Open Chat Aug 21, 2012... AMAZING STUFF

I just finished rewatching the Open Chat video from August 21 on YouTube. Amazing stuff on that video. I am here to give you a run down on ALL the amazing things that were discussed. I will also provide time stamps for when the information was discussed... since this was an informal chat Coach spends a lot of time reading the chat box so things can get a little slow if you are watching the video for the first time.

OPEN CHAT = lots of fun quality time with Coach B. This chat was wonderful BECAUSE Coach was able to share some great new ideas and answer questions on some old ideas without the stress of staying on topic! There was wasn't a topic to stick to!

Coach started by asking about how the Super Improver Wall was going in our classrooms (1:23)! He reminded us that the Super Improver Wall should not start until Week two or three of school! Most importantly he dropped THREE very cool NEW ideas!

FIRST, Coach suggested having two kinds of stars on the SIW (2:00). The first star being for any kind of improvement that we see! The second kind of star, (HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS!) is for Critical Thinking. Whenever we see a kid make improvements in providing answers with proof of Critical Thinking gave them a SPECIAL star. What a great way to integrate Critical Thinking (welcome Common Core) into EVEN the Super Improver Wall.

Here is a BIG reveal! Coach is working on a Super Improver Wall for POWER POINT (3:17)! Check out the video... he explains it beautifully!

Now for the reason that I decided to rewatch this video! We now have Super Improver TEAM (5:55)! Place a box on the Super Improver Wall for the group. Write a goal that the WHOLE class is working on. Place stars in the TEAM box when the class is improving on that goal! Keep THAT goal up for one week. The point in that team goal can become part of a students points if they need one more point to change levels! Say your class is working on placing hands in the listening position when you say Class and they say Yes! If the class earns a point for that on Wednesday, everyone has temporally earned that point. They can only keep that point if on FRIDAY they have nine stars... that TEAM point becomes their tenth star and they can change levels! WOW! Powerful stuff! I can see students working harder to earn stars if they think they can add that team point to their card!

As if new stuff about the Super Improver Wall wasn't enough he gave us more tools for critical thinking (9:02). He begins by showing us the mini lessons he has been giving on the Whole Brain Teaching Facebook page! Lesson 1 on Facebook is "What is Critical Thinking?" The answer on Facebook is "Critical Thinking is supporting an opinion with lots of strong evidence." Coach has made that answer better (9:45)! "Critical Thinking is supporting an IDEA with lots of strong evidence. Idea is a more generic term."

Lesson 2 is "What is the Simplest Form of Critical Thinking?" (10:45) "Critical Thinking at its simplest: Teacher Prompt because ____________," Give the students the idea and the because prompt... and then ask the students to fill in the blank! He asked us to give examples of how we can use that teacher prompt! Since the the night of that program I have asked my students to do this several times! They are doing better and better EVERY TIME! Here are some examples of what I prompt the students to answer:

- We need to follow directions quickly because _______________________.
- Grandma is a noun that can be a proper AND common noun because ___________________.
- We need a zero place holder in this number because ______________________.
- We follow our FOUR MAGIC MOVES in the hallway because _________________________.

Those are just a FEW examples... I am so impressed with the level of improvement my students have shown!

Coach took the Critical Thinking Conversation one step further (TOTALLY NEW INFORMATION!) be telling us the FUNDAMENTAL Skill of Critical Thinking (15:20). The fundamental skill of Critical Thinking is the ability to distinguish between weak and strong evidence" He even told us HOW to TEACH the students to distinguish between weak and strong evidence (16:55). Just like with other lessons in WBT we need to have them PRACTICE the wrong way ON PURPOSE! They can't know why the right way is right if they can't compare it to the right way. Teach your kids the pitty pat clap (17:18). Example: Rule 1 is good rule (pitty pat: tap one hand with the pointer finger from the other hand) because it is the first rule. That is a weak answer. We want to ask our students for STRONG evidence. Tell them you don't want BABY answers... you want ____ grade answers (insert your grade level in the blank!).

Here is the big point on the fundamental skill (18:27). "We want kids to be able to distinguish between strong and weak evidence. If they can't distinguish between strong and weak evidence they can't support their ideas."

He give the IDEAL pattern for kids practicing this skill (19:30). Here is an example: Rule one is a good rule (pitty pat) because it is the first rule. This is weak evidence BECAUSE being the first rule doesn't make it a good rule. When they follow this pattern they are then reasoning about their reasoning! WOW! Powerful stuff... watch the video about this... Coach delivers this with his usual vigor!

The rest of the video is mainly Coach answering questions of the Wibbeteers that were present for the live audience. Below is a list of topics covered with the times they are covered!

Review of the Switch: 30:30

Pencil Sharpner Problem: 32:37 (He teases about this starting at 31:35... but I am helping you out and getting you to the answer a little quicker!... Don't tell Coach:)

Lesson Plan Templates: 35:08

Location of pre-made Lessons: 37:00

Purpose of the Three Peat: 39:10

OH >>>>> You can't miss this... NEW HANDS AND EYES... I shouldn't tell you where this is... I shouldn't even tell you about it... but it is too good to keep to myself!

NEW HANDS AND EYES... are you ready?

Tell the kids when they repeat the words HANDS AND EYES... they need to lean forward so that you can tell they are REALLY listening! AMAZING... I can hear the giggles now... Gotta love that Golden Thread of Fun!

Ready for a New Oral Writing Idea... Coach was really excited about this... but I want you to hear it from him... check it out at 49:25 in the video... you will LOVE IT!

Mousy voices... NO MORE! 52:38... just simply say "Louder Please" The kid will automatically increase the volume of their voice!

Example Popper... 53:52

Can you believe all this great information happened in 57 minutes and 29 seconds... I was amazed too! Don't just take my word for it... watch the video...