Mrs. Jamie Barcus, 5th grade science teacher at Douglas School, prepares to use the Promethean Board and
Activote response devices, to teach a lesson on the Solar System, on Thursday.

 

"Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"

High Tech Education at Douglas School

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

5th grade students at Douglas School record responses on the
interactive board, as they study their lesson in the classroom.

 

"Are you smarter than a 5th grader?" That's what local media representatives and some of the Sulphur Springs I.S.D. personnel were attempting to answer, on Thursday morning, when they attended an Interactive Technology Demonstration at Douglas Intermediate School. "And, we found out that we weren't smarter than a 5th grader!" acknowledged SSISD Superintendent Patsy Bolton, as she managed to get her "activote" apparatus up-side-down!

Thursday morning's session involved the use of "cutting edge" technology in the local classrooms, where students and the teacher use an ActivClassrooms Board that is a reflection of a computer screen and encourages interactive learning by the students. Over 100 of these boards have been placed in classrooms throughout the Sulphur Springs Independent School District, with more to be installed in the fall.

 

The Activote response recorder is the way that students record their answers to questions
from their seat at the desk. "However, they have to be held 'right-side-up' to get the proper
response!", explained Superintendent Patsy Bolton, as she got hers up-side-down.

 

Mrs. Jamie Barcus' class was host to those on Thursday, where they were studying a science lesson on the Planets in our Solar System. Media representatives and school personnel stood in awe as students came to the new boards and selected choices, drew the planets, and viewed video selections from "Youtube." "It's a great tool in teaching, allowing the students to interact with each other and select their answers, while having fun," explained Barcus. "It's definitely an asset to the classroom!"

 

 

Representatives of the Promethean Company, makers of the interactive board were in attendance to answer technical questions about the hardware and software capabilities of the new boards, installed in the classrooms.

 

Mrs. Barcus shows her students choices and incorporates video on the screen of the Promethean Board,
for the class on Thursday.

 

Those in attendance learned from the 5th graders that the sun is made of gases...helium and hydrogen, and walked away with a handy acronym to remember the planets...."My very eager mother just served us nine pizzas!".......Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (even though Pluto is no longer considered a planet...see things have changed in the classroom!).

Douglas Elementary Principal, Tona Sue Hudson, explained that plans call for teachers to undergo training during the fall of 2010, with hopes of having laptop computers and assessibility to each student by Christmas of next year, so that students can even carry the technological capabilities even a step further in their studies.

"The newly installed boards in the classroom gives us a new dimension in learning," expressed Mrs. Barcus. "Students use a 'dual pen touch sensitivity' with web surfing capabilities on the board and hand-held 'activote' processors to record their answers to questions exhibited on the board, allowing the teacher individual access to their responses!"

 

"It's much more fun to learn, using the new board, than just simply reading from a book,"
expressed 5th grade students, as they discussed the new way of learning.

 

"The school systme has invested in the technology, using their Title I Funding in hopes that the technical upgrades give their students a 21st century education, that better prepares them for success in our technical world," explained local SSISD Board Member, Clay Johnson. "I have a daughter in Mrs. Barcus' class and the board and fun they are having learning with it, is practically all I hear about. It's truly made a difference in learning and an excitement among the students!"

 

 

"We must constantly look for new ways to learn and to integrate the latest technology into the learning environment, to keep our students prepared for the constantly changing future," advised Patsy Bolton, Superintendent of Schools. "Keeping abreast of all the available technology keeps everyone busy and I'm excited about the opportunities that this new tool makes available to our students. I commend the teachers, administrators, and school board on helping our system bring this opportunity to our classrooms!"

 

"The board is a great learning tool, when you and your students can create drawings to
size and scale, just like on a computer screen, for the entire class to see," advised Mrs. Barcus.

 

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