Tuesday, October 19, 2010
There's Gold in Them Thar Brains
According to the Gilroy Dispatch (of Gilroy, CA), Eliot Elementary School is about to implement Whole Brain Teaching. They've signed a contract with Chris Biffle to the tune of $7,000. The article doesn't explain exactly what the Biffinflator will do for this large chunk of change, but they do mention 2 weekend workshops. That's nice work if you can get it ...
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And a couple more interesting links, showing that more people are resisting the Whole Brain juggernaut:
ReplyDeleteEA Forum: Whole Brain Teaching
Whole Brain Teaching -- ideas about the brain are idiotic
Chris Biffle's rate was $1,500 for a Power Teaching workshop just last year in San Bernardino. At a time in California when teachers are being RIFed (laid of due to "reduction in force,) tuitions increased, special ed services were threatened, teachers left without raises third year in a row- Chris Biffle increased his fees by a whopping 60%! And that's not including the one thousand dollars expense per diem, folks.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I would like to state that the problem with Whole Brain Washing goes far beyond the question of whether the Biffler is ripping off schools. If he was giving it away, it would still be too expensive. It's just a bad program.
ReplyDeleteAnd where you too can find it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sbcusd.com/archives/35/agin050509.pdf
Board of Education Meeting
May 5, 2009
Bing Wong Elementary School wishes to hire Chris Biffle to present a workshop, “Power
Teaching Challenging Students (and the rest of your class, too!)” to staff on July 31, 2009. The
cost, not to exceed $1,500.00, will be paid from Restricted General Fund – NCLB Title I PI
School Support, Account No. 524.
FedUpMom, I agree and I understand. I too do not like the methods.
ReplyDeleteBut since this is the only place on the web talking about the money- Let's talk about the money!
As Chris Biffle is crying poverty at his websight-
"Now, the very sad, sad news! The presentation won’t be free!!! Gasp! The cost of running our free website is way above what our teacher salaries can handle. But don’t despair ... if we’re not free, at least we can still be amazingly cheap.
How does a $9.95 conference sound?"
- maybe a few interested teachers will read and consider another side.
Absolutely, let's talk about the money. Apparently you can buy "Rule #5" buttons for "only a few dollars apiece!" Barf.
ReplyDeleteThey also have a store on their website with the rules for a "multi-hued" room. Money for workshops. Money for stupid buttons. Money for ridiculous rule cards. Money for webinars. How much does that website cost? I mean, that's what they claim all of the money is going towards. Also, seven grand from Gilroy? Couldn't that be used for their website? I haven't been on the website much, but from what I can tell, it's not that amazing of a site with tons of expensive graphics. Makes one think that they might be using the money for other reasons; pretty crazy thought huh?
ReplyDeleteRight. Teachers at my kids' school last year were wearing them. "Barf" is apropos! His daughter is selling those. You can have them made for about
ReplyDelete75 cents each.
lol Anonymous, their rules posters have humongous watermarks- as if they're in danger of being ripped off, fine graphic art that they are!
ReplyDelete