The use of whiteboards is almost a daily activity in my classroom, especially in math. In stations, students use whiteboards for guided practice. The whiteboards allow me to see exactly what they are doing, as well as provide an easy place for them to show and share their work. What becomes a problem is the fact that the markers never seem to last, erasers seem to disappear, and the whiteboards slowly become stained from frequent use. When something goes awry, students know that they must leave the station quietly to get a new marker, new eraser, or the last choice, pencil and paper. Even though they are great about doing this, it is distracting for many of my students who have focusing issues and they miss important instruction form either myself or other students. My classroom does not have a pencil sharpener, so I lose instructional time while my students are going to other classrooms to sharpen their pencils.
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The use of whiteboards is almost a daily activity in my classroom, especially in math. In stations, students use whiteboards for guided practice. The whiteboards allow me to see exactly what they are doing, as well as provide an easy place for them to show and share their work. What becomes a problem is the fact that the markers never seem to last, erasers seem to disappear, and the whiteboards slowly become stained from frequent use. When something goes awry, students know that they must leave the station quietly to get a new marker, new eraser, or the last choice, pencil and paper. Even though they are great about doing this, it is distracting for many of my students who have focusing issues and they miss important instruction form either myself or other students. My classroom does not have a pencil sharpener, so I lose instructional time while my students are going to other classrooms to sharpen their pencils.
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