There is never a bad time to pull out your MIRROR! Oh, yeah! There are three kinds of WBT Mirrors, but for the first of the year, our focus is on Mirror Words. You will be using this amazing technique from the first day of school until the last day of school! It is that powerful! This can be used for teaching and reinforcing any concept or procedure throughout your day! You will get an instant read on who is participating and who is not! Informal assessments start here, on the first day of school!!
Here is a script for introducing mirrors to your class:
Teacher: Class! Class! Class! Students: Yes! Yes! Yes! (Reminder: Students should fold hands quickly and look at you intensely! I call it Laser Eyes! Remember, use your Scoreboard!)
Teacher: When I say Mirror Words, you say Mirror Words and pick up your hands like me. Mirror Words! (Your hands should go up quickly with palms facing forward.)
Students: Mirror Words (Students raise hands with palms facing forward.)
Teacher: That was pretty good, but you need to go faster! We don’t waste any time in 2nd grade! Mirror Words!
Students: Mirror Words! (Students raise hands fast this time!)
Teacher: Great job! Mighty Oh, Yeah! (Mark the Scoreboard with a tally on the Smilie side to reinforce their response.)
Students: Students clap quickly and call out, Oh, Yeah!
Teacher: When I say Mirror Words, you say Mirror Words and raise your hands quickly. Whatever I say, repeat back. However I move my hands and arms, move your hands and arms the same. Mirror Words! (Quickly raise your hands, palms forward.)
Students: Mirror Words! (Students repeat and quickly raise hands, palms forward.)
Teacher: Today is (Sweep your arms wide with lots of energy. This is not only more FUN, but it gets everyone engaged in your energy!)
Students: Today is (Students repeat and sweep their arms wide.)
Teacher: the first day of second grade. (Hold out one finger and then switch to two fingers out.)
Students: the first day of second grade. (Students repeat and hold out one finger and then switch to two fingers out.)
Teacher: I am so glad (Pat your hand rapidly on your heart!)
Students: I am so glad (Students repeat and pat their hand rapidly on their heart!)
Teacher: that we (Circle your hand towards them and back to yourself, dramatically.)
Students: that we (Students repeat and circle their hand towards you and back to themselves, dramatically.)
Teacher: will be learning together this year! (Touch your fingers to your brain and massage it!)
Students: will be learning together this year! (Students repeat and touch their fingers to their brain and massage it!)
Teacher: Mirrors off! (Drop your hands and fold them together so they can see what you did.)
Students: Mirrors off! (Students repeat, drop their hands and fold them together.)
Note: ‘Mirrors off’ will signal the end to this activity. Students’ hands are folded and their eyes are looking at you! Oh, yeah!
Coach B says, “Your kids will magically repeat after you and imitate your gestures. You now have everyone’s mirror neurons locked into yours. 100% STUDENT ENGAGEMENT!”
Here are some Video Resources to see how to introduce Mirror Words to your students, and to see students in action:
2nd Gr: Classroom Tour (Check at Minute 13:52) https://youtu.be/kInK14Swh-s
2nd Gr: 2nd Grade Reading https://youtu.be/G6qXPSDdYE0
2nd Gr: Brainies in 2nd Grade https://youtu.be/ENJEHd4DB68
3 comments:
I've only been trying wbt for a week now, but I have some resisters, some who flat out refuse to mirror with me...any suggestions for those two or three kids? They are the struggling students and I feel like they already feel so far behind, this is just another thing to fail at....1st graders...
I've only been trying wbt for a week now, but I have some resisters, some who flat out refuse to mirror with me...any suggestions for those two or three kids? They are the struggling students and I feel like they already feel so far behind, this is just another thing to fail at....1st graders...
Hi Brandilyn! Welcome to Whole Brain Teaching! This is your first week, so do not be surprised by the different reactions you see in your class. Focus on the students who are participating. The more you rehearse procedures, the more participants you will find. This is brand new to them too! Here is a comment from Coach B (Chris Biffle): "Challenging Kids...
As always, the more challenging kids in your class, the more frequently you should rehearse the wrong, slow, lazy way and the right, fast, crisp way to perform Mirror Words.
For almost irresistible engagement, stand in front of a Beloved Rascal’s desk, looking at her, while demonstrating Mirror Words. Even if she doesn’t respond, take heart! A brain scan would reveal that her motor cortex is mirroring your actions … even though her arms aren’t.
Teachers occasionally stress that “kids aren’t making the gestures.” Stress no more. No matter how immobile their bodies, your Beloved Rascals’ brains are with you."
Here is the link to my WBT Quick Start Guide. It is titled 2nd grade, but can cross over to other grades:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6gTZlfSm3IuMmNPcndqRU5uUTA/view?usp=sharing It contains lots of info, but please read the information on Mirrors (pp 22-24) Let me know if you have questions!
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