I Will Not Talk In Class

Mrs. K said, "I think the best way for you to understand a Smart Board is for you to watch a video. It's actually quite simple. You hook up a laptop computer to this usually four or five foot white board that hangs on the wall. The teacher chooses what she wants the class to see and bingo! All of the students can see at once. They can also write on it even with their fingers. I saw a video where they had a tennis ball in their hand and were writing with it. They also can erase something if they make a mistake just by swiping it away with their hands. Amazing how this technology works, isn't it?"

"Yes, just amazing. But I can remember writing on the blackboard 20 times "I will not talk in class. Well, I liked to talk back then sometimes without raising my hand first."

Mrs. K thought she was going to choke, "Back then? How about now? I think you still love to talk a lot," she chuckled. But that was a form of punishment that doesn't happen anymore. It's kind of like bullying or shaming a student. If you think about it you still remember that punishment after all these many years. That's not a good thing."

"The old fashioned blackboards are now called chalk boards. Times change and we have to change with them, don't we?"

Grandma Lu didn't answer her friend. If you knew Grandma Lu she was thinking really hard. This started out to be a joke, but it had ended up as a learning experience for her and she didn't know if she liked it one bit. Once again she sat up straight in her chair and said, "I think it is time for me to watch that video, but first you need to take me to the cafeteria for a snack. I smell something really good."

Mrs. K chuckled and said, "Okay, but on the way you can take your time and look at the hallway decorations and peek into the classrooms. If you want the job let me know and I will set up a schedule for you with the second graders when they need a substitute teacher. Don't worry about security because everyone knows you are in the building. I have made everyone aware of that. My husband called and reminded me that was something very important for me to do. Not everyone knows you, you know," and smiled at her friend.

Grandma Lu slowly walked down the hall thinking about her own school days when she was in elementary school. Security? That was something that must have been kept quiet. She never remembered having to have security in her schools. She could remember one teacher rapping her knuckles with a ruler during penmanship class because her fingers weren't raised up high enough from her Chief tablet. That hurt and embarrassed her. Her face felt warm just remembering that mean teacher. "I don't think anyone dared cross that old woman," she thought. Her smile wasn't full of joy when she thought of that teacher. "She was the security in that building. That's for sure. I wonder what made her so mean."

"Well that was a long time ago. On to new and exciting times. I'm so hungry. Someone must be cooking something wonderful. I am just going to follow my nose until I find the cafeteria. Oh, I think I know what it is. I think I smell banana bread! Yummy!

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I included a YouTube video that shows us how a teacher uses a smart board. One teacher told me that they are especially nice to show educational videos on. As I searched there are several different kinds and prices. Home school teachers also use them in their homes. Grandma Lu will continue to learn new things while she is in the new school as well as finding herself involved in a mystery.