The fascinating effect of the Whiteboard

The Interactive Whiteboard technology was presented to us by Cultura Inglesa. When we realized the various activities we could plan using it, we really wished that every and each school had it. In fact, I was mesmerized by its power to interact the students, the teacher and, especially the subject. You can plan a WARM-UP to be a video, a song, an essay, a game, or anything else you might think of, and you’ll easily have all the possible means to amazingly do it! The Interactive Whiteboard is really a fantasy world in a classroom. It’s not a tool, it’s THE tool! Of course the teacher’s job doesn’t get easier because of this resource, since the teacher has many other possibilities to explore and, consequently, he/she will have to plan a lesson twice as many times of when he/she only has a book to work with.

If you want to know more about The Interactive Whiteboard, go to the link on the top of the right side of this page.

Ready. Steady. GO!!!

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

Leila’s workshop will certainly be unforgettable for many interesting ideas and activities that she’s taught us. However, the activity involving the well-known tale of “The Hare and the Tortoise” was the one which inspired me the most.
First, because I could realize that it is possible to create an activity using this story to work with different groups of different ages and not only with children.
And second, because this story holds a wonderful message which reminds us all that we should never give up or get frustrated when we feel we’re not able to achieve success on something.
Now, in order to end up this comment, I’ll describe the activity, or did you think I’d drop the ball and leave you all curious?!

• You can start the activity by showing a picture like the one above and ask the students what they know about it (brainstorm);
• Then, you divide the class into three big groups and give each group a different task regarding the tale: one group must produce a “jogral”; another must create a play; and the last group must think of a way to present the tale as if it were TV news.

The development of the activity is hilarious and surprisingly creative. It’s worth giving it a shot!

Luciana's class

"A teacher can't teach anything, she can give students what to think about".