My Fingers Are Peachy Again!

One day in the teachers' lounge, I looked down at one of my colleagues hands, and noticed his fingers were colored purple, red, green, and blue. As I listened to him describe to another teacher his overhead transparency woes, I reflected how only a few months ago, my own fingers used to look exactly like his! Having access to the SMART document camera for the last few months has revolutionized the way I teach, not to mention that it's given me back my natural, fleshy coloration.

I used to have to run to the lounge to make a simple transparency. Now, any time I want to show students a handout, a drawing, student work, realia, or any other visual aid, I just fire up "Notebook 10," SMART's whiteboard software, flick on the document camera and take a snapshot of the image. Just this week, a student brought in his pet gecko as part of his visual aid for his oral news report. The little guy was a mere two inches long, but under the SMART document camera, he was as large as a poster. I then saved the image for later use. If I ever need a picture of a gecko again, it's right there.

By combining 5.2x optical and 8.0x digital zoom, the SMART Document Camera displays images that are sharp and vivid. You can also automatically focus your images and adjust the brightness for varying light levels. The document camera’s head and arm rotate, so you can easily view an object from different angles. The camera lens can also be aligned to the eyepiece of a microscope without requiring an optical adapter. The SMART Document Camera’s control panel is intuitive, with a simple interface that allows you to conveniently control all the camera’s functions. You can also control it directly from a menu in Notebook software 10. The LED lamp even allows you to use the camera in a darkened room. You can save images even if your document camera isn’t connected to a computer by using an SD Memory Card (not included).

The camera connects to any digital display device, such as a computer monitor, projection screen or television, using a VGA cable. You can also connect it to a SMART Board interactive whiteboard through a computer using a USB cable. The document camera weighs only 6.4 pounds (2.9 kg), so it’s easy to move around the room. You can also secure it in your room with a Kensington cable lock. The SMART Document Camera comes with a standard five-year warranty.

Pros: The SMART document camera works seamlessly with SMART's Notebook 10 Whiteboard software. Cut back on the amount of time you spend preparing lessons by creating digital content instantly during a class. You also don’t need to fuss with transparencies or markers for overhead projectors. There are numerous display options, including USB and VGA.

Cons: Occasionally, the one light used to illuminate objects beneath the camera can cause certain glossy images to produce a glare. The price tag is steep. The SMART 280 lists at $999, but can be found in the mid- $900's on the Internet. The price is even lower when purchased as part of a package deal from a local SMART dealer.

Overall impression: Prior to using the SMART document camera, many teachable moments had to be tabled because there was simply no way to show a tiny image to the entire class. Teachable moments were put on hold because making an overhead transparency was impossible until the next break. Now, with the click of a button, even students in the nosebleed section can see even the smallest details. And when the moment requires that a given image be displayed quickly, it can happen lightening fast! But perhaps the best part is: my fingers are peachy again!

King of Technology

My Intersession class, made up of mostly fifth graders, entered a music video contest. The winning video will receive a classroom makeover worth $25,000 in new technology. We could write a parody of any song, and we chose The Sounds, Queen of Apology and turned it into King of Technology. Although we did not move on to the finals, we had a great time working on this video.

Virtual Author Series: Great Fun

When I was in fifth grade, a famous author came to our school and read us one of her stories. Even as a child, I knew it was going to go down as a memorable moment. Last Tuesday, the latest MYVisit Virtual Author Series gave my sixth graders the opportunity to watch a LIVE stream of a fantastic children's book creation team, Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. This Author and Illustrator of the children's book Click, Clack Moo, spoke to a group of second graders -- but thanks to modern technology, (Apple, Simon & Schuster, The Booksource, and Ball State University), we felt like we were part of the action. Just before 9 AM Pacific, I visited the website, tested the stream, and within minutes, my sixth grade classroom was transformed into an extended virtual classroom. I think part of the reason this event held my students' attention for the entire hour was because they knew they weren't watching some prerecorded video; it was a LIVE event, happening across the U.S., right before their eyes.

Author Doreen Cronin gave some great advice for approaching writing. Among her numerous tips, Doreen indicated that a white sheet of paper can be intimidating, even for an accomplished writer as herself. She always hears a small voice in her head that tells her she's not a writer and can't do it. When she hears this discouraging voice, she draws a tiny box on the bottom of the page and puts a mark in it, then closes the box. From that point on, anytime she feels like she can't do it, she reminds herself that those negative thoughts are locked in the box and can't effect her anymore.

