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In at the Deep End

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Robert Jones

Friday 02 June 2006

All this week, Promethean and FES staff have been busy in the maths departments of ELC high schools installing Promethean whiteboards and associated projectors. They finished here at North Berwick yesterday afternoon, having done a thoroughly professional job.

And so... this morning arrived, and I found myself at the front of a class of 32 eager S2 pupils with only the whiteboard to work from.

Instead of trying to do a lesson that used the whiteboard, on what was in fact my last lesson of the academic year with this class, I decided to do a lesson about the whiteboard. I want all my pupils to feel comfortable with the technology, so they need some hands-on experience!

I started with a quick demo of some of the flashier tools, then played number hangman, with pupils coming up to write on the board, so that by the end of the lesson almost everyone had held the stylus and made their mark.

The pupils, of course, took to it instantly, with lively cries of "no - click on the undo button" or "you need to pick the pen first" from the audience.

My next class was an S3 foundation group of only 17. I ran a similar lesson, and they all got the chance to spend more time at the board. I showed a "vertically challenged" member of the class how she could drag the flipchart down to bring the top within her reach, and from then on she insisted on writing only at the very top of the chart.

I'm very excited about this technology! Over the weekend I'll be playing with ActivStudio (the software that supports the Promethean boards) and planning how I can use the board to improve the introductory lessons I'll be doing on Monday, when the new timetable begins.

Comments

Whiteboards

Norma Macpherson

Friday 07 July 2006

I was delighted to return to East Lothian and read your comments Robert. It is a very interesting journey of discovery. Thank you for the insight.

Disappionted in Interactive Whiteboards

Dave Douglas

Friday 16 June 2006

Whilst appreciating the positive experiences of the use of interactive white boards in mathematics I am somewhat disappointed that the whiteboards purchased in my school still lie in cupboards waiting to be installed.

Whiteboards

Elizabeth Cowan

Friday 02 June 2006

Robert - delighted to hear you are up and running with your new Interactive Whiteboard. Will be interested to read your comments over the next few weeks as you get more used to using the board.

Whiteboards

Don

Friday 02 June 2006

Robert, thanks for starting this blog. It's going to be very interesting watching how it impacts upon classroom practice. You will be aware that there uis little evidence to show that it leads to any improvement in attainment. I'm sure that won't be the case in East Lothian.

Brian - the boards are being installed in all secondary school maths departments - MGS included!

Whiteboards

Brian Cunningham

Friday 02 June 2006

Are the whiteboards being installed in all the Schools? I havent seen any being put in here (MGS) and would relish the chance to see just what they can do as I've heard so much about them.

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