Fort Worth, Texas. My principal and I were assigned to this campus this past year. Throughout our observations, we noticed that teachers are consistently lecturing our students, which has led to students being unengaged. We are a Needs Required Campus, which means that our students did not meet the required standards on the state exams; STAAR. As a teacher, I came across some Whole Brain Teaching videos while searching on YouTube for student engagement ideas. I fell in love with a 3rd grade classroom that modeled how to use the Class-Yes and Teach-Okay methods. I immediately began practicing how to mimic those movements and of course how to change my tone of voice in order to make it interesting and engaging. I saw immediate results in my classroom. My students loved it, and more importantly all of my students were engaged in learning. I am hoping to have my teachers trained in WBT this upcoming year and look forward to learning from you all.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Rebecca Spangler. I am about to start my 6th year of teaching 1st grade in a small town in Mid-Michigan. I discovered WBT my second year of teaching and just dipped my toe in using Teach/Ok, Switch, Mirrors, Class/Yes and the rules toward the end of the year. In my third year of teaching, I grew more confident and actually got a new job in part because the interview committee was impressed with my WBT strategies! I LOVE how engaging and FUN WBT is and my students do too. In the last year, 3 of my colleagues have begun using WBT and 3 or 4 others are very intrigued. Four of us just attended the National Conference and had to drive two days to get there, but it was worth it. I am excited to begin using Whole Brain writing in my classroom. I have struggled in the past getting my students to go beyond boring, simple sentences with only a period for punctuation. I hope I can get my students to write as well as Andrea and Farrah’s students! I am beginning my journey toward becoming a Site Leader and WBT certification. I can't wait to spread the joy that Whole Brain Teaching has brought me!
ReplyDeleteHello Everyone! My name is Linda Bolotin and I love teaching first graders in Glenview Illinois. I have been teaching for over 28 years and I am alway looking for ways to improve!! I have just discovered Whole Brain Teaching and I am very excited to learn more! I wish I would have know about this last year because I truly believe it would have made a positive difference for my rambunctious class! I am going to learn as much as I can this summer so I will feel comfortable immersing my new students in the positive and stimulating WBT environment that I will create! I think we should call ourselves Whole Brainers because I am not quite sure what Wibbeteer means! One charming fact about myself: I just became an "empty nester" and I turned my son's old room into a giant walk in closet and dressing room! Such a luxury!!
ReplyDeleteHello Everyone! My name is Nicole Gray and I teach 20 wonderful 2nd graders in Rose Hill, North Carolina! This is my second year teaching in my own classroom but I have worked for the last six years in a Preschool classroom as an assistant teacher! I am currently working on my masters in education through Johns Hopkins and I will be wrapping it up at the end of this school year. I have heard many amazing things about Whole Brain Teaching over the years and started implementing it in the middle of last year. It was amazing how quick I noticed a change in my students behaviors and my over all class engagement. I plan on using this book study as a way to gain more knowledge on Whole Brain Teaching and better engage my students in a whole body, whole brain, and learning experience. I believe we should call ourselves whole brainers because I believe it embodies everything that Whole Brain Teaching is. Finally a fun fact about me is that I dropped everything I knew and left everyone I knew to move from New York down to rural North Carolina and I wouldn’t change a thing! Plus who wouldn’t want to live in a town with the world’s largest frying pan and chicken jubilees!
ReplyDeleteHello my name is Kelly Moehn. I teach 7-12th grade Business and Information Technology. This is my third year of teaching in the Chilton Public School District, in Wisconsin. I took 8 years off from teaching to stay home with my four beautiful children. Before kids I taught in Plymouth, WI.