During the 55 minute event, I passed a laptop around the room and students posed questions and comments on the forum for the ladies to answer at a later date. Here are a few responses from my students:

* I really like this whole book talk. I think it is very educational for kids and grown ups who like to write stories. -Crystal
* Hey Doreen, how do your book ideas come to you? Does it just pop in your head or do you see something that gives you an idea? I am curious. -Nathan
* Hey, I really like your books. I also have a question... Betsy how long you were drawing? -Brianna
* Doreen...What voice in side of you said that book writing is going to be your bread and butter? -Omar

One way I think the experience could be improved is if there was an event moderator who took questions from some of us in the virtual community rather than to limit questions to the LIVE audience. Overall, the event was well worth our time and I'm looking forward to the next round of authors.

Learn more about MYVisit virtual author series and follow links to Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin's official websites!

SMART Board 600i - First Impressions

In the coming months, I will be writing a lot about the SMART Technologies line of products, in particular, the SMART Board 600i. Several weeks ago, I approached SMART Technologies in an effort to attain a review unit of the SMART Board 600i in my classroom. I also asked Prometheum, a leading competitor in the interactive white board market, if they, too, would like to participate in my review. As of today, Prometheum has not responded. A couple of weeks ago, SMART Technologies indicated their interest. And last week, they installed a SMART Board 600i in my classroom. Since its installation a mere five days ago, I have already used the device in Language Arts, Writing, Social Studies, and Math. The moment I used it in one subject, I felt energized to use it in another. Even at this early stage, I can already see why interactive white boards are a must-have tool for teachers.

Today, I used the SMART Technologies document camera, connected to the SMART Board, to snap a picture of a page in our math text book. I then invited students to come up and solve some problems on the SMART Board. One at a time, students approached the interactive white board, selected one of the four dry erase markers, and began to write directly onto the enlarged image of the math page. Some students took a little longer getting used to the markers than others. Each marker is simply a prop designed to look and feel like a real dry erase marker. They come in four colors: black, red, green, and blue. One problem is that an incidental palm press confuses the white board about which press it should respond to -- the palm press or the tip of the marker. But students master this skill within seconds. By pressing firmly and deliberately, and by resisting the urge to rest their hand on the board, they find they can write on the board with success. After the math lesson, I saved our work as a PDF which I now have the option of either uploading it to my class website, archiving it for later, or printing it out for students.

The students' reaction to the SMART Board has been very positive. When they see me power it up, they suddenly become very excited because they know that in a moment, I am going to invite volunteers to come up and perform some kind of learning activity on it. In the coming weeks and months, I'll post more observations about the SMART Board 600i; review the SMART Airliner Wireless Slate; SMART Notebook software and lesson activities; and the Senteo interactive response system.

Computer Assisted Creating

The computer is more than just a tool for remediation; it's a powerful tool for creating digital content. While remediation can be an effective use of students' time on a computer, I'm beginning to believe my students think that's all the computer is good for. Their first activity as a new transfer to our school is to take a computer-based reading test to reveal their reading level. Later that week, they take another computer based assessment to determine their math level. Each week, my students take a series of drill-n-kill basic math quizes in the computer lab. After that, they can take a test on the latest book they read. If they're lucky enough, they might be able to print out a picture or article on one of the classroom computers for their oral news report. Some students attend our after school program and work on English language development software programs while other kids focus on computer-aided reading improvement software.

Aside from creating an occasional word processing document, my students don't create a shred of digital content. This is beginning to frighten me. With the number of jobs requiring 21st century computer skills, how can I sit back and NOT teach kids to use technology to create products such as flash animation, podcasting, blogging, photo manipulation, web design, presentation software, game development, computer aided design, the list goes on. In order to get my students used to the idea of using the computer as a creative tool, I'm going to let them start their own blog. I'm using Gaggle.net. One of my students wants to have a sports blog and discuss the best plays of the weekend. Another student is going to blog about taking care of her various pets. A few students are going to write reviews of video games. I don't care what they blog about -- I'm excited to see how my students will respond to becoming content producers and not just consumers. How empowering!

