

Teach-Okay is WBT’s answer to traditional education’s weary think-pair- share. You may be concerned that we don’t give students time to contemplate the teacher’s point.
We believe that when we ask kids to “think,” we have no way to tell what they’re thinking about. Is it what we just said or how to get to the front of the lunch line? Talking through a response is a good way to think through a response. Call it “ideational fluency.” Students hear a teacher’s point and improve their understanding by paraphrasing it to a neighbor.
Script: Teach-Okay (third grade)
Teacher: Class! Class!
Students: Yes! Yes!
Teacher: Mirror words!
Students: Mirror words!
Teacher: (Holding one fist above the other) A fraction has two numbers.
Students: (Mirroring the teacher’s gestures) A fraction has two numbers.
Teacher: (waggling the top fist) The top number is the numerator.

Students: (Mirroring the teacher’s gesture) The top number is the numerator.
Teacher: (waggling the bottom fist) The bottom number is the denominator.
Students: (Mirroring the teacher’s gestures) The bottom number is the denominator.
Teacher: Now, make a full turn to your neighbors, use giant gestures and explain which number is the numerator and which is the denominator. (claps twice) Teach!
Students: (Clapping twice) Okay! (Students teach their neighbors about the numerator and denominator.)

Teacher: (Holding one fist above the other) In the fraction 3/5, 5 is the denominator. The denominator shows how many parts in the whole.
Students: (Mirroring the teacher’s gestures) In the fraction 3/5, 5 is the denominator. The denominator shows how many parts in the whole.
Teacher: Now, make a full turn to your neighbors, use giant gestures and finish this sentence with your partner. "The 5 in 3/5 is the denominator. The denominator shows _______." (claps twice) Teach!
Students: (Clapping twice) Okay! (Students take turns finishing the sentence with their partner. )
Teacher: Here are five kids. If I made a fraction about these kids, then five would be the denominator; the size of this whole group of kids. Explain to your neighbors what I said about these five kids. Use the word denominator, Please! (claps twice)
Students: (Clapping twice) Okay! (Students take turns using the word denominator about the five kids ... and so on, the lesson alternating between the teacher's Direct Instruction and students' Collaborative Learning.)