ReplyDeleteI bacame aware of this movement through a friend of mine. We were discussing the past school year and I mentioned that this summer I needed to focus on my classroom management. She asked if I had heard of Whole Brain Teaching and I said no and she told me of an opportunity to attend a "FREE" workshop in the following week. So I looked it up online and was pretty interested in how this would work. Attended the conference led by Sara Meador (Sorry if I massacred your name). It was amazing. We all know that teachers truly are the worse students yet she had all of us engaged and learning. I have purchased both books and am trying to figure out how to implement in my 3 classrooms. I look forward to learning from you all and becoming a WB Teacher
Hi, My name is Jessica and I am brand new to Whole Brain Teaching. I have fourteen years experience working with second, third, and fourth graders. I have worked in a third grade co-teaching setting for the past five years, however, due to program changes, I will be flying solo in fourth grade. I have been extensively trained using Problem-Based Learning and have seen dramatic results in my classroom. However, I have felt there was a piece missing, and I believe WBT is it! It is a bit overwhelming trying to change my teaching practices, at this stage of the game, however I am intrigued and excited for the journey! A fun fact about me is that I recently got married. My new family for five keeps me entertained and very busy!
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is Courtney Wood. I am a 3rd grade teacher in South Carolina. I am about to begin my 6th year of teaching in a Title One school. The past 6 years have flown by! I have previously taught 2nd and 4th grades. I have been using WBT for around 2 years. This was based on what I have seen on YouTube videos and read on blogs. Other teachers in my school have heard and seen the things that are going on in my classroom and want to know more about it. I am very excited about digging in deep as I read "Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids." Whole Brain Teaching is something that I have found that really keeps my students engaged. It has helped reduce behavior issues in my classroom and I certainly want that to continue. Last year was one of the most difficult years so far and WBT was the only way that I could find to truly reach my students. I want to learn as much as I possibly can during this book study and continue to see fantastic results with my students. I am also looking forward to reading the research behind the program and learning new things that I am not familiar with about WBT.
ReplyDeleteMy fun fact about me is that I got married a little over a year ago and have a fur-baby named Nuk! He is named after a former Clemson University football player because our love of Clemson.
Good morning! My name is Christina Morgret. I teach Early French Immersion Kindergarten in Northern British Columbia, Canada. For those of you who are wondering, French Immersion is a public school program in Canada where children of non-French speaking families attend school in which the language of instruction is French. The goal of the program is to produce functionally bilingual students (reading, writing and conversing in both French and English). If I have counted correctly, this fall I will be starting my 20th year of teaching! (YIKES!)
ReplyDeleteI discovered Whole Brain Teaching this past January as I was frantically searching for a way to improve teaching writing. I stumbled across Andrea Schindler's video about teaching writing in Kindergarten and I was hooked! (I mean, come on, what Kindergarten teacher wouldn't want to have his/her students HAPPILY producing FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAYS at the end of Kindergarten!) Thus began my exploration of WBT. I purchased the book 'Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids' and started going through some of the videos on the website.
I began to use certain aspects of WBT (Class-Yes. Mirrors, and the Scoreboard) in my daily routines. The kids responded very positively to them! I also started to do Oral Writing and was amazed to see the progress that they made in a relatively short time!
As time went by, I realized that I wanted to have the chance to talk with others about this approach. I searched and discovered that there was going to be a FREE 3-day conference in Louisiana! Despite the fact that it coincided with my last week of classes, I decided that I would do all within my power to attend! Long story short: I did! And it was amazing!
I am scared, excited and intrigued about using WBT in my classroom this year! I joined this book club to benefit from the discussion and comments and discoveries that I am hoping we will all share! I am so convinced that this is THE way to teach this new generation of students that I even signed up to be a "Regional Site Leader" despite my newby status! I am really looking forward to embarking upon the road to certification!
My fun fact is that I have entered my first half marathon (13 miles), the Emperor's Challenge. It will be held on Aug 8th. The route is up a mountain in the Rockies -- OK, apparently, you come back down as well but I have been told that it all feels like uphill! ;)
Christina
PS I prefer Wibbeteers to Whole Brainers for two reasons:
1. Wibbeteer has a frog-like sound to it. I have a frog class mascot and many things "frog" in my classroom.
2. Wibeteer is also less obvious that Whole Brainer. If you were to use it in a conversation, others will be more likely to ask you what it means, thus giving you the opportunity to talk about Whole Brain Teaching with others!