Great Printer + Great Customer Care

A great printer + great customer support = an awesome experience with my Kodak 5500 series All-In-One printer. It's a flatbed scanner, it's a dual-side photo copier, it takes a variety of memory cards, it's Mac and PC compatible, it prints beautiful pictures, in short, I love it! The best part about this printer is the inexpensive ink -- you'll pay easily half what you pay for other brands. I used to spend a lot of money on ink, but that was in the pre-Kodak era. Although this ink-sipping printer is the Prius of printers, its halo was tarnished this week when I suddenly found I could no longer print black. Scrolling through the menu on the printer, I did all the things one does before they break down and call customer support: cleaned the print head, deep cleaned the print head, calibrated the print head, even sacrificed a new black ink cartridge. Nothing worked. After a Google search, I found I was not alone. Other users had reported a similar problem with their own Kodak 5500 series printers. Fortunately for me, I was not among the first to encounter this issue, so I was able to easily follow the well-paved Internet trail blazed before me through forums, blog posts, and reviews.

If you have problem with your Kodak 5500 All-In-One printer, do what I did: call Kodak at (800) 421-6699. Listen through the recorded mumbo jumbo until you can dial extension 04 (that's the number zero and the number four). When you get a live agent, tell him or her that you are aware of known issues with the print head. It's refreshing to have a customer service agent, like the one I spoke with at Kodak, treat me like I wish I could always be treated. He listened to my problem, took down my information, and said a new print head was already in the mail. Not only that, but he threw in a couple extra print cartridges for my trouble. Now that's customer service! As a footnote, the Kodak agent recommended I clean the print head once per week (much more often than my usual practice) due to the print cartridges propensity to drying out. All in all, I highly recommend the Kodak for it's high print quality, and now, for its great customer support.

Best Buy Teach Grant - Another Great Opportunity!

Creatively integrate interactive technology into your curriculum and win! Some of us are doing this already. Others have a great idea, but haven't put it down on paper. Here's your chance to get that piece of equipment or those high tech resources you've always wanted for your class. Teachers, if we want our students to have access to up-to-the-date technology, we have to be proactive and aggressively pursue funding opportunities like this. Here's a line from Best Buy's Teach Grant promo page:

Best Buy Teach Awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be granted to programs that engage students at any grade level by creatively integrating interactive technology into the curriculum. All awards are in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards.

I've won this grant before, and you can too. I purchased an Apple Powerbook for use in my classroom video editing program. It also doubles as the digital hub for my classroom presentations.

Each year, big companies allocate X number of dollars towards philanthropic endeavors. In return for their contributions, they receive huge tax breaks and a high degree of positive press. Teachers who are willing to expend some effort, creativity, and persistence are eventually rewarded. My attitude has always been, some one is going to win this grant money, so why not me! So go for it!

The guidelines for this grant are somewhat more involved than other grants I've recommended, such as the 100 word essay for Samsung's Hope For Education Grant, but don't let the extra work intimidate you -- there is plenty of time to work on this. The Best Buy Teach Grant is due October 12, 2008 and winners will be announced online on March 2, 2009. Get creative! Get excited! Think outside your four walls and dream big. What does your classroom need to enhance student learning? What would you buy with $2,500 if Best Buy handed you a gift card and said, "Spend this on your classroom?" I can think of a lot. How about flash drives for students to use all year? What about a class set of Palm PDAs that students can use as eReaders: you can beam PDFs to every student to supplement your lessons. What about a few camcorders or digital cameras to encourage student journalism...? Your kids will love this! What's your idea?

This year $2 million will be awarded to accredited K-12 public, private, parochial, magnet and charter schools in the United States and Puerto Rico through the Best Buy Teach Award program. Additionally, $10,000 Best Buy Teach Awards will be granted to up to fifteen (15) schools serving 9th grade students that display the greatest creativity in their programs/projects and the clearest vision of how to increase the school's use of interactive technology. Best Buy Teach Awards of $10,000 are NOT in addition to the $1,000 - $5,000 awards. The emphasis on 9th grade classrooms aligns with Best Buy's new @15™ philanthropic focus.

Learn more at https://bestbuyteach.scholarshipamerica.org/