Smart Board, Stupid Students
Just got a SmartBoard today (I'm sure there's supposed to be a little TM after that - as convinced as I am that it's one word), and don't really know how to use it, but I'm enjoying the process of learning. I'm a first-year teacher at this school (sixth-year overall), which raises the question how I earned this privilege. I didn't do it by buttering anyone up, or by conniving and telling lies. I think the process had three steps:
1. Mention the SmartBoard in your interview as a way of looking up on the latest classroom technology.
(a). Do so when making mention is relevant, i.e., when they ask you how you would like to incorporate technology into the classroom
(b). Do so honestly - if it is the case, say you have never used one, but would love the opportunity, because you could imagine the number of uses to which it could be put.
2. During the first few days of in-services preceding the beginning of classes, pester the science teacher who's been strong-armed into being the tech coordinator (you know he's actually happy to have been strong-armed into this position, don't you?) to let you practice with the SmartBoard after hours, even though it's sitting hooked up in the library, not in your room.
3. Never ask for the SmartBoard to be put in your room, but never say you don't want it when they offer it. Do suggest that, as a first-year, perhaps others should have the opportunity to get the first SmartBoard in the school in their rooms - but don't be insistent.
4. Schedule time in the library to use the SmartBoard, even if you only do it once because, not knowing how to use it particularly well yet, you find it not to be all that useful.
5. The day you show up for school planning on using the regular board, only to find an uncalibrated SmartBoard sitting on top of it, don't complain. Start messing around with it, learn how to calibrate it on your own (it's not too hard - if you can't figure it out, just type your notes into the notebook page), and start earning a reputation as the most tech-savvy teacher in the school.
6. Plan to bring a gun, or many detention sheets, to convince students not to press the SmartBoard at the beginning of class when you're trying to use the computer at your desk but your projector is still on. Also useful for convincing students during study not to stand up, while you're looking at the SmartBoard, and place their hands in front of the projector.
That's six steps, for those of you who don't teach math. Also, step 6 supplied me with my post's title.
1. Mention the SmartBoard in your interview as a way of looking up on the latest classroom technology.
(a). Do so when making mention is relevant, i.e., when they ask you how you would like to incorporate technology into the classroom
(b). Do so honestly - if it is the case, say you have never used one, but would love the opportunity, because you could imagine the number of uses to which it could be put.
2. During the first few days of in-services preceding the beginning of classes, pester the science teacher who's been strong-armed into being the tech coordinator (you know he's actually happy to have been strong-armed into this position, don't you?) to let you practice with the SmartBoard after hours, even though it's sitting hooked up in the library, not in your room.
3. Never ask for the SmartBoard to be put in your room, but never say you don't want it when they offer it. Do suggest that, as a first-year, perhaps others should have the opportunity to get the first SmartBoard in the school in their rooms - but don't be insistent.
4. Schedule time in the library to use the SmartBoard, even if you only do it once because, not knowing how to use it particularly well yet, you find it not to be all that useful.
5. The day you show up for school planning on using the regular board, only to find an uncalibrated SmartBoard sitting on top of it, don't complain. Start messing around with it, learn how to calibrate it on your own (it's not too hard - if you can't figure it out, just type your notes into the notebook page), and start earning a reputation as the most tech-savvy teacher in the school.
6. Plan to bring a gun, or many detention sheets, to convince students not to press the SmartBoard at the beginning of class when you're trying to use the computer at your desk but your projector is still on. Also useful for convincing students during study not to stand up, while you're looking at the SmartBoard, and place their hands in front of the projector.
That's six steps, for those of you who don't teach math. Also, step 6 supplied me with my post's title.
posted by J. R. R. Hawking | 11:15 AM
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