SMARTboards are just that!

I can still hear the gut wrenching sound of nails against a chalkboard. I remember my teacher having a bag full of Expo markers for the white board. Sometimes, I miss those days. However, I LOVE my SMARTboard.  They make lessons more interactive and fun for students and they feel so good about themselves when they get to come up and actually use it.  I do sometimes still miss those days of getting a chalk board and a piece of chalk or a small wipe off board and a marker.  But SMARTboards sometimes really do enhance the teaching we do today.

Lessons are not much more interactive and students can actually move something on the screen. Online learning games can be played as a class now.  There are fun fonts and colors that can be used in SMARTnotebook that students absolutely love (Magic pen anyone???). 

However, in todays age when everything is at the touch of our fingertips, it is still nice to go "back in time" and use a chalkboard or white board every once in a while.

In the beginning of the year, while reviewing how to correctly write numbers and letters with my students, I handed out mini chalkboards and pieces of chalk and play a little "game" with my class. I call out a number, and they need to write it correctly on the board and hold it up. They love it! They don't get something like this too often and its nice to show that you can have fun without technology. I even got the assistant principal in on the fun- the class loved that!

SMARTboards are a fantastic tool for any teacher to use and have fun with however, sometimes I believe it important to get back to basics and for students to remember learning can take place without the technology.

Then again...SMARTboards are pretty cool...

Don't we all love to watch a great video...

Does anyone remember the days before instant access to videos. I do. I remember the days before SMARTboards and computers in the classroom and when if the teacher wanted to show us a movie, they had to place an order for the TV and VCR (wow! I just dated myself!) and then we would watch the movie.  Now, students only know of YouTube and DVDs and being able to pause simply by a touch. If a teacher wants to show students something, no longer do we need the request of a DVD or VHS or TV--SMARTboards have eliminated the need for that. I have such a mix of feelings towards this change that I can't come to a conclusion on whether or not I like it. I love the fact that I can show students videos about things ranging from the Mayflower to letter sounds to what animals look like in their natural habitats.  I love that I can show students a reading or animated version of a book that we have read and they can see different interpretations of things as well as expand their imagination.  However, I really dislike the fact that students now only know of instant videos and the ads that appear on the sides of EVERYTHING. Students would rather watch video of a book rather than listen to or Gd forbid read the book. Ads are very often inappropriate to show students, other videos listen on the sides distract students, and then there is always "I can't see!!!" Or "I can't hear!!!"
I love the positives, and there may be more of them, but the negatives seem to be worse.

Email

It's a beautiful thing...Sometimes.

As a teacher in the 21st century, email is a very important tool. Emails can be sent to a class, to individual students or parents, and is an easy way of communicating without having to lose so much time, which as we all know is very valuable. However, sometimes, parents abuse the privilege of having a teacher's email address and use that opportunity for the negative.

I am a new teacher this year, therefore I created a school email account to be used solely for the purpose of being in touch with parents in an easy way. Before school even began, I had an email from a parent telling me that her child would not be in for the first few days because they were on vacation (hello!?!? Summer just ended!) and hopefully he would not be penalized for it.  Additionally, I should please not give her child a seat in the back because he focuses better in the front.
Another time, I logged into my email to find that I had numerous emails from parents about various things ranging from food lunch problems to homework questions.

A question arose in my mind...is there such a thing as TOO much communication and availability with parents??? When I was growing up and in school, if my mother had a question for the teacher, she would send in a note or would call the school if it was urgent. A parent asked me for my cell phone number because she is a "texter" and it is easier for her.  I replied that i do not give out my cell phone number rather she should email me any concerns or questions.  Parents, just like children in this generation, need instant gratification and notice. If an email goes unchecked for 30 minutes, parents send another one.

I love that parents want to communicate with the teacher and if a question comes up that it will be answered. I think parents need to realize that during school hours, I am in charge and that if a problem arises I will communicate with them.  If something urgent needs to be addressed, it will be addressed.  But this hounding of teachers for, sometimes, the most miniscule of things, is absurd.  I am not your child's personal psychiatrist or tutor and parents need to understand that they cannot hound me and bombard me with emails and that sometimes, they can figure things out on their own.