Okay, y’all. Let’s talk about interactive whiteboards, document cameras, and other cool techno stuff you have in your classrooms. (Keep reading. There’s a giveaway coming!) During our calendar chat (“A Monday Giveaway!“), both Nancy H. and Kim F. shared how they use their interactive whiteboards for calendar time. That’s darn cool, don’t you think? So how about you? What opportunities do you have for incorporating technology into your classroom? And if your school hasn’t been able to make these types of upgrades, let us know that too.
So what’s the giveaway? Comment on this post by the end of the day Friday, January 28, and your name will be entered in a drawing for a free e-book from The Mailbox! We have 99 e-books to choose from!
Smiles,
Diane
Lynn, you’re our winner!
Just this school year I was able to get a smartboard for my preschool classroom. Every week I find more ways to use it to enhance our learning. I am becoming more confident at making my own lessons also which is a plus. This way I can customize it to exactly what I want to teach!
Our district wants us to use technology in our classroom, but only gives the newest technology to the high school. At the Kindergarten level, we are very limited. 🙁 I would love an interactive white board (smart board) and have been searching for avenues to fund one for my classroom. Hopefully, with my persistence and patience and prayer, I will find one and be able to teach using the newest technology!
I enjoy using the smartboard too because it is such a great to way keep the students engaged in their learning!! If they are able to manipulate on the board they pay more attention and get more out of it in the long road. I have actually referred to Harvey’s Homepage, a website of a professor I had in school who has traveled the country sharing his creations, and it’s so great for math instruction on all levels!! You don’t have to purchase the flash drive unless you want to-if you look at the top of the page he has the branches of math listed and within a number of files for various (mainly elementary) age groups. Enjoy!
I have always used some tech in my classroom but mostly camera and computers . My own dd’s have smartboard in their classroom . would be interest and i keep readying about in preschool .
But this year i made a commit to use my camera each day . few things i have done so far with it . of course basic post on blog each day , change picture of the children once a month . But i make i spy bottle using my camera and a counting book using my camera.
I’ve used computers, projector, and a document camera in my classroom. Our schools have recently received Smartboards for our rooms but waiting for everything to be installed. My students love using the equipment we have and can’t wait to start using the Smartboard. Looking for some ideas on ways I can use it.
I love using the SMARTboard! I teach both computer literacy and math, and while I don’t have a SMARTboard in either of the computer labs that I teach in, I do have one in the room where I teach math. I use the SMARTboard every single day during math instruction, and I use it in a variety of ways. I have made many SMARTboard lessons using notebook software that allow students to interact with the material. It’s so nice to just “grab” something from the gallery like a timer when you need it! I also found that our textbook series is in ebook form so I can project the book onto the board. The book has some nice interactive activities that correspond with the lesson. I also use the SMARTboard to project reproducibles that I find on the Mailbox.com or activities that I create (I keep everything digitally on my computer rather than in files so everything is ready to go!). There are TONS of interactive websites that reinforce the concepts taught in math and I use the SMARTboard as a center during worktime/small group instruction.
I teach 4th grade, but taught K & 1st for years. I used a Smartboard for 5 years. I would have two children at a time at the board, the others would be seated criss-cross using white boards and later gelboards so they would all be engaged. I taught them how to use online programs such as Starfall so they could do this independently. I would take our objective that week or day and make a smartboard activity. If we were doing beginning sounds of P, I would have clipart of pictures and they would drag the ones that began with P. I would do this with short vowels and long vowels. Whatever the lesson we had in reading or math, I used the Smartboard.
In fourth I do not do as much interactive with the smartboard. They use whiteboards and I have learning powerpoints from the lesson, but they do not get up out of their seats as much and come to the smartboard. I have a large class of almost 40 and it is too difficult to move them around. I use the Elmo constantly so they can see what I am teaching, we use thinkcentral but they answer the questions on their whiteboards rather than an activity on the smartboard. It is in constant use in 4th, just used differently.
Sorry to say we do not have any high tech in our preschool. We use the camera frequently using the kids pictures for art and activities like that. I would dearlyu love to have some technology in our room.
I have a Smartboard in my PPCD classroom which was purchased with Grant money. I love it, especially at calendar time. I had a little trouble at first with the computer, but the glitches have been worked out and it is great. I just wish I had the time in the day to create lessons that were exactly what I need. My Smartboard is not mounted on the wall, but is portable. They are trying to find funding so I can get one that is mounted on the wall. A portable one needs re-adjusting too often, especially with the kind of kids I have.
I also have a digital camera that I use all the time. The kids love seeing their own pictures, esp. when we make books.
