Classroom Pictures with Whole Brain Teaching Style

 Classroom picture time with Whole Brain Teaching has arrived!!  Here is my calendar bulletin board with the 5 rules posted, as well as the No Guff! poster in the bottom left!  You can download the posters for free at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com

Up in the top left hand corner you can see the first Math Power Pix - "pointer counting" ready to go next to my SmartBoard!

Below is my lovely Power Pix Wall of AMAZINGNESS!!!!  I am super pumped to use this baby!  Download Power Pix for Math and Language Arts K-3 for FREE at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com

Here you can see my Genius Ladder.  Get your free printable here.

Now for the Super Improvers Wall.  I debated back and forth on how I was going to implement this.  My partner teacher next door was a great help.  I finally decided that 2 areas in my room would work best.  The first area is right at the front of my room beside the SmartBoard and in front of all the desks.  Here I posted all of the Super Improver recording sheets for easy access by me.  So far it has worked like a charm!!!  Incidentally, it has replaced my Practice Cards Chart for those of you that remember the Practice Cards.  When I was in Mattawa I asked Chris about the Practice Cards and he said he wants to focus on the Scoreboard and the Super Improvers Wall as the main management system.  It hasn't let me down.  My students were so pleased when I acknowledged them individually for improving academics and behaviour.

This bulletin board is closer to the floor.  I decided to leave it up for my students to post their recording sheets once they have passed a level.  This is kind of like a wall of fame!  Get your free printable here!

Enjoy my friends!  Please let me know what you think!!!  Any questions are welcome!!!

Genius Ladder Update!

I am updating my Genius Ladder - I just added posts for the ladder!  Click on the picture below for your free update!!

Whole Brain Teaching: The Genius Ladder Kit

Have you just been to a Whole Brain Teaching Conference?  Are you all fired up about teaching using WBT?  Are you a little overwhelmed?  Here is another little packet to lend a helping hand!  It includes instructions and easy to use printables that will help you incorporate the Genius Ladder in your classroom.  If you would like a copy - click on the picture below!

Wacky Star Fun Button

Well the Wacky Star Fun Button has finally made an appearance in grade 1.  Every morning when we work on oral writing I challenge my students to speak in complete sentences.  At this point in the year, they now know never to start a sentence with "and", only one "and" per sentence.  They must always begin sentences in a variety of ways (first, then, also, moreover, etc.)  Also, I encourage them to use adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions in their oral genius paragraphs.  If a students manages to follow the majority of these requirements they get to press the Wacky Star Fun Button and boy do they want to press that button.  Then, that lucky duck gets to choose what crazy animal the whole class gets to be for ten crazy, wonderful seconds.  Our classroom carpet is made up of colourful squares making a seating plan super easy.  Students must stay in their assigned square on the carpet and we model voice level.  The button is pressed and, suddenly, my students morph into crazy kangaroos or exotic elephants.  It's a jungle in grade one!!

Groundhog Day Genius Ladder!

My class and I have started writing daily Genius Ladder paragraphs this week during our opening activities!  Here is what we came up with today.  I thought it was true genius.

Genius Paragraph: I see a furry groundhog not looking for his shadow.  He is a lazy groundhog.  He doesn’t want to look because he is watching T.V. and eating leaves.   Groundhog is going to get in trouble!!!!

Extender Sentence: I see a furry groundhog not looking for his shadow.

Spicy Sentence: I see a furry groundhog.

Blah Sentence:  I see a groundhog.

Update

Tried out the Genius Ladder orally these last couple of days.  Here is the example my kids came up with.  They were tickled pink by it!!

Blah Sentence:  Here is a school.

Spicy Sentence:  Here is a castle school made of pizza.

Extender Complexor:  Here is a castle school made of pizza where students get hot lunch and a pepsi every day!!

Super Improver Wall is ticking along!  Kids love it and almost every kid is on to the next level!  Oh yeah!

The Scoreboard fun continues.  Right now I am using Booyah for Smilies and No Treats for You for Frownies.  For Class/Yes!  I am saying Boo! Class, Meow Class, and Trick or Treat Class.

Practice Cards are in effect and working well!

Next week I am going to start using the student leader buttons!  I'm excited!!!  Happy Whole Brain Teaching!!!!!

My WBT Classroom Pictures

Phoenix Conference Synergy!

It was so amazing to meet the Whole Brain Teaching crew in Phoenix for the first time these past four days!  What an awesome, creative, terrific bunch.  Hi to Coach B, Chris R., Farrah, Deb and my dedicated driver Angela M., who all made me feel at home and part of the team:)

Furthermore, it was wonderful to meet and talk to all the passionate teachers in Phoenix.  Those kids are sure to be blown away by everything you bring to the table on a daily basis!  May Whole Brain Teaching inspire you in your teaching.  Questions, comments, and concerns are vehemently welcomed as you weave WBT into your daily teaching.

This weekend, the Genius Ladder, inspired my teaching.  I will be using it daily with my students this year to help improve their writing. Oh yeah!  See the forum at www.wholebrainteaching.com for more on this cutting-edge WBT concept.

Also, tune into my blog for a future post tentatively titled, "New to WBT? Here is how!"

Happy teaching!