12/3/2008 6:00:00 AM Smart Board teaches Little Dragons
AARON ROYSTER/Miner
Preschool teacher Amanda Wolter uses the Smart Board to teach her students about days of the week on Tuesday at Manzanita Little Dragons Preschool, 2901 Detroit Ave. in Kingman.
KINGMAN - Manzanita Little Dragons Preschool is hoping a Smart Board will lead to smarter students.
The preschool at 2901 Detroit Ave. received the interactive whiteboard featuring a touch-sensitive display and digital projector on Nov. 20.
The interactive whiteboard created by Smart Technologies can be used to take attendance, keep a classroom calendar and facilitate group activities.
"It's very user friendly for the children," said Julie Beyer, preschool coordinator.
Students can draw pictures on the Smart Board. Those pictures can be digitally saved with their audio explanations of the picture for the children's portfolios, Beyer said.
With its Internet connection, the Smart Board allows teachers to adjust lessons, as in teaching students the difference between a turkey and a chicken with pictures of real turkeys, Beyer said.
Students can also engage in individual games and learning activities.
"It gives the kids the chance to do something independently," Beyer said. "It's important at this stage."
The Smart Board gets students familiar with technology at an early age, Beyer said. That familiarity will be vital as they continue their education and start careers.
"No other company in the United States has a program like this," Beyer said.
The Smart Board is located in preschool teacher Amanda Wolter's classroom.
"I'm working it into my schedule because it's a big change," Wolter said.
The students have had nearly a week using the interactive whiteboard.
"The kids love it," Wolter said.
While Wolter's morning and afternoon classes primarily use the interactive whiteboard, other teachers and classes are invited to utilize the Smart Board during the day.
"This is going to be a part of their day all day long every day," Beyer said.
With the assistance of Smart Technologies, Beyer trained all the preschool teachers and assistants to use the Smart Board. Representatives with the Canadian business will do follow up training as desired, Beyer said.
Each teacher has been very excited about the Smart Board, Beyer said.
"They love it," she said. "They all want to use it. They see it as a great tool for what they're trying to do in early childhood."
The Smart Board was donated to the school by Hatch, an authorized reseller of the interactive whiteboard. Manzanita was chosen after Beyer attended a focus group put on by Hatch in North Carolina.
The preschool has been utilizing similar technology with touch screens on computers for the past eight years, Beyer said.
"We've had hundreds of children use the technology," Beyer said.
Beyond the training for the Smart Board, Smart Technologies provides annual training with the other interactive technology.
Each classroom will use two computers attached to televisions until they are equipment with Smart Boards.
"They've been very helpful in the past, so we don't anticipate any problems," Beyer said.
At $8,500 each, Beyer said she hopes to have a Smart Board in each of the remaining five preschool classrooms within the next couple years. The preschool is fund raising to cover the costs for the new technology.
They are collecting aluminum cans to recycle for funds and 15 percent of purchases through Dec. 16 on www.clothdiapersnmore.com go to the school for purchase of the Smart Board.
They plan to have a yard sale in the spring.
Anyone interested in directly donating funds to the school can contact Beyer at (928) 753-6413 or jbeyer@kusd.org.