I am very lucky to have a smartboard in my room and I use it all the time. I am able to email the worksheet that we are working on to my computer than can bring it up on my smartboard, then everyone can follow along. We can do our Weelky Reader on the smartboard (they have a digital edition)and they also have lessons to use on the smartboard that covers skills that we are working on. I am also very lucky to have a number of computers in my room and I am also getting an Ipad to down load activities to work with at my home visits.
We have an eBeam that we share among the grade levels. I also use flip videos and iPods with the kids. They love all the different learning that can happen!
I have had an Activboard in my classroom for the last 4 years and can’t imagine going back to teaching without one. This year my students are also using an iPad – practicing basic facts suddenly has become exciting again!
I love my Smart Board!! We have all of our Reading Lessons(Scott Foresman) on the board just as they would be presented in the Teacher’s Manual with all of the extra charts right on the notebook pages so “everything” you need is right there at your fingertips on the notebook pages for the day’s lesson. We even attach neat keynotes or powerpoints that go with the story and skills. You can also link to web sites that relate to skills, themes and etc. right on your notebook page. It’s fun to create “surprise” pages for the students too. Yep…I would not want to teach without one now. It really helps organize your teaching. Of course…you get the kids moving with related activities away from the Smart Board as well.
Our district just passed a bond that is going to infuse each classroom with upgraded technology, including doc. cameras, sound enhancement systems, and *hopefully* interactive whiteboards for early elementary classrooms. I am so excited and hopeful about this, and hope to get lots of ideas from blogs like this one on how to use it in creative ways. We use the Houghton Mifflin Math Expressions program, and I know that daily “math chat” (money chart, 120 number chart, etc) can be done on the interactive whiteboard, which would not only be more engaging for the kids, but would also save a good deal of wall space in my classroom. I know there is so much more out there – what an exciting time to be teaching!
I used my whiteboard for differentiating my math and reading. I use it for my ENITRE math curriculum.
There’s such a great need for more “current” technology in classrooms, but alas, my district has not yet funded smartboards for all classrooms. Fifth grade rooms have been equipped with smartboards and classroom computers, but as a second grade teacher – I don’t think we will be getting either for a long time. Our grade level team sought local grant money for at least a mobile projector that we could share (using our white marker boards as a screen),but unfortunately, we didn’t get the money. Personally, I would love to have my students manipulate objects on the screen demonstrating math concepts. I saw this in one demo and loved the interaction that the students had. I’m all for trying this new teaching aid – if I can get my hands on one! Smile!
We were just given Promethean boards this year, along with ActiVotes (which are like those voting devices you see on some TV shows where the audience can vote for a contestant) and an ActivSlate so that we can write on and control the board from anywhere in the room. I am amazed, first of all, that we were issued all this in one year. But secondly, I’m amazed at how much I’ve come to rely on using it! The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives website is perfect for the interactive board… I couldn’t imagine teaching math without it. No more wishing that I had the “overhead projector version” of my math manipulatives!
There’s a bit of a learning curve for teachers and students alike, but the vast majority of the teachers in our building have embraced the new technology and, once they learned some of the tricks, have loved it.
I use my SMARTBOARD as a countdown timer so my first graders know when each round of Daily 5 is over. I find that they can get a glimpse of counting down their numbers and take ownership of when their time is up without their teacher’s help.
Another great SMARTBOARD resource is watching and listening to story-online websites. The books seem to come to life and allows every child to see the pictures. These books usually have music and a very animated reader to listen to. Also, if your district has United Streaming an interactive whiteboard can bring the simplest subject to life!
A somewhat more affordable alternative to smartboards are eBeams. They allow you to do many interactive activities with your classroom and are also portable.
All the teachers in our school have interactive whiteboards. I use it for lunch count…as my students enter the room they move their name to the appropriate place on the board. I can quickly take attendance and do lunch count. I also have a scanner in my room and I am able to instantly scan any paper that we are working on to the board. This completely replaces the overhead. I use it with the CDs from our EnVision math curriculum. The kids get to play fun computer games on it. I also use the smart exchange to get ready made lessons. 🙂
I have seen smartboard demonstrations for pre-K classes and love them. However, I do not currently have one available. Wisconsin is currently talking about doing away with 4K……..a major error in my opinion.
All of us in the elementary have on, the only problem is that they are mounted, the projectors are on a media cart, which means I have to align everytime. But for that I LOVE it–I do my math lessons, writing. I’m also taking a class–I’d be interested how the scan to the smart board works–do you do it before?
