Get in Touch, Find Inspiration, Multiply Student Engagement, Part 3

The last teacher featured in this webinar is Tom Reardon, a high school math teacher in Ohio. Tom likes to use the SMART Board and it's various features to help the students see the problem in front of them.  He does this by using color.  Here are some examples he showed us in the webinar:

I really like the various colors and pens used, it helps me see the breakdown of the problem better.  Again, not being a math person, I think this would be a great idea to use with order of operations.  Take each part and break it down into different colors helping the student to see each part.
He saves all of his class notes from SMART Notebook and exports them to .pdf's, which saves the different colors his uses in the problems and posts it to his website for students who may need to go back and look at the information. 

Tom also likes to use the recorder tool.  He uses it to pre-record lessons and if he can't be there, the students feel as if he there's with them.  The great thing about the SMART Notebook is that it uses more than just voice, it also records anything you do in SMART Notebook, such as breaking down a complex problem.  Again, this can also be used for the student that needs to go back and see the explanation one more time.  He also uses the recorder as a way to buy class time.  At first this concept confused me, but as Tom explained it's a great way for students to solve their own problems.  Tom teaches AP Calculus and around Spring Break he gives his students a packet to work on and a CD.  The students work on the packet and if they get stuck on a question (or when they finish and need the answers), they go to the CD and see Tom solving the problem in notebook.  He solves every problem in the packet and records himself solving the problem and giving explanations along the way, then saves the files as .wmv's.  I thought this could be something we could do with released SOL's questions.

The last thing Tom talked about what integrating the graphing calculators with the notebook software.  I didn't realize that notebook can instantly perform screen captures of what is on the calculator.  Plus, students get to keep up with him and look at their calculators while he teaches the concept.

You can learn more about what Tom does and see sample lessons and videos at www.TomReardon.com.