How do you use your SmartBoard/IWB?
Posted by jamesfrankel on January 13th, 2010
I am presenting a one hour workshop on behalf of SoundTree on utilizing SmartBoards/IWBs in the music classroom this upcoming Monday, and I need your help.
The workshop is focused on best practices with SmartBoards/IWBs and will provide lesson plan ideas for general, vocal and instrumental music teachers. I would love to feature some of your ideas in the workshop (and would credit you fully). If you would please take a few moments to share how you are using your IWB (Interactive White Board) with your students; what brand of IWB you have; what are the advantages and disadvantages of using an IWB in your classroom; and any resources that you use to create lessons using software like Notebook for the SmartBoard. By the way - special thanks to my dear friend Liz - the model in the picture above.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. The workshop is on Monday!
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January 13th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Our county (Chesterfield, VA) recently went to Promethean boards. The website for teachers, www.prometheanplanet.com, has many resources for music teachers. (Sadly, many of our music teachers don’t have access to the boards….yet!)
Hope this helps.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
I’ve been using my SmartBoard in my music room for one year. I teach PreK - 4th grades- 490 children - who come twice each week. The IWB has completely inspired me to dream in my lessons. I can illustrate musical concepts and the children can interact so they finally “SEE” what I’m trying to verbally describe. I have many lessons that I would be so happy to share with you if you are interested. Several are already on the SmartBoard web site under C Herring I think - or Cherie Herring!? Let me know where to send a few lessons and I’ll gladly share. I have great lessons for Kindergarten using Hap Palmer songs, Really fun lessons for sightsinging and a Soda Rhythm interactive game with downloadable game cards. I have another lesson called, “What’s the Deal with the Quill” about the Harpsichord and piano/ terraced dynamics/ and I transposed Musette in D to play on Boomwhackers using forte and piano, etc. All these have really worked in my elementary classroom. My students now “OWN” the Smartboard and take turns turning pages for songs and running the ipod. Using my airliner, I can control the lesson while still giving space to learn. MY boys love music theory….. what more needs to be said? The can’t wait to have magic dictation using the magic pen. They can MOVE the note pattern to transpose it and then play it on their bell sets. I could go on and on! The Smartboard is exactly what my teaching heart has been craving; I finally have a way to get out all the creative ideas that now flow freely.
cherieherring@gmail.com or cherring@hammondschool.org
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Cherie Herring, I just got a Smartboard and love it, but would love to see how you are using it. If you can help with ideas, I would appreciate it.
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:01 pm
I forgot….my email is trmcdon@hotmail.com or mcdonaldt@mustangps.org Thank you, Terre
January 24th, 2010 at 1:35 am
HI Terre!
I have had my SmartBoard since last March so I’m not quite through a whole year of lessons. I love it for my music class. The hardest part is getting started, of course. If you go on the SmartBoard Resource site you can preview and download many lessons already created. That’s how I got started. I saw what others had created and I basically took the lessons apart to understand how they created the pages and links, etc., and then I started little by little making my own lessons. I teach PreK - 4th grade and have posted several lessons already. you can look for them under “CherieH” or CHerring. Our school has an account with “ClipArt.com” and that’s where I get all my clipart. IT is very time-consuming to create a great lesson, but the kids have really loved the new way to learn. Beware… once your kids have experienced the fun way to learn with a SmartBoard, they are hooked and crave more and more! I’m a much better teacher because it makes me adapt my teaching so the kids can have a reason to touch the board and manipulate notes or rhythm in some way. The more I work with my lessons, the better I feel I’m getting at having my class work on an activity or game while bringing one child up to work with me on the SmartBoard. The goal is to have the students interact with the board and I definitely think there is an art to making that happen successfully.
I’d love to email back and forth about it. If I can help you or encourage you in any way, I’d love to share what I’ve learned to help you get started. It’s fun to share ideas because it’s easy to feel very isolated in the excitement yet starving for conversation with another musician.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cherie
March 4th, 2010 at 9:29 am
I know this is late but I thought I would respond anyway….
I’ve been teaching with a Smartboard for 3 years now. It has completely changed my classroom. I use the Smartboard for everything; attendance, seating charts, rhythm exercises, solfege, instrument families, recorder music, book, games, etc… Students beg to help, beg to answer questions, lack of classroom participation is non-existent. The students are eager to learn and pick up the concepts faster.
This week we are doing ear training rhythm exercises. Students click on an instruments, listen for the rhythm and find the choice that matches the rhythm. Upper grades we do the same exercise but they also dictate the rhythm.
I would love to collaborate with more music teachers. My email is andyaramos@gmail.com.
One of my favorite sites http://mustech.pbworks.com