A major challenge in today’s classrooms is getting students engaged. Students have spent many months learning on a tablet or laptop and now that kids are back in the physical classroom, getting them focused and excited is proving to be quite a challenge.

Classroom whiteboards are often underused. They are a simple, technology-free way to get students excited about learning. Sometimes, the only thing that teachers need is some fresh ideas for activities and strategies for using their classroom whiteboard.

Here are a few of Whiteboard.com’s trusted ways to use a whiteboard in the classroom:

Comprehension Checks

A great way to engage students in classroom discussions is to integrate comprehension checks throughout the lesson. You can pass out individual whiteboards and have them write their answer down on the board and hold it up for you to scan the room to check for correctness.

This is a fun and engaging way for students to show their participation, and learn in an entirely new way.

Group Brainstorming

Kick-off a new unit by getting your students to explore the subject or concept on a whiteboard. Ask the students what they already know about the subject and what they would like to learn. Each student can use a different colored marker and come up to the whiteboard and jot down their thoughts. Afterward, have a class discussion about what was written.

Backwards Pictionary

Finding group activities for students during indoor recess is difficult. Pictionary is a great way to get students excited and work together as a team. Split your class into two teams, from each team, have one student come up to the whiteboard and give them a piece of paper with something to draw. The key here is that they have to draw it while facing away from the board! The first team to guess what their artist is drawing wins.

Daily Schedule

Writing down your daily schedule on the whiteboard for everyone to see allows the students to know what is coming up next and gets them more engaged for the day. It helps them know what they are doing next and lets them feel more confident and secure in their day.

Student Writing

A classic way of using the classroom whiteboard is to have students come up and write on the board instead of the teacher. This promotes independence and gets them comfortable in front of their peers creating a more positive learning environment.

Final thoughts

A classroom whiteboard is a staple in any classroom. With what seems like a never-ending onslaught of new classroom technologies – teachers sometimes get caught up with trying to use the newest tool to get their students engaged. The simplest tool is often the only thing you need to enhance your teaching plan.

Check out Whiteboard.com’s wide array of whiteboards!