you became a teacher when you have moments like this.
I was out to one of our elementary schools this afternoon more or less on business. There was a presentation being given to a small group of teachers about a particular reading program. We’ve got a number of licenses for this software program and, recently, one of our outstanding educators had given a presentation at the Symposium 2008 conference where the principal of this school was first introduced to the program. He wanted to expose his staff to the possibilities.
So, we’re down there and do our thing and folks are talking about the possibilities. We’re feeling pretty good about delivering a motivating session and decide to let the moment sink in with the group and make our departure. Now, it’s after the afternoon recess on a Friday afternoon and I stick my head into the classroom of a friend to say goodbye and wish him a good weekend.
What I see is his class on the carpet around the room’s SMART Board, ready to do a number of things. I figure — what the hey and ask if I could take the kids for the balance.
With the assistance of volunteers, we get the board oriented and we go online to the program above. 34 eyes and 170 fingers were immediately engaged and we did some immersive language activities. Not a class management issue in sight and the discussions and comments that we had were at the very high level for this class.
It doesn’t get much better than this when the bell rings and none of these youngsters want to leave. It was a happy drive home for me and a great way to start the weekend.
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January 9, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Doug, Now you gotta tell us what this fantastic above mentioned program is. Or maybe I just missed it. Maybe it doesn’t matter. When you know how to master a SMART board and can let kids share in that fun with you, you do have them eating out of your hand. Oh that we all have enough days like that you remind us of the joys of working with kids and passing on the wisdom we have picked up over the year.
January 10, 2009 at 4:50 am
Alan, the software was Riverdeep’s Destination Reading. But, I suspect that you comments about the “eating out of your hand” goes to the heart of the manner. When you set an environment of shared learning, magic happens. We’ve been working hard at developing the community of learning concept and it pays off nicely.