Fast llama's know the Power of the Brain

Hey Fast Llamas!
Today we are going to talk about the brain, most importantly, your student's brains.  You know you would never take you car to a mechanic who didn't know how a car runs or a doctor who didn't know about the body, so it makes sense, that as educators, we know about the brain.  Better yet, how the adolescent brain works and how it learns.  Better, even, how we can capture the power of the brain and use it to our and our students advantage.  If you knew of a couple of strategies to grab a hold of brain power, you would want to know about them, right?  Well, here they are...

1.  Keep it simple and chunk... One of the easiest ways to enhance learning is to break down learning tasks into small, simple chunks.  This includes directions or instructions.  Brains can only hold onto to 1 thing at a time well, and up to 4 things sort of well... (4 is the limit).  We are not multi-taskers when it comes to learning new information.  We can cook and listen to Hallmark movies and read a recipe... but, that's not new learning.  This is a good lesson to teach to kids about listening to music while they learn.  It's not good for their brains.  
2.  Learning Diagrams - sometimes called "Mind-Maps"  or "Brain Dumps", this strategy has the students creating visuals for concepts.  The drawings are not suitable for framing, but, are the students own visualizations.  Have students draw, then compare with a partner, then compare to your drawing.  This can be powerful, remember to use color as the brain thinks in color.
3.  See Say Do - Once the drawings are complete, have students trace their visuals with their finger or pencil, then, say the concept outloud, couple with a body motion and you have three main modalities covered.  Have students stand, show them the visual, have them say it and then do it. (no body motion for every concept?, have them trace the drawing with their finger in the air or on the table)  Teach kids to practice this at home when they study.

Check out my friend, Amy Foster-Munoz, 8th grade students, signing the Bill of Rights... 
(you will have to copy and paste the address into the search bar, because... technology)

https://twitter.com/MrsFMsClasses/status/1205591838683361280?s=20

4. Circuit Learning - This is a process in which we break up learning into chunks, going back to the beginning and reviewing, and then adding new content. Let me break it down.
Students complete drawing #1, they draw it, say it and do it. Then, they complete drawing #2, they draw it, say it and do it.
Before going to new material, go back to drawing #1, see it, say it, do it, drawing #2, see it, say it, do it. Go to drawing #3... get it?
Instead of doing all, say 10 concepts at one time, you facilitate the experience, ensuring that it is reinforced and encoded into long term memory.
We continue this pattern for about eight or ten drawings and then start a new chunk set. For example, starting with new material with drawing #11, we would go back to #11 and review with the see it, say it, do it, before we did drawing #12. Before we did drawing #13 we would do the reviews for drawing #11 and drawing #12. Occasionally, we would go all the way back to the beginning and do a bigger review involving previous chunks. Younger grades or difficult content could be chunked down into 1 - 5 and 6 - 10.

The pattern of Circuit Leaning is to review what we know and add a piece of content, then review what we know again and add another piece of content. Got it?

Check out how Circuit Learning could be used throughout the week with learning material. Teach kids to Circuit their Theta Scans. Powerful! YES!!

5. Affirmations - Teach kids to say, "go it" after they review. This is an affirmation and send positive messages of confidence to the brain. It is quite powerful. Seems silly, but, why not try it?

Here are some video clips about the brain... they are from a study skill program called SOAR. I do not endorse this product, nor am I telling you to buy it, in the video, they are selling their wares... so just be mindful of that...

Have a great week!  

Tracy

Cross the Mid-line Together

Fast Llamas
How many of you have heard the same topic over and over again, but, by different people at different times?  I guess that what's a "trending" topic is, a topic everyone is talking about.
Well, it seems everyone is talking how students are coming to us in our classes with less ability to think critically and hold onto information.  There also seem to be a lot of kids easily distracted, easily frustrated and quick to shut down when learning becomes challenging.  I would too, if I couldn't concentrate and something seemed overwhelming to me.  Add food insecurities, divorce... you get the picture...
I have lots of theories as to why the brains of our kids are changing... digitally distracted parents, too much screen time for kids, lack of outdoor play, lack of sleep, and too much emphasis on academics are a few that come to mind.  When my oldest son was a kindergartner in the fall of 2000, the whole class took an afternoon nap, and the teacher said they slept!  By, April she noticed a lack of needing the nap, but, they still took a break.  Today, it is unheard of for a K class to nap during the day... When my younger son was in Kindergarten 6 years later, the academic work he was required to do had increased significantly and there wasn't even a break.  The State of Texas replaced the jumping, running, physical activities with academics, and we are seeing the results in later grades.  Kids are learning too fast.  In my own experience, the work we do in middle school science today has increased significantly since 1991, my first year teaching.

