Magic Circle

Direct Instruction with 100% Student Engagement

WBT Basics provides a simple starting point for teachers new to Whole Brain Teaching.  Beginning with Class-Yes, the Attention Getter, each of the steps around the instructional circle are described in the sections below.

Deliver a lesson by cycling through our teaching pattern, over and over.

  • Start with the Attention Getter (Class-Yes). You can't teach if you don't have your students' attention.
  • Weave Manners into everything you do with the Thank You/You're Welcome gesture.
  • Activate the Brain Engager (Mirror Words). Choose how you will deliver content: big gestures, tiny gestures, fast gestures, slow motion, etc. The variations are endless!
  • Speak using gestures for about one minute of Direct Instruction, talking only about one new point. Breaking your lesson into Lesson Chunks means you only present one new point at a time. When combined with the next step in the cycle, you ensure students understand this one new point before moving on to the next.
  • Employ Collaborative Learning (Teach Ok) as students teach their neighbor your lesson using gestures. You will move through the classroom during this, assessing if your pupils are ready for a new lesson chunk or need to review.
Magic Circle
Screenshot 2022-07-04 10.38.32 AM

Beginners can use 3" x  5" cards to structure their presentation.

Deliver Point #1 on each card, then Point # 2 and so on.  Update Card #4 with each new lesson.

Explore these three links: Classroom Rules , a video demonstrating the Rules' gestures... and a Superb video from a Louisiana third grade classroom demonstrating the One Minute Lesson.


 

Learn more about each individual step by clicking below: