Making Student Leaders: Mirror Words

One of the best parts about Whole Brain Teaching is truly getting 100% participation.  If your school is anything like mine, it is an expectation to have students engaged in their learning; however, it is a constant battle to get all kids to participate in class discussion.  Introduce MIRROR WORDS! Mirror Words is a strategy in which you say "Mirror Words"  and then students say and gesture as if they are mirroring you.  Not only does it get kids involved in the classroom, but it provides a kinesthetic mode of learning.  Students are using their brains to listen and watch what you are doing.  They are then continuing to use their brains to repeat what you said and replicate your gestures.

Image by: Living Breathing and Loving Teaching

Want to encourage continued involvement?  Make your students the leaders.  Build up their confidence and have them lead discussion or answer questions using Mirror Words.  In my classroom the dialogue would go something like this:

Teacher: "All eyes on Blake!"
Students: "All eyes on Blake!"
Blake: "Class!"
Students & Teacher: "Yes"
Blake: "Mirror Words!"

Students & Teacher: "Mirror Words!"

*Note: The teacher should join in when not leading discussion! 

Blake would then go on using gestures to explain his answer to the students in CHUNKS!  Chunking is a very important component of Mirror Words.  By chunking the information students can better understand what is being said and can remember the gestures to mirror.  

Not sure how to introduce Mirror Words? When I introduce Mirror Words we practice a couple of times with me being the leader.  Then I immediately turn it over to the students.  By setting the expectation that Mirror Words is not just what the teacher does, it gives me more buy in from the students and makes them less reluctant to participate.  We spend the period getting to know each other using Mirror Words.  Each student stands, gets the attention of the class, and then says one thing about themselves using gestures. The students mirror the words and gestures, and then we have a discussion about others that have similar interests.

As with last week, attached is a short video by Coach B for further information about this strategy! 

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