Common Core and WBT

This weekend I went to a CGI/Common Core training to get prepared for the upcoming changes.  I was excited to see that Whole Brain Teaching fits in very well with the new Standards for Mathematical Content.

1) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them: This standard focuses on using reasoning rather than being answer driven.  In this standard it also states that the environment should encourage conversation, student explanation, and proof of solutions.  Right away I thought of the because clapper and "Teach" "OK".  These two strategies will encourage students to explain why they chose a particular mathematical process, and allow them to discuss their ideas with peers.  It also reminded me of Facebook Lesson #4 which focused on distinguishing between weak and strong evidence.

2) Reason abstractly and quantitatively:  Instruction is meaning based.  Students are involved in problem solving.  Meaning is given to symbols.  This standard also focuses on giving students a lot of practice.  This reminded me of two things I have learned through WBT.  First, I thought of PowerPix.  The PowerPix are pictures with a verbal definition and a hand-motion. This gives meaning to the symbols that the students need to know.  Second, I thought of Chris Biffle's saying, "Practice Makes Permanent" which I have posted above my Practice Cards.  He reminds us that students need to practice everything they learn over and over again to build long-term memory.

3) Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others:  In this standard students interact with each other.  The teacher does not just "tell".  Students need practice with the language of argument.  Again, I was reminded of "Teach" "OK".  Using this strategy, students do most of the talking in the classroom.  Teachers talk for very brief amounts of time before students pair up.  Adding the "because clapper" ensures that students are able to prove their answers.  Students are able to engage in debates on a topic, and learn to prove their points with strong arguments.

4) Model with mathematics:  Students use objects, drawings, physical gestures, and verbal descriptions.  Whole Brain Teaching is full of physical gestures and verbal descriptions.  Every time we write, we begin with "Oral Writing."  The students know the hand motions for Topic Sentence, Adders, and Concluder.  They use hand motions for capitalization and punctuation as well as for "spicy" describing words.  Students also learn the PowerPix which have a picture for each standard, as well as a verbal description and a gesture for each concept.

There are 4 more Common Core standards in addition to these 4 that can easily incorporate Power Teaching Strategies.  These are: Use appropriate tools strategically, attend to precision, look for and make use of structure, and look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. 

After this training session, I felt a little more at ease knowing that my growing knowledge of Whole Brain Teaching would help me to be more successful in the transition to Common Core.  If you have more ideas on how to use WBT in Common Core, please feel free to post them.