Interesting State of Affaires
I am not the brightest light in the chandelier, but coming from a less technical generation, I often am at a loss in this age of computers.
I enter a class where I am substitute teaching with classroom plans expecting me to use videos, DVDs or the smart board. Each teacher has a computer, and often the elementary teachers supervise the computer lab. I have only run tape recorders(remember them...reel to reel, then cassettes), CD players, video players, DVD players, but a Smart Board? That is a challenge.
Thursday I have instructions to play a video, then students are to answer questions. Hummmmm. There are two Televisions, two computers, a Smart Board, and two players. I am already in trouble.
"Who is the electronics genius in this class," I announce, expecting a young man with large, square black plastic glasses to volunteer. Instead I seen a lithe tall young lady, long blond hair, jump up, wave her hands, asking to help. I reflect upon the blond stereotype, but still ask for her help. She first analyzes that the upper player is only for DVDs.
"We will play the VHS in the lower one."
We have made a first down.
I suggest we use the nearest TV. Using any of the usual channels we get cartoons. Cheers from the class. Quiet as we try another channel. Cheers as we tune into more cartoons. Not exactly what we expected.
"We usually watch videos on the Smart Board."
She jumps up, pushes the power button, waits, but nothing appears on the board. She hops over to the teacher's computer.
"I don't have a password," I say.
"Oh, that's okay," she says, I'll just use mine."
Still nothing after a few minutes working on the keyboard.
She decides to go next door, ask another teacher.
Comes back, "We should probably use the other TV, and just put the VHS directly into the TV."
I search for the cord, it is not even plugged in, it is really covered up, standing in the corner. As I try to figure out where the plug is, suddenly the Smart Board comes alive with the video of the settling of Jamestown.
TOUCHDOWN! But we have no idea HOW it happened!
Each time I enter a class, I try to take one more step toward Smart Board mastery(HA!). I know there is a power button, but the board takes a moment to warm up, so it glows. I know the "markers" and "eraser" work by being individually removed and replaced, touching the appropriate spots to activate what you want to do, like a cursor, but I have used them rarely.
Most teachers still ask the substitutes to hand out worksheets, and then have students do "busy work". I'm not saying it is not important information, but the idea is to keep students hands and minds active for the entire hour. Rarely have I "taught" a class, led a discussion, or heard students take different sides of a debate.
I have enjoyed reading from books to a class, while they draw or journal about the text to which they are listening. I have enjoyed discussing the material read in class, and asking students to make connections with their life, whether for science, history, social studies, or language arts.
In Elementary school I enjoying guiding students how to draw a fish (yes, I even substituted a first grade art teacher!), and then watching students color and improvise the background with crayons, markers and pencils.
What I am waiting for, is to substitute a language teacher. I am trained in French and German. Have NOT done that yet.
I enter a class where I am substitute teaching with classroom plans expecting me to use videos, DVDs or the smart board. Each teacher has a computer, and often the elementary teachers supervise the computer lab. I have only run tape recorders(remember them...reel to reel, then cassettes), CD players, video players, DVD players, but a Smart Board? That is a challenge.
Thursday I have instructions to play a video, then students are to answer questions. Hummmmm. There are two Televisions, two computers, a Smart Board, and two players. I am already in trouble.
"Who is the electronics genius in this class," I announce, expecting a young man with large, square black plastic glasses to volunteer. Instead I seen a lithe tall young lady, long blond hair, jump up, wave her hands, asking to help. I reflect upon the blond stereotype, but still ask for her help. She first analyzes that the upper player is only for DVDs.
"We will play the VHS in the lower one."
We have made a first down.
I suggest we use the nearest TV. Using any of the usual channels we get cartoons. Cheers from the class. Quiet as we try another channel. Cheers as we tune into more cartoons. Not exactly what we expected.
"We usually watch videos on the Smart Board."
She jumps up, pushes the power button, waits, but nothing appears on the board. She hops over to the teacher's computer.
"I don't have a password," I say.
"Oh, that's okay," she says, I'll just use mine."
Still nothing after a few minutes working on the keyboard.
She decides to go next door, ask another teacher.
Comes back, "We should probably use the other TV, and just put the VHS directly into the TV."
I search for the cord, it is not even plugged in, it is really covered up, standing in the corner. As I try to figure out where the plug is, suddenly the Smart Board comes alive with the video of the settling of Jamestown.
TOUCHDOWN! But we have no idea HOW it happened!
Each time I enter a class, I try to take one more step toward Smart Board mastery(HA!). I know there is a power button, but the board takes a moment to warm up, so it glows. I know the "markers" and "eraser" work by being individually removed and replaced, touching the appropriate spots to activate what you want to do, like a cursor, but I have used them rarely.
Most teachers still ask the substitutes to hand out worksheets, and then have students do "busy work". I'm not saying it is not important information, but the idea is to keep students hands and minds active for the entire hour. Rarely have I "taught" a class, led a discussion, or heard students take different sides of a debate.
I have enjoyed reading from books to a class, while they draw or journal about the text to which they are listening. I have enjoyed discussing the material read in class, and asking students to make connections with their life, whether for science, history, social studies, or language arts.
In Elementary school I enjoying guiding students how to draw a fish (yes, I even substituted a first grade art teacher!), and then watching students color and improvise the background with crayons, markers and pencils.
What I am waiting for, is to substitute a language teacher. I am trained in French and German. Have NOT done that yet.
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