I have seen teachers dumbstruck by the marvel that is the interactive whiteboard. A demonstrator flips the switch, lights dim, and The Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life” seems to play quietly in the background. Manipulating terms, circling important ideas, playing multimedia, allowing students to play the role of educator, getting instant feedback on poll questions—these are just a few of the things a teacher can see herself doing with the flat, white miracle that is the interactive whiteboard.
Or are you a teacher excited by laptops and tablets? The classroom of the future is landing today at a school near you. Or, if you’re lucky enough, it has landed at your school.
And it is awesome.
The Mailbox upper grades editors (myself included) are looking for your classroom-tested ideas, tips, and activities for using new technologies in the classroom. How do you get the most out of your interactive whiteboard? Do you keep a digital camera holstered to your hip? What great suggestions do you have for using a document camera or tablet computer or even your smartphone to help you in your job? Are you a technophile, creating new ways of teaching using the latest in high technology? We want to know, and we want you to share with us.
Just as classic ideas that appear in The Mailbox magazine are rewarded with $20 gift certificates, we’re doing the same with resources inspired by and using technology in the classroom. Send us yours. You’ll be glad you did.
I don’t know how original this idea is, but it is something I did this year for the first time with my first graders. We put a technology twist on show and tell. Parents emailed me a photograph of their child with their pet. The pictures were projected using our document camera. Students were then able to tell their classmates about their pet, which they were unable to bring to school. They then completed a story frame using our Mobi to give written information about their pet.