The Smart Board may be an
overused technology in many classrooms today. However, I do feel that it can be
very useful in an English class. It is a great tool for modeling literary
techniques. For example, if I were teaching a unit on poetry I could use the
Smart Board to model how to read a poem. When reading a poem it is very
important to annotate and write in the margins. I could use the board to model
to my students how I would annotate a poem and how they should as well. I could
use the markers to circle important words or even to identify different
literary elements present in the poem. This way they can visually follow my
train of thought in the annotating process.
Another
way that the board can be a helpful tool for my students is for essay
revisions. Similar to the poetry example, I could use the board to model how
the students should write their essays and revise them. I can show what good
brainstorming looks like by projecting a sample on the board. I can also model
for them how they should revise their essays during an essay revision. Essay
revision is always a process that students have trouble with as it is tedious
and an attentive process. Therefore, the board would be a great tool to model
for my students exactly how they should revise.
The
board can also be used to teach close reading. Close reading is a complex way
of dissecting a text and getting to the core of its meaning. Some students
struggle with this at first because they do not understand how to approach it. Using
the board will give me the opportunity to demonstrate to my students how they
should approach a complex text. The board allows, in all of these occasions, to
visually follow a complex process instead of just hearing how they should
approach something. When students are learning these complex skills, such as
dissecting a text in a close reading approach, they need to first see how it’s
done to then successfully tackle it. The board allows for the opportunity to
teach students the right way instead of losing them in the process.
The Smart Board can definitely be a great technology, but many teachers use them as updated overhead projectors. However, you seem to have many great ideas that allow Smart Boards to help promote student learning. In my READ411 class, I learned how important modeling is when teaching students how to read better. One of the most interesting features of a Smart Board is that there are usually different color markers. You can circle words and draw in different colors in order to differentiate your comments. By doing this, students will not be as confused visually. This could also be much more neater than using an overhead projector. In addition, the SmartBoard can access the internet and gather nearly any text imaginable while an Overhead Projector cannot. However, what this seems to be is a more teacher-centered activity. How can we get this kind of modeling to become a more student-centered activity? Can we ask questions that we have our students answer? We have to show them rather than telling them. However, I do think that this is a great tool to use in order to teach reading. It seems though that lessons like these hinges upon having the teacher setting up a proper activity and the students becoming engaged by asking questions if they need them. Otherwise, this Smart Board can easily not fulfill its educational purpose. Thus, technology is not always an updated substitute for an outdated method. It is important that the teacher plans a proper lesson, but I think that is what we have been learning through the entire class. Thank you for bringing this up.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nick, and I also agree with you Ana, particularly where you said "the board allows, in all of these occasions, to visually follow a complex process instead of just hearing how they should approach something." Being a big proponent of modeling, this was music to my ears. I don't think English teachers model enough for there students today, and as a result, students often approach a text unaware of how to dissect it. If an English educator were to do this in front of an entire class, particularly if they were to annotate, and include class in annotating, critical reading will benefit. I'm still unsure as to how to use smart board features to help enhance annotating (if you have ideas please let me know), but at least we both know that it is integral that we model for our future students.
ReplyDeleteI think one point you have made is the accessibility. As your ideas moved along on this post is embodies how a smart board allows for activities to move along. You jumped from poetry to essays and in between had many ideas for both. These leaps were fast and a perfect representation of the fast transitions a smart board would allow you to make in an English classroom. It is easy to fall into the trap of undermining the ability of the smart board. I think once you and I enter out own classroom we will be able to fully explore our possibilities with this device. I have similar ideas. This shows we want to explore. We do not want to fall victim of turning the smart board into sophisticated white board.
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