Hello, my name is Laura Pyle. I live in Gainesville, Florida, and this year I will be teaching 3rd grade. I am really excited about using WBT, and this will be my first year using it. I am really excited because my students love to talk and teach each other. WBT will give them many opportunities to do that. This year will be my 6th year teach, and my 4th at my current school. I am excited to be teaching 3rd grade this year, as it will be a first for me, and I know that WBT will help my students to excel to an even greater height than last year. I want all of my students to be successful, and I believe that WBT is the key. I cannot wait for the new school year to begin.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw WBT, I thought "that is not my teaching style." After moving and transferring from an upper socio economic middle school teaching to teaching in a title I elementary school (4th grade), I realized that I MUST CHANGE. I found myself in the position, as coach B says, "to grow or die." I frantically started looking this summer for some classroom management techniques that would work. I can't believe I started looking for a poster! I searched "classroom management" on Amazon and up popped the WBT book. It took me 2 days to read the book and feel like I have been "peeling the layers of an onion" ever since. I have created bulletin boards and laminated, downloaded slides and watched countless webcasts. Thank you for this! I cannot wait to get started using WBT this 20th year of my teaching career.
ReplyDeleteYour story inspires me to keep growing, and I've only taught for four years. It's a challenge to keep myself fluid in my practice, but I know it's worthwhile for the students and my personal enjoyment of teaching. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteHi! My name is Suzanne and I live in Victoria, BC, Canada. I've been teaching for more than twenty-five years, but have recently been on a prolonged medical leave. I'll be doing a graduated return to the classroom in September and will have a group of first and second graders.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember how I stumbled across WBT, but right away I had the feeling of, "coming home". It's definitely the best thing that I've ever heard of in education, and the approach that makes the most sense to me. I'm spending the summer watching all the webcasts and scopes, learning the techniques, and preparing materials for the classroom.
A fun fact about me is that I live on Vancouver Island, which is just under three hundred miles long, and is off the coast of British Columbia. I have to take a beautiful ferry ride for an hour and a half to go anywhere. Two places that you might know of, that are near me, are Vancouver and Sealtle.
I love the WBT community, and I'm so excited to be starting this wonderful way of teaching in the fall! I also love the name Wibiteers!
Hello! My name is Brittany Teubert and I teach second grade in Roanoke, Virginia. One charming fact about me is that I just got married to the love of my life and we are in the process of purchasing a house.
ReplyDeleteI first heard of Whole Brain Teaching in 2012 while attending a classroom management course required for new teachers. I was teaching fourth grade at the time and began implementing the basic WBT tools. Last year I moved to a new school district and became a small group remedial teacher in first grade, so I didn't implement any WBT techniques.
I am eager to start the year and learn a new grade as well as new Whole Brain techniques. My goal for this year is to become certified so that I can present WBT to other teachers in my school district.
"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn...." This is my 21st year teaching kindergarten and I have never believed this to be more true. A couple years ago I started dabbling in WBT--- This led to watching a couple webinars, which led to obsessing over webinars like a rat on a cheetoh!!! Now, I use WBT 24/7 in my classroom. I do the whole shi-bang... The 6 rules, Teach Okay, Scoreboard, Super Improver, Genius Ladder, Biffytoons. OH YA BABY!!! !!! I am a model teacher for my district in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Many teachers came through my classroom last year to observe my shenanigans and now have joined me on the Whole Brain banana boat!!! I like it , I love it, I want some more of it!!!!! I am opening my doors again this year for peeps to join my Whole Brain Biscuits and I on our WBT journey!!!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteMy name is LaKedria Lozano I am a music teacher in the Toledo Ohio area. I currently work in a before and after school program at a local child care center as a lead school age teacher ( K-5) , there I also have the pleasure of teaching music and preschool music. I have more than 10 years of experience in the classroom teaching from birth all the way to adult. I hold a Masters degree in voice performance and a Master's in education with a focus on curriculum and instruction.
I stumbled across WBT a few weeks ago just looking on youtube at another tool we are using at work. I am in love with it. I really want to increase my effectiveness as a teacher particularly when working with an entire group of students.
