My WBT Power Pics Wall is Up!

I am so excited to get my Power Pics Wall figured out for next year! I changed my previous "focus wall" to it. I will use magnetic clips OR as shown in the lower left picture, suction hooks. I have a whole bag somewhere in my classroom, but can't find them at the moment. I think hole-punching the cards and hanging them as needed will work out very nicely.

I have numbered the top of each section and have letters going down the middle. I will use that for both sections even if it will be backwards for the left side! This addition will be such a great tool in my classroom.

Some of you may be wondering just what is a power pic wall? I'm glad you asked! It is a strategy used in a Whole Brain Teaching (WBT) classroom. The pics are incorporated into lessons and then placed on the wall for reference. Each pic has a question, answer and gesture for key concepts in language arts and math.

This is an example for tally marks:

Question: What are tally marks:

Answer: Tally marks are marks in groups of five.

Gesture: Hold up four fingers on one hand and then cross them with one finger from the other hand, symbolizing four tally marks crossed by a fifth mark.

 I actually modified this gesture: when we answer, "Tally marks are" we hold up one finger for each of the last words and cross with our thumbs on the last word, "marks (1) in (2) groups (3) of (4) five (cross with thumb)."

I used this power pic once a day each week during calendar math (on Tally Mark Tuesdays)! I didn't get into many of the power pics last year, so this year I am excited about intentionally incorporating them into my lessons. They will fit in nicely with the common core standards we will be using next year.

Power Pics are very useful in getting students to think about the things they are learning. As they learn each power pic and revisit them often, it reinforces key skills and concepts. When you throw in the teach/ok strategy, students are given the opportunity to internalize the concept and explain it to others.

This is a free download on the WBT website! Hop on over there and check it out—along with other amazing strategies to help you get pumped about setting up your classroom, teaching standards and dealing with those challenging darlings!



New Camping Behavior Pack on TpT!

I am SOOOooo excited to share with you my new Camping Behavior Pack. It is cute and fun--keeping you very organized with your behavior tracking.

I will be using it this year with my WBT rules and practice cards--which my badges fit in with nicely.

Head over to my TpT store and check it out!

WBT Certification Program

Just what is all the hype about, you ask?

Since I found out about Whole Brain Teaching last August, I have had so much fun (yes fun) learning as much as I can about it. I incorporated several basic parts of WBT into my classroom and dreamed of how to get more of it going.

This summer, as I was making plans for next year and making sure to include WBT in them, I discovered the WBT Certification Program. I was pumped! I'd already been watching some of the webcasts offered on the wholebrainteaching.com website (all free, by the way). Now I am going to have the chance to officially become a WBT teacher.

I have had wonderful support from my administration about using WBT in my classroom. My principal and curriculum VP have both encouraged me to continue using and sharing what I've learned with the staff. I see a professional development session coming up in my future!

Tonight will be the kick-off live webcast! I can't wait.

Tune in:

Tuesday, June 12, on this website

Orientation: Whole Brain Teaching Summer Certification

Find out everything you need to know

about our June-August online, free

WBT Certification Program

5 PM Western

6 PM Mountain

7 PM Central

8 PM Eastern

One of my only concerns about the certification process is the video requirement. I kept meaning to make one during last school year and never got the chance. That will most definitely come up during the webcast tonight, so my questions about it should receive an answer fairly soon!

**I believe everyone attending the LIVE session this evening will be awarded some Certification Points just for being there!**

Melissa~

110 CP

Webcasts (2)

Facebook (1)





Moving WBT posts :)

(**I'm moving this from the WBT page--sorry for any confusion! Original post dates are listed**)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Well, it has been a while since my last update. I should get a mighty "groan" for that! But....I am excited to report I took a professional day off of school to revamp my WBT enthusiasm and techniques! I watched several webcasts and will send in my PayPal money for the certificates! They were great! I have added the GUFF counter to my scoreboard. It is amazing how much "back talk" really goes on in the classroom without me even realizing it! The kids have caught on famously and only get the wording confused because I introduced it the wrong way (that's what I get for being enthusiastic...didn't get my ducks in a row!) They say either stop that, stop please or please stop!! LOL--I told them they'd catch on in a few days!

Another thing they are LOVING is using the timer! WOW, what an awesome tool. We waste Sooooo much time it seems. I started the timer Monday when we came in from recess and were getting drinks etc, before coming to the carpet for SSR. It was a whopping 4 minutes flat. Something happened and I didn't time them Tuesday, but today...we did it in 1:28!!!!! What an improvement (OH YEAH!)

Next, I plan on starting the Super Improvers Wall...they are gonna eat that up!

I also interjected LOTS of energy, built suspense, and let them know how EXCITED I was to teach them about ____. I felt their enthusiasm in return. What a fabulous way to teach. I got lots of hugs over the last two days! Love it!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

We just finished up with our first quarter and parent/teacher conferences are behind us (all but 3).

I love how things are going in classroom as I try to implement WBT! The kids are still responding well to it and love the opportunities for movement, talking and teaching, and mirroring my moves. I'm having fun coming up with motions/gestures to explain concepts! They just seem to start pouring in once you start thinking that way!

Some things I still need to work on:

• Staying energetic throughout the day! (sometimes I fizzle and I can tell a difference in the room)
• Reciting rules throughout day (sometimes I only hit once and I pay for it later!)
• Staying positive and not scolding (this is a definite area for improvement: put on that smile!)
• Adding new pieces to what we have in place (Super Improvers wall...)
• Finding an area for the Power Pix Wall (that might have to wait until next year)

I've had the opportunity to share some of our WBT classroom techniques with our Principal, our VP of curriculum and one of our District Superintendents. They were very impressed. :)
It has been such a blessing for me this year.

One thing that helps me is reviewing some of the YouTube videos posted out there and reading over some blog entries. I don't frequent the forum much right now, but plan on hitting it more also. I know this is something I am going to continue learning about and using in my classroom! 

My FIRST Award!

I am so honored to receive the Liebster Award!

(and a little VERY embarressed to be so late accepting it!)

Thank you SOOOoo much to

Camille at An Open Door and Carrie from A First Grade Teachers Passions and Obsessions.

So, the purpose of this award is to highlight new bloggers with less than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

2. Thank the giver and link back to them.

3. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here is the hard part....my top 5 picks! 

1. Julie at Southern Teacher WBT (she's BRAND new and has a great Whole Brain Teaching Blog!)

2. Nancy from Mrs. Stoltenberg's 2nd Grade Class: Whole Brain Teaching in Progress!

3. Erin at First With Franklin

4. Danielle from LaSota's Little Learners (wow!! She's got lots of great stuff on her blog!)

5. Stephanie at Prayers and Purple Elephants

Yeah! I did it! Hope you enjoy visiting these blogs and find some new friends!

Whole Brain Teaching Linky Party and Certification...Oh YEAH!

Whole Brain Teaching Blog Sites Linky Party!!

I'm finding all kinds of great sites. Love it. As I start in with WBT certification, I hope to share and learn from others.

To find out more about WBT certification, click below:

Ahhh...Summer

Well, summer is here! My summer bucket list includes: 1. WBT Certification (or at least a good start!) 2. Creating fun lesson packets for my class and TpT store 3. Organizing my lessons by weeks in Sterlite storage drawers 4. posting regularly!!! 5. Joining some fun linky parties I'm sure there is more... :)