Now, what can we do about it.. this is a "so what, now what" moment.  As advocates for our students, there are a few things we can do in our classrooms to help with students.  
Shameless plug - learn this and more of this in a Quantum Learning training - this is where llamas get fast! and it's all about the hearts and brains of our kids.  Look for training dates in the spring and summer of 2020.

Let's start with a few...
1.  Home Court Advantage - This is a strong classroom culture of inclusion, warm, homey vibes and a place of safety.  Students not humiliated for mistakes and there is a strong bond between them and the teacher (rooting for their success) and each other.  We have agreements instead of rules, we have systems instead of rules, we have procedures instead of rules.
2.  Meta-Cognition  - We teach students how to learn and as teachers we are aware of brain basics - how our middle schoolers learn.  We know to calm the amygdala and feed the hippocampus.
3.  Consistency - Fast llama teachers are experts in providing consistency in a world of chaos.
4.  Classroom Environment - We know that the use of music, lighting, atmosphere (our classrooms are homey) calms the amygdala and allows for learning.  We know that FAST is bad for learning (Fear, Anxiety, Stress and Threat)
5.  Fidelity - Fast llamas know that certain ways to teach enhance learning, and we plan for them.  This includes setting up students for success, knowing about and using wait time, the power of 10,24 7, using anchors and mnemonics... to name a few...
6.  Laughter - We know that smiling, laughing and being nice enhance learning.
7. Perception - Fast Llamas see everyone as a 10, even when they are acting like a -4.  this includes complaining about those -4's.  It doesn't help to vent, if you aren't going to put anything into action about the problem.
8. Theta Scans - We teach kids the power of sleep and how they can study a little before bed, then go right to sleep to improve memory.
9.  State Change - When kids come into our rooms, we use state changes to get kids into down to business thinking modes.  This includes an Opening Tradition such as playing a song, saying a mantra, revisiting Agreements, getting to Alpha State or crossing the Mid-line.

        - Getting into Alpha State involves training kids to visualize a place of relaxed alertness.
Here's how your can train your kids...
1. Tell your students you are going to get them into a state that will enhance their ability to learn.
2. Tell your students to SLANT.
3. Have them close their eyes and visualize a place of calm, safety and relaxation.
4. Tell them to visualize the sights, sounds, feelings, colors, etc. of what they visualize. "what do you visualize?  What do you hear? What do you feel?  The temperature is perfect"
5. Remind them to breathe.
6. Open their eyes.

This exercise takes some practice, don't give up, if the first time doesn't go well.  (and some 6th grader makes a fart noise), keep up the consistency and you will get there.  Some kids cannot visualize this place (the Alpha Place), so you may need to help them know what to visualize.  Provide pictures and let them choose.
 
10. Crossing the Mid-line is another way to change state and enhance learning because it makes a physical connection with the body and the brain.  Studies have shown that using exercises that cross the mid-line before learning takes place, increases the students abilities to concentrate, retain information and decreases feeling of frustration when learning gets challenging.

Would you like to know some examples?
1. Shoulder to Shoulder - Start with both arms out-stretched. Right hand crosses the body and touches left shoulder. Then switch. This movement is not done quickly. Repeat two or three times.
2. Elbow to Knee - While standing or sitting, right elbow to left knee and switch.
3. Nose and Ear - Right hand touches left ear, left hand touches nose.  Then, switch.
4. Leg Switch - While standing or sitting, cross right ankle over left ankle
5. The Twist - Hold arms stretched out in front of body.  Thumbs up.  Turn the hands so that the back of the right hand and the back of the left hand touch.  Cross the right hand over the left so palms are touching.  Link fingers.  NOW, bringing hands toward the body, twist them up, the hands meet the chin.  Level up by having the right leg cross the left leg as you twist, nice deep breathe as you move.  Check out the video from a QL training in action.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1203339653580910592

Have a great week!



