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03 February 2005: Rocks and Chalkboards (6 of 6)
Returning to the chalkboard metaphor, I think it’s important to recognize that many teachers are returning to their roots. Individual-sized chalkboards and whiteboards are widely available in teacher stores these days. I’ve got a personal collection of 35, and I find them incredibly useful, especially in math, as they engage the students and allow for differentiation. So, although there are several large ones on the wall, we’re returning to a teaching strategy that was rejected in favor of technology over 150 years ago.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that you throw your classroom computers out the window. Like chalkboards, the value of the thing is not in the thing itself, but in how it is used. What I’m advocating, in Michael Apple’s footsteps, is a critical approach. I’m telling you to ask questions that may otherwise go unasked.
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