It's been a long time since I posted. Elementary school teachers are the only profession besides circus performers that have to tear down and put away at the end of each performance (year to us), even though they will be putting up and taking out the very same things!
I must say that my end of the school year with the students went quite smoothly, in large part to WBT.
I used my scoreboard effectively...the kids were working for 2 minutes of a song...for each win on the scoreboard they received a star. Ten stars equaled the 2 minute song. I was able to stretch this out for the last week of school. The class finally won the song at the end of school on Thursday. On Friday, right before they left for the year, they heard Beat It and danced their hearts out.
Using WBT really helped build class unity. Using class leaders was instrumental in this process. I didn't have buttons this year, but I found some old buttons at a thrift store, so I am going to make some leader buttons this summer. I read on a WBT forum posting that there is an award that can be given out to class leaders, and I would like to use that next year.
Speaking of next year, I plan on implementing many parts of WBT that I only dabbled in this year.
I want to use the lesson plan template, the Power Pix, Superspeed 100 math, and possibly Superspeed reading. I am also going to dig into the brain toys. From day one we will be using the Big Seven, and Mind Soccer!!
Even though this has been one of the worst years ever for teaching in the wasy of horrible attacks by politicians on teachers, lay offs, pay cuts, increase in class size, and rediculous mandates by the administration, WBT reenergized me and kept me focused on what is truly important: finding ways to get our children thinking and learning.
Thanks to all the WBT staffers and wibbiteers for motivating me to become a better teacher.
Karen Chavez