                 

The Joy Factor

Fast Llamas,

Thanksgiving break is over and we head back to school on Monday. I hope you all had a chance to rest, reflect, be with family and best of all eat!
The next couple of weeks heading to winter break can be quite challenging for everyone. So, this "Sunday Night Motivation" (which was written on Saturday morning while watching a Hallmark Christmas movie... but no judgement)...
focuses on relationships!

Here are some strategies to build character, trust and most of all joy in your classrooms. I like them because they remind me of Fast Llama behaviors.


Positive Framing - Guide students to do better work while motivating them by using a positive tone to deliver constructive feedback.
Use phrases such as, "David, show me your best!" not, "David, you're not doing your best".
"David, check yourself to make sure you're sitting up!" " Show me your SLANT" Not, "your not slanting".
"Kara, I need your eyes forward" (instead of "Kara, turn around")
"Students, use this strategy to help you level up" not, "students, you are not studying hard enough"
"today is great day, John", not, "we aren't gonna have the same day as yesterday, John"
Assume the best in your students , but, do not narrate mediocrity. Getting attention of class, narrate what you see... say "I need three people. Thank you for fixing that, Steven. Now we are almost ready. Ah, now we are there, so let's begin."


Precise Praise - Make positive reinforcement strategic. Differentiate between praise and acknowledgment. Acknowledge meeting expectations, praise when they exceed it. Keep acknowledgements equal. Avoid saying, "great answer" to one kid and saying "excellent answer" to another. Power whooshes from Quantum Learning are a great way to get the whole class to acknowledge effort. Train the students to say "1,2,3... clap clap clap, insert phrase then say whoosh toward recipient" You are sending all that positive energy to the person! Like everything, it takes training and consistency to get power whooshes to be effective.


Warm/Strict ad Emotional Constancy all follow along with Doug Curry's Llama ideals of being nice, but, nice is not soft. Nice can change lives, because we hold kids accountable but don't make them pay.
Warm - positive, enthusiastic, caring, thoughtful and Strict - being clear, consistent, firm and unrelenting are a super great combination...

explain to student why you are doing what your are doing - "Steven, we don't do that in the classroom, because it keeps is from making the most of our time"
distinguish between behavior and the person - what they did was inconsiderate, not the person
consequences are temporary - serve your consequence and move on
nonverbal - bend down to talk to a kid
Don't act surprised that a student got an answer correct, so don't make a big gesture at praising
don't let students get to you, see you are frustrated or angry. Don't yell, students love when you get angry, it distracts you and turns the attention away from the learning. some kids just want to make you angry, don't pick up the rope
Joy Factor - Celebrate the effort and work of learning, use humor, novelty and fun. Laugh with your students, be happy they are here at school today, make sure they know it.


References:


Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Writing Lllama Style - Setting up Expectations

Fast Llamas!

I've been thinking alot about students writing in class.  Especially what we call "critical writing" and which is best, a singular sentence or at least three sentences (an intro, the body and the closing).  I do think both are good for students, but, when starting out and insisting on good writing, we have to train kids and set expectations.  It can be frustrating for us, when we want the students to write and we get back really incoherent writing and phrasing, when this happens, we have to go back and train them.  Students do incredible writing in ELAR class, when we ask them to write in other subjects, it can be a struggle to transfer over.    Last week I talked about training kids with our expectations for Turn and Talks so students know how it should look, sound and feel like. I believe we cannot assume students already know our expectations for when we want them to write as well.  


To begin:
1.  Use sentence starters, students often struggle with how they can start.  here's a link to Lead4wards list... Thinking Stems
2. Start with one really good sentence.  Show students examples of poorly written sentences and exemplars of what you are looking for.  They may not know what you want from them, so show them.
3.  Use visuals as stimulators to help kids explain their thinking.

Here's an idea to try from 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. (see citation below for more info)

    a. Organize students into groups - Give each student a folder containing one of a variety   

        of  images and a small index card.
    b.  ask students to keep images a secret from others
    c.  have students record their responses on the index card
         - list everything in the image
         - use adjectives to describe objects in the image
         - use verbs to describe action in the image
         - imagine yourself in the image - what can you see, smell, or hear?
     d. Give students another card with a sentence stem, choose to have students write  

         one really good complete  sentence or a three sentence paragraph.

