I have a huge double blackboard in my classroom which I will never give up.
When my SMART Board was installed in my classroom, I wanted it to be installed on another wall because I didn't want it to interfere with my beautiful blackboard.
One of the ways that I use my beloved blackboard is for Board Practice (I didn't really have a name for this, I just made it up for the purposes of this blog, and to get it in print, because this is my first homework assignment for the MTBoS). For my students, I usually refer to it as the-thing-that-we-do-with-the-board-split-into-sections. Or I split the board into sections and they get all excited: "Miss, are we doing the thing with the groups and the practice, and the coaches?" Yes, we are.
My students work in groups, and have been since the beginning of time. Since before it was a thing. I've always asked my students to talk, share and coach. I think it may come from my teacher beginning as a science teacher, and my love of labs. I've carried this forward to my math classes.
So the Board Practice works the following way in my room. I've taught/reviewed the skill, I split the board into sections, they get excited, I throw a problem on the board, they work it alone (without calculators, "...but Miss..."), then they turn around and talk, share, coach in their groups of four. When my gut tells me they're ready, I pull a number from 1 to 4, and that person, one from each group, goes to the board and shows work for the problem. When it's particularly difficult, or when we're at the very beginning of the skill, they get to bring a coach, if not they go alone.
The photos above show the board split into sections, labelled A through G for their groups, and the problem (simplifying powers).
Board Practice is one of my students' favourites because they get to practice in a "fun" way.
For me, it is so much more than fun. Students are practicing, talking about math and being coaches to their peers. I believe I have created a safe environment for this practice, in which students are allowed to make mistakes and correct with the help of their peers. I like the way the same problem is to be simplified, but often small differences occur, or even mistakes. At the end, when each section is full, and the students are re-seated, I tell them: "Ok, there is a mistake in one of these, who can find it...".
Once de-briefed from the current expression, I erase a section, write the next expression, and say, "You're up, copy, get to work."
And they're off again.
