Whole Brain Teaching Rules

This summer, I have been studying whole brain teaching, a concept that will surely revolutionize education as we know it. Brain research like how we learn and what parts of the brain are stimulated when we learn has fascinated me ever since my time in my teacher education program at ECU. I hope to focus on whole brain research and teaching during the remainder of my graduate studies.

Simply put, whole brain teaching is a teaching technique that involves the "whole" brain in learning. It is based on what we know about how the brain absorbs information quickly and effectively. Instead of simply lecturing students as passive participants in lessons, whole brain teaching actively involves students and stimulates the entire brain during learning. The teacher basically "chunks" micro-lectures of content for about 30 seconds then involves the class in repeating, teaching, and applying the information by mirroring, gesturing, partner teaching, etc. It also allows the teacher to gauge the engagement of the students and to adjust their instruction based on this feedback. Here's a quick video that teaches whole brain teaching using whole brain teaching: Whole Brain Teaching: The Basics. 

This year, I hope to incorporate whole brain teaching into my classroom. Here's what whole brain teaching will look like in my kindergarten classroom this year: Whole Brain Teaching in Kindergarten. 

I absolutely fell in love with the classroom rules used in this video and I was so excited to come across a super cute, free printable version of these rules to use in my classroom this year!

Rule #1: Listen when your teacher is talking. 

Rule #2: Follow directions quickly. 

Rule #3: Raise your hand to speak or stand.

Rule #4: Respect others, yourself, and your school.

Rule #5: Be safe, be kind, and be honest.

You can get this free printable from Jessica Heeren's TpT store! Since kindergarteners use words and pictures to make meaning at this stage of development, we will be illustrating these rules on the first day of school.