TIES09_77

A SMART Board and the MCA Math Test: How Adaptation of Curriculum Led to Success

 * Instructor:** John Bushey, Teacher, Duluth Public Schools

At one Duluth school, every fourth-grade student passed the MCA math test in the spring of 2009. See how the teacher adapted the math curriculum for SMART Board use and hear why he credits the SMART Board with contributing to this success.
 * Description**

Reflections: Rosella Pregler 3rd Grade- John was a very entertaining and fun speaker to listen to. He showed us how he used his smartboard to implment calendar math everyday. More so then that he shared is secrets of magic and how magicians use focal points to perform tricks. He showed how much a human mind can miss if it is not focussing on a certain area. Then related it to teachers and that we need to make sure we are teaching to focal point across the room so we are reaching all students. He also talked about building tension and releasing tension.Building tension activates the brain and memory, some ways to do that is making things a secret that you are sharing with them, humor, or changing the color of the highlighter. Be careful about relaxing, as soon as the teacher does students will too and that things will register as unimportant and the brain will not remember.