Thursday, December 8, 2011

I had an idea for a new unit.

It's going to be on how to make plans and find ideas. Kids will have an assignment to put a star next to any move in their scorebooks when they are just stumped for an idea, where they don't see a plan at all. And we will find ideas as a class. In between I will teach typical plans (?!). I will show you some of the best ones.
    I got a smartboard and I love it. Now I just sit in my comfy chair all day, behind my desk in a dark room; I get to play with some lights and force children to listen to me talk. It's awesome. If I need help, Fritz is right there. I don't have to remember what the position was before I tried to answer the kid's question. I go home feeling happy and relaxed.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

in fact smartboards, (and I wouldn't hesitate computers in general) are very bad for education... anything that diverts the brain from actually working and allows passivity is pretty much a poor tool for learning... of course most people who work in education are too dumb to realize this...

Elizabeth Vicary said...

Yeah, it's a good thing I hand write this blog

gurdonark said...

What a good thing to be able to work with a smartboard. So much more efficient, and a better "user experience" for your students.

I remember when colored chalk was an education innovation, and when being able to make overhead projection slides (pre-computer) was the height of presentation genius.

Anonymous said...

I look forward to reading your ideas on making a plan, should be great, thanks.

Anonymous said...

idiot teacher...

Leon Akpalu said...

Can I send in positions where I was stumped for a plan?

Elizabeth Vicary said...

definitely

Marc Widmaier said...

Smartboards rule! I used it today for the first time, it was so easy to show positions without having to reset the demo board every five seconds. Plus my kids, grades 1 through 4, had no trouble seeing the screen, while they always have trouble seeing the demo board.
Best,
-marc-