THE ACADEMIC CORNER
Young students are on the cutting edge

Students at Washington-Wilkes Primary School (W-WPS) are using cutting-edge technology!

W-WPS students and teachers are using Smart Boards in their classrooms. Smart Boards are interactive whiteboards that can be used in a variety of technologyconnected lessons. These large boards are used in place of dryerase boards but they are directly connected to a computer, giving the board many high-tech capabilities. Students and teachers are able to write and draw on these boards like traditional dry-erase boards using special pens or even their fingers! Teachers can display computer programs or Internet sites for whole class instruction. The teacher simply taps on the Smart Board to navigate through any program or website.

There are seven Smart Boards currently in use at W-WPS. Teachers and students at every grade level are benefitingfrom this technology. Teachers can roll a portable board into their classrooms or take their class to our special Smart Board room which has a dedicated board for all to use with wireless Internet connectivity.

Using Smart Boards or interactive whiteboards benefits students in several ways. Technology connected lessons promote student engagement and motivation. The large screen is ideal for whole class activities, either led by the teacher or student-centered. Each child can easily see the activities on the screen instead of a few students huddled around one small com- puter screen. Student motivation is high when each has an opportunity to touch or move objects. Using the Smart Board also benefits students with a variety of learning styles.

Smart Boards can be integrated with any subject area. Students in the media center watch Living Books and learn how words are connected to text. The Science and Social Studies enrichment labs use Smart Boards to conduct research on different countries and display Science experiments via the Internet. Language Arts teachers use the interactive boards to develop conceptual knowledge and write stories, while math teachers visit many interactive math websites to practice higher order mathematics skills. All with the tap of a finger.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
The Office Cat	2
Neighborhood vandalism is out of control	1
The Office Cat	1
Drug problem growing; little is being done	1
The Office Cat	1
Family escapes death in semi hit-and-run	1
Feed a family of four for $10 a week	1