I am using it currently in my peschool music class. Super slow with the mighty oh yea's and "hands and eyes" so far I am seeing subtle changes.
Side note, I am all about whole brain biscuits! :)
DeleteLooking forward to learning from you all.
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ReplyDeleteMy name is Chris Chapan and I am in my 24th year teaching and have been a special education teacher for 11 of them. I stumbled into WB when I attended a conference and my life has never been the same. I tried some of the methods immediately afterwards and even had some success when I had a less than ideal open classroom situation teaching special education last summer. I am fully on board this year and my class is excited and so am I. It is exciting to be realize the purpose of your life again as a WBT instructor.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! My name is Hannah Deel and I am currently a pre-service teacher doing my student teaching in Virginia. I attend Liberty University and I will be graduating in May. I intend on learning strategies by WBT to use during my first year of teaching as well as throughout my student teaching experience. I cannot wait to learn more about WBT and to become WBT certified!
ReplyDeleteHello ~ my name is Nicole Desrosiers and I am a second grade teacher in Weare, NH. I have been teaching for 18 years... this is my 2nd year using WBT in the classroom. It has transformed how and why I teach. My students are loving the "super fabulous" fun learning sessions! I am beginning this journey of WBT certification so that I can pass on these powerful teaching tools to my colleagues and help to set them up for teaching success. My copy of the WBT book is due in tomorrow and I can't wait to get started!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Ken Dukes and I teach first grade is Las Vegas, NV. I am a retired businessman and recently completed the local Alternate Route to Licensure to help address the local teacher shortage. I took my first Whole Brain Teaching training here in Vegas last September with Coach. There were then three local follow-up sessions with a local certified instructor. Since I am not only new to WBT, but new to the teaching profession as a whole, I have been slow to implement the elements of WBT in my classroom. I was quick to implement Hands and Eyes to regain control of my class, and I introduced and used Mirror Words, Silent Mirror, and Magic Mirror. I tried the scoreboard early on, but I was not good at it and let it lapse a lot. I put up my Super Improver Wall in January as we returned from Christmas break. After more visits from Coach here in Vegas, I am using many more elements of the program and am more effective with them. As a brand new teacher at the age of 57, I am convinced that I am better with WBT than I would have been without it. My 20 six year olds used to burn through worksheets before I could finish handing them out. Now my slows down, my classroom management is better, and my kids are learning more. If you haven't used the WBT sight word program for your lagging readers, you are missing something powerful.
ReplyDeleteKen
Hi! I am Patricia Steele and I am a reading intervention teacher and after school tutor at a Title I school in Fillmore, CA. This is my first year teaching since 1994. I forgot how to establish procedures, manage behavior, or make anything fun. It wasn't long before I started searching for answers and found WTB! I am so glad!! I've implemented Class-Yes, Teach-Okay, Mirror Hands, SuperSpeed Sight Words, and love the potential I see. I am super motivated to learn more because this benefits my students. I also want to apply for a full time classroom position this summer and the certification will boost my resume.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Raquel Shemesh and I am currently a fifth grade general studies teacher in a private school. This is my first year teaching and have struggled all year with classroom management. I found a few posts regarding WBT on pinterest and have been hooked. I recently purchased the book and I am reading it with a co-teacher of mine. We plan on introducing class and teach okay after Spring break. I would love to be certified in WBT!
Hi all! I am a reading specialist, literacy coach, and a teacher mentor. I wear many hats! For my masters research thesis last year I chose to research the effectiveness of Whole Brain Teaching in my second grade classroom and since then I have been hooked! This year I took over the reading specialist position in my elementary school and have used many of the WBT strategies with my small groups of students. I have received such wonderful feedback that now I have teachers begging for me to teach in their classrooms and now my administrators are all begging for me to do PD on WBT. Before I do that I have been told by Mr. Biffle to become certified, so here I am. I am looking forward to re-reading the Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids book again and having some great discussion with my peers here on this site.
