The Classroom Toolbox

The classroom should be the primary resource for all learners and serve as a giant toolbox. Like any toolbox, the classroom can only be effective if the proper tools are included and the users understand how to use all the tools appropriately. Let’s begin by examining interactive boards like the Promethean Board or Smart Board. If you’re lucky enough to no longer need a dry-erase marker, or for that matter chalk, ugh, hopefully you’ve discovered the advantages of your interactive board.

I’ve heard stories of rooms where the interactive board was never turned on and simply being used as a projection screen, yikes. The interactive board in your room should not be used as a magnetic surface either. Nor should you only turn it on during Movie Day, probably many reasons for this including some professional ethics.

So then what should this magnificent classroom resource be used for? At the very basic level your new board should be used as an interactive screen. By that I mean you should learn to present lesson information in a meaningful way through this device. You should be sharing student work, lesson content and pages, exemplar pieces and more on the board. Start slow and get acquainted but don’t ignore your fancy board. It’s likely the most intriguing and appealing device in your classroom.

So what prevents teachers from using the boards properly? Most times it’s intimidation. Teachers are not sure how to use the board properly. In some cases they’re even scared to break it. This is not always the fault of the teacher. Often teachers don’t receive appropriate professional development on how to use their respective boards, but keep in mind the board is like any other piece of technology. You need to explore with it, learn on the job. Think back to when you were younger. Did you ever play video games? The odds are you did. It’s also likely that you didn’t open up the box and read the directions to the game. You turned the gaming system on and learned to play on the go. Gaining hands on experience with each attempt to successfully advance to the next level. Similar to how you learned to use your new smartphone. Your interactive board operates the same way. Turn the board on, play with it and learn from your experiences. You likely won’t be depositing checks or starting the car from you interactive board but you will be able to incorporate many wonderful things into your lessons. Nothing can replace the knowledge you gain from actually doing something, teachers know this better than anyone else. Do the same for yourself and keep in mind, much like many computer applications today, the interactive boards offer you the liberty of selecting “undo.”

So where should teachers start? Begin by turning the board on and exploring with the program. If you have a Promethean Board, get familiar with their website Promethean Planet. This website offers video tutorials where you can follow along step by step to learn some of the fascinating tricks your new board is capable of. Here is a list of some features I would suggest learning first; Design Mode, Grouped (Grouping items together), Area Snapshot, Drag a Copy, Reorder/Layer, Locked Position, Inserting Links, and Magic Ink (This requires learning some of the others first but is an attention getter).

As you grow from a novice to a proficient user don’t forget to share. By share I mean with your students. The mystique of the board and opportunity to use technology will capture the attention of students. Don’t deny your scholars the opportunity to use this tool. If you teach them how to use it properly you will have students eager to use the board to complete and present work.

I’ve seen teachers conduct lessons while using the board as a center and allowing students to collaboratively work on the interactive board. In one class I noticed charts and posters that were created by students and left open on the board for students to access and scroll through. During a math lesson I witnessed students using the interactive ruler and protractor to accurately measure lengths and angles of various polygons. In a reading lesson I saw students rotate in groups, taking turns at the interactive board to create Venn Diagrams and other visuals. As they finished they took snapshots of their work which were then saved. These student samples provided evidence of student learning and charts that could be displayed for future lessons. Don’t discredit the board it’s more than just some place to write the objective of a lesson or to list the vocabulary terms of a unit. Put the interactive board in your room to good use. It’s a tool like few others and if used appropriately can be very constructive.