Folks are asking questions such as:

“I’m a beginner SB user, what classes would you recommend?”

“I teach Social Studies and I’ve been using my SB for about a two years, do you think the SB for elementary social studies, SB and Web 2.0, and Google Earth and SB would be of benefit to me?”

“We just received our SMART Doc Cam and Response clickers. Should, we take the SMART Peripherals course or the SMART Response & SMART Response LE course?”

“I’ve had a SB in my room for the past three years and I teach accelerated 8th grade mathematics. Would you recommend I take the Utilizing Math Software on the SMART Board?”

We hope the following will help you plan your summer academy experience.

This years Academy covers a wide range of topics and there is a little something for everyone. While there isn’t a specific class for new SB users there are classes we think you will benefit from and enjoy. So, here’s a breakdown of how our courses will align with your interests.

New SMART Board Users: All of our courses are hands-on, so you will be interacting with the SMART Board — getting more comfortable using the hardware and software. We recommend the following courses:

• How to Organize and Most Effectively Use Your Computer (for Teachers) is a great choice for those who are just receiving their SMART Board and still feel a little nervous around computers.
• Bells, Whistles, and Balance explores how to create well-designed SMART Notebook lessons and will provide a great review of the Notebook software.
• Mac & Me is a great choice for anyone looking to start using a SMART Board with a Mac.

For the best experience, we recommend beginners register for Teq Certification. This four-day course will cover everything from the connection of the SMART Board and basic use through planning and designing lessons.

More experienced SMART Board Users: All of our Subject-specific courses are perfect for those who have been using their SMART Board for a little while and want to learn how to integrate the SMART Board and SMART Notebook software into their daily lessons. And, since you are probably teaching the same concepts in class, you can use what you learn right away.

We would also recommend SMART Peripherals because this course will include other products to enhance the use of your SMART Board.

Créme de la créme SMART Board Users (just kidding): More advanced users who teach math will enjoy Utilizing Math Software on the SMART Board. The course gets into math-specific software and how to integrate them with your lessons. It will also cover the new Notebook Math Tools. Those who teach social studies should checkout Google Earth for SMART Boards. Experience using Notebook is recommended.

Our course on SMART Response will also benefit teachers already familiar with the SMART Board and SMART Notebook as it will cover how to create dynamic classroom assessments with sound, video, and Flash. SMART Boards and Web 2.0 explores online applications that can enhance existing lessons and foster more collaboration in the classroom.

Whether you are just starting to use your SMART Board or have a few years of experience, we have something for everyone in our Summer Academy. Don’t miss this opportunity to build your skills and improve your lessons for next year. Register online now!

A donation of SMART Boards is a great way to contribute to your community. If you would like information on how to make a donation of technology to your school, contact Teq’s sales team.

We will be conducting the TeqSmart Certification class “SMART Boards in Today’s Classroom” beginning on Monday, July 12, through Thursday, July 15 from 9am – 4pm!

• Register online now for NYC
• Register online now for Long Island
• Register online now for Central NY

We’re offering ten new courses this summer during our 2010 SMART Board Academy!

Here’s a brief description of our new offerings:

“Mac and Me”
For the PC-turned-Mac users, this course will help you learn a bunch of tips and tricks to catch you up to speed on your Mac. We’ll learn how to make effective use of Expose, Spaces, your dock, and the spotlight, among other tools. This is aimed at users with at least OS 10.5 (Leopard).

SMART Peripherals
Learn about and practice using SMART Document Camera, SMART Wireless Slate, and SMART Response.

Promoting Early Childhood Literacy Using Multimedia Experiences
In this session we will look at how literacy teachers can inspire and motivate students using internet resources and technology such as SMART Boards and SMART Response systems. You will learn how to create differentiated multimedia notebook lessons for whole class instruction and center use.

How to Organize and Most Effectively Use Your Computer (For Teachers)
In this session we will look at how teachers can use basic computer programs, such as a web browser, Microsoft Word, and Excel, to save time. We will look at how to create grade books using Excel, how to create and add images, graphs and charts to make handouts more effective, and how to organize files and lessons so they are easy to retrieve year after year.

SMART Boards and Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is all the rage! Take an enlightening journey through useful (and fun) online tools that will undoubtedly help you grow professionally as a teacher. Experience Web 2.0 applications—exploring this exciting new interactive environment—through your SMART Board. Learn how to incorporate these new technologies into the classroom to support teaching and learning.

Utilizing Math Software on the SMART Board
How Geometer’s Sketchpad, TI-Smartview, and the SMART Notebook Math Tools can be fully integrated into your SMART Board lessons

Bells, Whistles, and Balance
Occasionally, we are asked by teachers in the field, “What does a good SMART Board lesson look like?” To this questions we typically, respond “It depends!” – Bells, Whistles, and Balance is our attempt to answer this age-old question. In this hands-on session we will explore how professional design elements, physical layout, a classes’ student makeup, and context can make all the difference when designing SMART Board lessons and activities. Come prepared to laugh, cry, and design!

Perfect Harmony: Music and the SMART Board
Discover, practice, teach in this interactive session. Together we will explore the future of music education using the SMART Board and Notebook software. We will learn how to record and edit live music, create compositions, practice and teach music theory and history, and discover cutting-edge technology. The ultimate goal of the session is to create an environment where students are free to to exercise their musical creativity while having fun.

Google Earth in the SMART Classroom
In this session, participants will be shown how to download Google Earth, and to start using it right-away. Participants will explore the many features of manipulating the Earth (zoom-in, zoom-out, pan, etc) as well as to how to navigate on an interactive whiteboard. Many features and layers of real-time information will be explored and integrated into lesson planning for the SMART classroom. Participants will learn how to add their own images and record tours in Google Earth. NOTE: Google Earth is intended for all subject areas and grade ranges.

Smart Hebrew for Your SMART Board
Enable your Windows-based computer for Hebrew text entry. Unleash the powerful decorative text formatting possibilities of Microsoft Word and Davka Writer. In this class we will explore the potential of Davka Writer and Microsoft Word to enhance your Jewish Studies SMART Board lessons. Learn to create decorative and exciting Hebrew pages for all Limudai Kodesh lessons.

Register online now!

The cost of each session is $25.99, and courses begin Monday, July 26, and run through Friday, August 20. Dates are available at our Long Island, New York City, and Central New York locations.

Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8:30am – 3:00pm
Walt Whitman High School
301 West Hills Road
Huntington Station, New York 11364

Registration includes breakfast, lunch, and chances to win SMART Products!

Follow us live from the conference on Twitter.

Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8:30am – 3:00pm
Walt Whitman High School
301 West Hills Road
Huntington Station, New York 11364

Register online now!

Registration includes registration, breakfast, lunch, and chances to win SMART Products.