The Simplicity of A SMART BOARD

It surprises me the level of excitement that students have based on the sole fact that you are using a SMART BOARD in class. I am still very technologically illiterate and up to this point, I have only used it for on a very basic level. We have always had a data projector in the classroom and we used it for power point presentations, but it constricted us to simply using the direct instruction method. The students automatically become jaded to the thought of using power points because teachers often use this as their basic means of instruction. Though we use the smart board in the same manner, it seems to illicit a different response. It allows the students to become active participants in the direct instruction method. We can call on students to simply draw, underline, add to, or subtract from our power points with the color pens and they seem to love it. They are engaged a lot longer and they seem to not mind taking the notes because the “add-ons” allow them to better remember each slide.
I have also utilized my Smart Board over the past week during writing instruction. We do not know how to use the writing instruction program yet but the smart board was still able to make it successful. As we continue to receive more training on the use of our smart board it will allow us to have more intriguing and effective lessons.