Classroom Management and Brain Based Learning Whole Brain Teaching Classroom Management and Brain Based Learning

What You Can Accomplish A positive, effective classroom A classroom where learning is fun for you and the students Learning based on solid pedagogical theory Higher retention, greater involvement WARNING: You may experience the danger of irritated colleagues.

Brain Based Learning What do we mean by brain based learning? Do we know for sure this is really brain based? Does it matter as long as it works?

Brain Based Learning Your brain is made of clusters of specialized nerve cells called neurons. Each part of your brain has a specific job. The more parts of your brain you can engage to learn new information, the more powerful the memories you create.

Sensors on Maximum! There are three main sensory inputs for everyone to learn through…. - Visual (what you see) - Auditory (what you hear) - Kinesthetic (movement, gestures and body language)

Making Memories Memories aren’t made in any one place. Many systems work together. At first they are labile, or changeable. Over time they can become permanent...but that can take years!

Making Memories When you are teaching something new the information has to come through the Reticular Activating System (hippocampus and amygdala). If students are stressed it can interfere with their ability to learn.

The Big Seven: Basic Methods The basic components of Whole Brain Teaching: Class!-Yes! The Five Rules The Scoreboard “Game” (and more!) Hands and Eyes! Teach!-OK! Mirror! Switch!

Class-Yes! The 5 Rules The Scoreboard “Game” Hands and Eyes Classroom Management Class-Yes! The 5 Rules The Scoreboard “Game” Hands and Eyes

Teacher: “Class!” Students: “Yes!”

The Five Rules

The Five Rules Rule 1: Follow directions quickly! Rule 2: Raise you hand for permission to speak. Rule 3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat. Rule 4: Make smart choices. Rule 5: Keep your dear teacher happy!

Teacher: “Hands and Eyes!” Students: “Hands and Eyes!”

The Discipline “Funnel” The Scoreboard “Game” Independent Team. The Guff Counter The Bullseye Game

The Scoreboard Game The students score points for following directions. They lose points when they do not. How can a student rebel against you? By doing what you asked them to do!

The Scoreboard Game When the students score they get to celebrate with a “One Second Party” When they lose a point they still sort of celebrate with a “Mighty Groan”.

The Scoreboard Game You can award or take away points both for individual and group behavior. I usually try to award for either, and mainly take away for the group. The scoreboard game works best if you connect some sort of reward to it. Homework, games, instant game, free seating, free time, etc.

Independents: Little Clique of Trouble! Students only play in the Independents for one day, or until they ask to rejoin the class. Independents get a separate scoreboard. They get a negative mark when anyone in their group acts out, and a negative one any time anyone in the class group acts out.

Stopping Power Struggles: The Guff Counter Guff givers are counting on the silent support of the rest of the class. You are about to take that away. “Please, Stop!”

Immune to Punishment: The Bullseye Game Only for students who are immune to punishment . It will only be played with you, and one student. No one else needs to know what it is for. Work with your player to choose a goal, and identify the behavior that needs fixing.

5 4 3 2 1

Detentions: WBT Style Rules Practice. Practicing the rule(s) you broke.

Teach!-OK! Mirror! Switch! Teaching Methods Teach!-OK! Mirror! Switch!

Teach!-OK! Method You are programmed to remember information given in an excited tone. You remember more if you gesture, or see others do it. Your own gestures provide a kinesthetic anchor for your memories. Retention will increase dramatically.

Teach!-OK! Method This is all about collaborative learning. The teacher introduces what is to be learned, claps to engage first, then says “Teach!” The students respond the same way the teacher did and respond “OK!”

Mirror! Say “Mirror me,” or “Mirror my gestures,” when you introduce new ideas. Emphasize that mirror means to copy you exactly- volume, excitement, gestures, everything.

Teach!-OK! Method The student partners (two ideally) turn to face one another. Each student teaches his/her partner the information to be learned. They should use eye contact, excited voices, and big gestures!

Practice Teach!-OK! With a Switch!

Beyond the Big Seven. Micro-lecture Volume-o-meter Adapting What You Know. H.O.T.S.- tradition and innovation Planning With Power Teaching Planning For Power Teaching

Micro-lecture Speak for shorter segments of time Use Teach!-OK! Check for understanding.

I hate to say it, but….. WE TALK TOO MUCH...at one time, that is. You can only keep 7 items in short term memory. 3 to 5 items is ideal for young people. Use Teach-OK FREQUENTLY to reinforce learning, and move items to long term memory

Most important Drop your lecture items to one minute to one and a half minutes or less per item.

Taking the sting out of a wrong answer If someone tries a question and misses it, have the whole class tell them “It’s cool!” This removes the fear of being wrong. Have them try again, give clues, or break it down if needed.

When the answer is correct… CELEBRATE! Show them the Power of the Ten Fingered WOO! Some may hesitate at first, but keep at it. They will remind you if you do not give them their WOO!

Volume-o-meter 5 Out of Control 4 Loud Crowd 3 Formal Normal 2 Low Flow 1 Ninja Talk 0 Quiet of the Tomb

Adapting What You Know Passing out papers. Taking up papers Keep it exciting, vary content, not context. The Wave?!

Adapting What You Know Power Vocabulary Finding the gestures Repetition, and “stacking” the learning Connecting concepts for larger ideas

H.O.T.S. You must begin with the basics, knowledge and application level Vocabulary is an example You cannot discuss concepts if everyone is not speaking the same language.

Brain Toys Compare and contrast Example Poppers Hand puppets Action Figures

Incorporating Tradition and Innovation Use micro lecture to introduce an idea or concept. Teach-OK to reinforce, and check for learning. Extend with writing to show proof of learning.

Incorporating Tradition and Innovation Use Whole Brain Teaching methods as a signal for traditional activities. Writing after Teach-OK or micro-lecture Teach-OK with concepts from videos Assign vocabulary homework, one term per student. They must come back the next day able to teach their term to the class. Their classmates write the term after they learn it.

Planning with Whole Brain Teaching You do not have to use Whole Brain Teaching instruction methods every day. Choose individual Whole Brain Teaching techniques you want to use and build them into your lessons. The classroom management component should be used every day for consistency.

Planning for Whole Brain Teaching Whole Brain Teaching is not perfect, and will not solve all your problems, though it will lessen them mightily. Most Whole Brain Teachers get really excited and try to do too much. Then disappointment sets in. To avoid this….

Planning for Whole Brain Teaching Add only one or two basic elements at a time. Practice these until you feel comfortable and then add another one or two. If you have questions, or you feel something did not go right read, read again, and then re-read the free downloadable e-books.

Planning for Whole Brain Teaching Never Give Up! Even veteran Power Teachers have bad days and make mistakes. It can be tiring, but notice what kind of tiring.

Planning for Whole Brain Teaching Read through the step by step instructions. If you still need help email me (jeffbattle@wholebrainteaching.com) or Chris Biffle (chrisbiffle@wholebrainteaching.com) for help. Come to wholebrainteaching.com to talk with other Whole Brain Teachers.