Smart Board Phobia

[teacher5]

:eek: On Friday two men and an adminstrative assistant came to my classroom to inform me that they would be installing a Smart Board in November and where did I want it! I knew they were coming since June, but did not know when they were showing up. Originally, we were told we would have to cover part of our regular white erase board and lose board space. I was not happy. I am old school and rely on the board and overhead projector. Then the adminstrative assistant said, "No, you don't have to lose your front board space, we can cover part of the back wall bulletinboard space, but you will need to lose the table in front of it and find a new place for 4 plastic crate storage bins. Although this made me feel better, I am still apprehensive because my training session is not until Nov. 18th, and it is two hours after school and there is no follow up mentoring. When I think back to years ago when I had to learn the computer, I did it, but it took a lot of practice and I kept a notebook of all the strategies and procedures I need to follow. If any one uses it, and can lessen my fears, or suggest a good source to learn it before I even go to the course, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

[wig]

I understand exactly what you mean. My principal won one at a principal's conference and gave it to me. NO TRAINING came with it. My son's school just installed them in all the classrooms and he did get training so he tried to show me how to use it. Understand that I have been teaching for over 35 years so I really DO know what you mean.

I put my "Grammar With A Giggle" up there each day and let the kids do the correcting. That is as far as I have gotten with it. LOL.

Make sure they install it low enough. You need to be able to reach the top of the board easily and the kids need to reach at least half of it. They installed mine WAY too high and I need a stool, which the kids think is hilarious.

Are they going to mount the LCD projector for you?

My board is in the middle of my two white boards. I hate that. I wanted it over to the side so I didn't have to split up my board area, but, "Oh Well" I keep the screen down so I don't accidentally write on it.

I have decided that the best way for me to learn how to use the board is to learn one "trick" at a time, do it well and then learn another "trick".

[sunnylife]

I got an interactive whiteboard in my classroom two years ago, and I love it! It did take a long time for me to figure out how to use it and get used to it. Videos on Teacher Tube really helped and I think you can sign up for online training through the SMART website. When your trainer comes, take really good notes. I printed out what I thought were important parts of the online user manual before our training so I could highlight what he went over with us for me to go back and work on later.

You'll need to take some time to "practice" with the board, and I agree that it was easier to take it one step at a time. For example, learn how to open a webpage on the board. Then learn how to write over the webpage. Then learn how to enter text into SMART notebook, etc.

It was easier for us at our school because we didn't have to create our own lessons or go find lessons. Our school subscribed to StarrMatica the year we got our boards, so I just use their interactive sites and lessons. It made it a lot easier starting out because I just had to know how to bring up the Internet and then all of my activities were right there for me. I didn't have to learn how to use much of Notebook except how to annotate (write and make notes) over the top of a webpage.

Good Luck!

[teacher5]

Wig and sunnylife thanks for your feedback. I am going to put it over my rear wall bulletiinboard toward the right side. I will be sure to make sure they install it low enough so the smallest kid in my room can reach the top. We have to share the projector with our grade partner teacher so it will be on a cart on wheels with all those lovely wires to attach and detach each time we use it. I will check Teacher Tube and the Smart website. Do you have the exact web address for the Smart website? If so, please let me know so I can visit it. Wig- I guess this old dog will need to learn and use one trick at a time, too. If anyone else has any other sources please let me know. Thanks to all!

[sunnylife]

You're welcome!

www dot smarttech dot com Click on the education tab.