I use my SmartBoard for my math, grammar, and some of my Social Studies and Science lessons. It has added a lot to my classroom and lessons. Mine is mounted to the wall with a cart for the projector; this can be a problem as it is necessary to reorient the board several times a day. It has helped to motivate the students keep their attention.
I am lucky to be at a school where every classroom has a SMARTBoard. No idea what I would do without it!
In Kindergarten, some 1st, and some 2nd grade rooms have the Smart board. I would love to have one for my ECSE classroom. I use Clifford Magazine and it would be so cool to use 1 for the online video and game each month.
I received a Promethean Board a year and a half ago. In the first year I created over 100 flipcharts, incorporating items from the Mailbox in many of them. My favorite tool in ActivInspire is the camera tool. I also like the idea that I can create a graphic organizer in about a minute! My kids and I LOVE the Promethean Board, but we’d really like activotes.
I just found out yesterday that my class was one of three classes chosen to receive a Smartboard, students clickers and a slate that you can write on as you walk around the classroom. I am soo excited! We are in a small rural school, so this is a very big deal. We probably won’t have a lot of money left over for training, so I need all the suggestions that I can get for how to use this technology to the greatest extent. This blog has already been very helpful!
Thanks!
I love using my smartboard for everything…including using response clickers for tests. Kids pay attention. ASCD, in the article above states that they found the kids to look for the “sounds” of rewarding the correct responses rather than getting the correct answer. (ie. applause) I don’t agree. We like the additional sounds to laugh at, but when kids work in teams on learning games to reach higher levels, they want the right answers. I have had kids tell me that they have learned so much from these experiences with the whiteboard. I see and hear their learning when we have discussions and when we write essays. There is so much more to say……LOVE using them. Every day is a new experience.
I am adding to the post I just submitted. I copied and pasted my last post from facebook. I also use my smartboard for all subjects, math, ss, science and reading. Everything I teach has been digitalized and when you have a printer right in your room to print from…..ewww boy….it’s heaven. Kids can see the worksheets on the board. You can make links to websites to enhance your digitalized textbooks. Like I said, there is so much to relate. Now I want an elmo and a slate.
~and my enthusiasm for whiteboards shows, because this is my 3rd entry and I don’t care if I don’t get entered for the freebies!!!
Alas, I only have an overhead projector. My principal just told me that she’s putting a document camera into the new budget for me! Now I wonder, which would be more beneficial: a document camera (ELMO) or a Smartboard? I really don’t know what a Smartboard does. What do you all suggest? I teach kindergarten. Pam, you’ve used both – any advice?
Good idea.interactive whiteboard makes learning more interesting and synthesizes concepts. This is an article every person should read.Bringing together whiteboards, document, cameras, and other cool techno stuff makes learning environment cools and definitely students feel energized to attend lessons.I will visit again for new posting.Good work.
I teach Kindergarten–I use the Smartboard everyday for everything. The kids love using it. We play all sorts of games for Math, and reading.
It helps keep the kids interested. i orient my board once a day and it is good for the going.
There is nothing better than my SmartBoard! I have had one for the last few years, and I use it for every subject. The flexibility and opportunities you have using an interactive whiteboard are unbeatable. I, too, scan in worksheets so I don’t have to write so much…kids can follow along easily and this can be used to check or doing together. Our district has dvd playing opportunities on each computer as well, so we can even watch educational films as needed on the board. I use my Airliner to take to the kids’ seats or to stand at the side or back of the room when I don’t want to block the kids’ view with my body. This board holds the attention of every student in my class! I can’t imagine teaching without it anymore! I loved my job before having a SB, but now this makes it even more fun!
I have a smartboard, but don’t feel I use it to its potential. I teach a combination class of 1/2. Do any of you recommend certain sites or do you create your
own lessons? I do use Discovery Ed. but I would like to use it more interactively with my students. I do not have an elmo in my classroom. I do have a scanner
with my printer.
I teach Pre-K and I use my interactive whiteboard every morning for the “Special Helper” to assist with the attendance. Our attendance is online so I project it on the white board and the Special Helper reads the names out loud. The Special Helper then gets to mark an A, T or P in each box and then submit it to the office. This develops their reading, fine motor and listening skills, all before 8:05 am!
I have been using the Smart board with its componets (clickers, pens, etc.) for the last two years and I love, love, love it! My students are engaged in the learning and are more focused on the curriculum. I use it to teach Envisions Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Health and Calendar Math. There is hardly anything I don’t use it for. There are so many interactives that will support the common core subjects and many are free and others are easy to design on your own. I also use the Smart Table for small groups of students. Twenty First Century Technology is the way to go!