    e. Have group share their sentences and then show the group their pictures.  They  

        could even try to guess what was in their picture.  That would be fun.        
4.  Front the writing - have the critical writing happen early in the lesson, this will help with answering questions and discussion later on, since students have had time to frame their thoughts.
5.  Have students write before each turn and talk
6.  Teach students that a simple three sentence paragraph they use for critical writing is like an oreo.  The top cookie; the first crunch, is the intro, the creamy filling is their explanations, description, conclusions to the problem question and the bottom cookie; the last crunch, is the closing.  Tell them an oreo is better when it is all three, just like their critical write would be missing something without all three parts.  
7.  Ask students for permission to read aloud their writing.  Make it sound like the best sentence you have ever read.
8.  Remember, writing supports thinking... make sure students get chances to write other then answering questions every day.  
Here are some examples to view:

References:
Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Student Discourse

Fast talking Llamas of Labay!


Today we are going to talk about increasing the ratio of student discourse and discussion in your classroom.  This is an important topic.  We want students participating in discussions and we want 100% of the students participating.  There are several strategies to help make this happen.  Doug Lemov uses a great saying in Chapter 9 of Teach Like a Champion, 2.0. he says that the "mental workout belongs to the students".  Today we will peruse increasing this workout using the strategies "Turn and Talk" and sentence starters (or sentence stems), then, we will talk about strategies to make this run smoother in your classroom.

Here are some things to think about.
1.  Have a vision about what Turn and Talk will look like in your classroom.  What are the fundamentals?  How will students be grouped or paired?  How will they sound, what is the acceptable volume?  What is the expectation for how students look at each other?
2.  Train the students and practice.  The first Turn and Talks might be messy, share your expectations and share with students what you expect it to look like and sound like.
3.  Timed or untimed?  Decide the timing.  You have choices to tell students that you are giving them 2 minutes to talk, or you can listen for when the crest of students voices occurs and call them back to your attention.
4.  If I haven't already shared this, tell your students exactly how Turn and Talk will look and sound like.  Will just one kid talk and the other listen?  Will both kids get a chance to talk?
         Example:
                1.  give each kid a letter, like A or B... A talks to be B, and B only listens, then switch next                       time.
                2.  give each kid a letter, like A or B, A talks to B and then B talks to A
                3.  be creative with kids, use different monikers
It's important to set students up for success and let them know your expectations, otherwise, they will just make up their own.
5.  Have a cue, the word "go" is very powerful to let students know when it is time to start.  It is quite simply saying, "When I say go, A's turn and talk to B's about the formation of igneous rocks for 27 seconds... Go!"
6.  How many of you have had to think about something complicated and it helped your thinking by writing it down?  You can level up the depth of the conversations, by having students down their thinking and then share what they wrote with one another in the Turn and Talk.
7.  Sentence stems and sentence starters.  If you choose to have students write first, consider using sentence stems.  Here is an example from 8th grade science:

I like it because is used visuals and tells students how to get started using the correct vocabulary.  This could be a turn and talk, or a write, then turn and talk.
8.  Have the students communicate with Complete Sentences.  This strategy comes from the book, 38 Great Academic Language Builders.  This allows students to practice using rigorous academic vocabulary.  The more they speak in complete sentences, the easier it becomes to write with complete sentences.  I love this thought, that students can write and then speak or speak and then write and it all helps students build their capacity in your subject area.  LOVE IT.
            Examples students can use to write and turn and talk.
                  The question... What are two characteristics of primary consumers?
                  The answer...  Two characteristics of primary consumers are....
 9.Cue for bringing the class back to whole group... How will you get the class back fast?
10.  What will you do with the information that was written and shared with partners? You can use sentence starters here too.  When you get students to share their discussions, stretch the whole group discussion by getting students to say, "I agree because or I disagree because, or I would like to add"

I think the biggest fear about allowing students to talk with one another is the fear that they students won't really talk about what they are supposed to talk about.  Heck, I have been in training when adults don't talk about what they are supposed to talk about.  So, frame your expectations, walk around and listen, be visible, frame the time students have, share examples of what you heard, celebrate when students do what is expected and finally have body language that shows you are rooting for students to have great shares (burning shares).

Here are some video examples to watch...

Using a Sentence Starter:

Turn and Talk Techniques:

References:
Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.

Lemov, D. (2011). Teach like a champion: the complete handbook to master the art of teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Seidlitz, J., & Kenfield, K. (2011). 38 Great academic language builders: activities for math, science, social studies, language arts... and just about everything. San Clemente, CA.: Seidlitz Education.