I love using whiteboards in my classroom and find them really brilliant for brainstorms, spellings, tables, maths and more.
Brainstorms
Yesterday, I asked my class to make a brainstorm of what makes a good teacher and what makes a good student. Each pair had a whiteboard and they worked together to create a list. Usually I do this activity in copies or on large a3 sheets of paper but we used the whiteboards yesterday and it was perfect as once we had recorded our results (I wrote all the suggestions on an a3 sheet for display) we just rubbed out the whiteboard.
Spellings
I think I’m going to avoid weekly spelling tests this year and instead opt for daily spelling on whiteboards and dictation. I’ve heard a lot about Brendan Culligan this summer and I want to try something new to see how it works for the children in my class.
Tables
Great way to quickly revise tables and theres no lasting record so if children get them wrong then it can easily be rubbed out.
Maths
This is the main way that I use whiteboards in my classroom. When teaching a new topic, I start with an introduction and some examples on the interactive whiteboard. Then the children try some with me on their whiteboards. For those who are well able – they move onto independent work in their copies and for those who need extra support we continue with the whiteboards. This means that there if the child makes a mistake it can easily be rubbed out and doesn’t leave any evidence and there is no need for ruling pages etc. The children in my class love using whiteboards for maths!
Music
Last year we used the paper for composition in Music. We got the idea from Dabbledoo Music. The second time we used whiteboards instead and it was much more effective as children could easily change their composition.
Writing
I find the whiteboards are great for making a quick plan for a writing exercise, jotting down key words or spellings etc.
Housekeeping issues
Whiteboard markers – this can be a nightmare as children forget theirs and then you don’t have enough for everyone so I simply say ‘If you don’t have a marker – don’t worry just use your copy instead’ usually the markers reappear the next day. (Obviously I’m mindful that some children don’t have a marker for a different reason so I do keep a few spares.
Erasers – black ankle socks from Penneys are brilliant! Some children like to wear the sock on their hand and then rub out the boards, others just scrunch it into a ball and rub it out.
Good deals on whiteboards or whiteboard packs (not an ad/affiliate link etc.)
or make your own
