GettingTech-SMART!

Learning is fun! Today two Library Helpers from Ms. Miceli's class came near the end of the day. After they finished stacking chairs, making deliveries, organizing the magazine rack, and shutting down extra computers, they had a few minutes. They respectfully asked if they could write on the SMART Board before I turned it off. When I okayed their careful experimenting, they enjoyed exploring the fun writing features it offers. After showing them how to turn off the SMART Board, we were all ready for the end of the day.

When we got our first building SMART Board in September we all began exploring more and more ways to use it. Since last fall, Ms. Miceli has blocked out an hour each week for class instruction featuring the SMART Board and student use of the computers in our "mini-lab" of library computers. So many other teachers now have blocks reserved that I recently began posting the Library Schedule in the hallway so teachers can see which times are open in the Library. We also began "Get SMART Thursday" lunches every few weeks when faculty members can exchange ideas and activities and have time to practice on the SMART Board.

Last week our school received a new SMART Board; the first in a classroom. Mrs. Rathbone, Grade 3 teacher, has already created many interactive lessons using the SMART Notebook software. She is scheduled to do a brief sharing at next week's Get SMART Thursday for the first lunch. Mrs. Manchester will share activities at the second lunch and I expect there will be plenty of practicing and "playing" with the SMART Board. Our students instinctively know the best way to get familiar with technology is to "play" with it, and we're finding out the same thing!