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Kim Nixon (Kimberley Nixon if you're formal) and I teach second grade in Garland, TX. I have been "using" Whole Brain Teaching for about 6 years; however, using it correctly for two years. This year I have had teachers and administrators in my classroom observing the amazing interactions my students have with each other as well as their impressive engagement in learning. I want to become a certified WBT teacher so I can teach other teachers in my school how to utilitize this program. An interesting fact about myself is that I had a full-time career as a corporate trainer before I began teaching children. Coach B, I'm not sure what we should be called. Wibbeteers is cute, but for public conversations I think something more professional might do more for our reputation.
ReplyDeleteHello there! My name is Heather Madsen and I teach third grade in Helena, Montana! I
ReplyDelete'm just starting on my Whole Brain Teaching journey. I'm taking this summer to get equipped in skills and strategies to then put into action throughout the upcoming school year. I'm super excited about what I have learned so far and I plan to earn Certification Points over the course of three+ years to be able to BIG and BOLD things, not only in my school district but perhaps the nation!
An interesting fact about myself would be that I love basketball and I coach along with teaching third grade.
I think the nickname is a little silly which can be good but I think I am in favor of the Whole Brainers if I really had to choose. :)
Hello, my name is Erica Priscella and I will be teaching third grade in the fall in Alaska! This past year I taught Kindergarten. In the spring, I used the whole brain teaching rules and class-yes, but I am excited to start this journey in whole brain teaching with my third graders.
ReplyDeleteI am super excited to learn more about whole brain teaching and being able to use it in my classroom. I want to become a certified WBT teacher, so I can teach other teachers in my school how to use WBT.
Hi! My name is Ashley Woody. I teach second grade in rural West Virginia. I’ll be starting my fourth year of teaching in the fall, and my third year using Whole Brain Teaching. I’ve been adding more and more strategies each year, and this year I hope to dive in completely. I just attended the conference in Las Vegas, which was absolutely amazing! I’m hoping to begin my journey to WBT certification and learn from others by completing this book study. I love to see how others are employing the strategies in their classrooms. A charming fact would be that my husband and I have been married for three years, and we have two golden retrievers. One of them is a certified therapy dog that I’ve used in the classroom at times. Finally, I love the name Wibbeteers!
ReplyDeleteHello! I am excited to start on my WBT adventure! My name is Becky Camp. I am a second grade teacher in Chattanooga, TN. I have taught for 7 years, this fall will be my 8th year of teaching. I've only used some WBT methods last year but am ready to dive in this fall. I love inspiring students and want to engage them, help them take ownership of their learning,and reduce behavior problems that may occur with traditional teaching. I want to be a WBT Trainer to help other teachers break free from the traditional mold and step into teaching heaven. An interesting fact is that I am a mother of twins, enough said! I love Whole Brainers.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Diane Simons. I just found this group. I don't know oif it is still active, but I am giving it a try. I have been in the Early Childhood for about 15 years. I have taught preschool through 3rd grade. I am a certified Montessori teacher and a public school teacher. Right now I am in the process of changing school districts. Last 2 years I have taught as a Kindergarten Specialist position. I supported 5 kindergarten teachers and had reading and math groups from kindergarten. I am really looking forward to having my own room. This last school taught a strictly mandated curriculum. It was not much fun for the kiddos, but I made it as fun as possible. They all exceeded their benchmarks. I do not like the guided curriculum. There was no room for creativity.
Hi! My name is Bethany Webster and I am going into my fourth year of teaching. My teaching experience has been at multiple schools as I have moved across country. I am currently a Pre-K teacher living in Michigan.
ReplyDeleteI was introduced to Whole Brain teaching as a student teacher through watching videos other educators have posted online. A few years later I was then introduced to the book by Chris Biffle through professional development at one of the schools where I was employed. I immediately fell in love with how interactive it made the classroom environment. I also love how it used constant repetition through "teach, okay" and "class,class." I decided to join the WBT Book Club to grow with other educators who are implementing the same methods within their classrooms. Being a young teacher, I have felt my best resource is the other experienced teachers ahead of me. My goals are to learn new ways to implement WBT techniques, refine my own teaching style, and to make my room as interactive for my little learners as possible. I also hope to earn certification through the process!