Clean
the board first
Some trainers like to put some information up on the whiteboard
before class. However, if you’re like me and you
like to write as you go, make sure you clean the board
thoroughly before class starts. And make sure you have
an eraser, paper towel, or cloth handy at all times.
Make
sure the inkwell doesn’t go dry
If there’s one thing that drives me crazy—both
as an instructor and a student—it’s when someone
tries to use a whiteboard with a marker that’s gone
dry. The marker squeaks and the writing’s illegible.
So throw out your old markers and get some new ones.
Keep
your handwriting legible
Don’t just scribble something on the board and expect
the person in the last row to be able to read it. If it’s
worth writing on the board, it’s worth writing it
legibly. P-r-i-n-t e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g if that’s
what it takes to make your scrawl readable.
Also try to fill the board from left
to right and top to bottom. You look a little goofy if
you start writing in the bottom-right corner and need
to work your way backward across the board.
Don’t
erase the board without asking first
Here’s another thing that drives me crazy as a student.
It’s when an instructor has done a brilliant job
of answering a question or illustrating a point with a
snazzy whiteboard presentation full of words, arrows,
and exclamation points. Then he or she erases the board
before I have a chance to copy the good stuff.
Assume that some of your students will
take notes as you write on the board and others will watch
and listen. Before you erase the board to start a new
topic, ask the class, “Did everybody get a chance
to copy whatever they needed from the board?”
Take
a picture!
If you consistently do a great job of summarizing an important
lesson on your whiteboard, consider bringing a camera
to class. Before you erase the board, take a picture.
Refer to the picture the next time you prepare to teach
the same class.
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