The Visualiser – a teacher’s power tool

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Picture from https://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2011/05/ase-article-using-a-visualiser-in-primary-science/

Anything that makes teaching just that little bit easier is good in my book. This is why I recommend to any teacher, regardless of if you’re an NQT or career veteran, to acquire a visualiser. Not only will it save you time, it will also ensure that all children are involved in your lesson, not just the ones that are closest to the board!

What is a visualiser?

A visualiser, for example this one from HUE, is essentially a camera on the end of a stick (and that stick can sometimes bend). You can then show that camera on your computer screen or, better still, through the projector of your classroom.

What can I use it for?

There is a long list of ways to use a visualiser, and I’ll go through a few that I’ve used myself whilst teaching.

Showing the perfect layout
There have been plenty of times before I got a visualiser when I have asked children to be very specific in how they layout the page. From telling them to draw a line down the very centre of their books, to then dividing it into thirds, and then adding a box at the top right. You can see how they got confused and, even if I held the book up to them, some would still struggle to follow.

Instead, you can show them exactly what you want using the visualiser. Place the book in front of the camera and set the page out live in front of all of your class – the kids can copy your every move. Yes, this is spoonfeeding, but some need that (and it ends up saving so much time and frustration).

Modelling handwriting
My handwriting isn’t great, but it’s an expectation. I struggle to model handwriting on a whiteboard. My letters don’t seem to ever match what I expect my children to do – this is unfair. So, instead, I can place my handwriting book in front of my camera, and show them exactly what to do.

Anything practical
We have all had a time when we’ve had to gather every single child around us to show them something. The six, maybe eight children at the front who rushed to get the chairs understand what’s going on. THey’ve seen everything and have followed your instructions. The kids behind them are standing and, if it’s for any length of time, their legs are aching and have forgotten the last half of your instructions. The kids behind THEM can either not see at all or never wanted to.

Instead, use your visualiser. Every child will be able to see their steps and the best thing about this is you can pause after each one so everyone can catch up. No more “sit down” and “come back around” to deal with!

Showing children’s work
“Look at what Tim has done, everyone.” You can guarantee that half of your class has not seen at all. However, with a visualiser, everyone can see EXACTLY what you want to point out, whether this to showcase a child’s work or to address a misconception that the whole class are facing. Even better, you can zoom in so no one might recognise what child is being showcased.

Reading
Most of the time, children will have copies of the book themselves, but then again you might have had a nightmare at the photocopier and their extracts just aren’t printed.

Worry not! The visualiser will show every single word of every page you’re reading to the class. Better still, if you’re analysing a piece of text, you can freeze the screen or take a picture. Drag and drop it into your Notebook page and they can write all over it. Instantaneous scanning!

There are plenty of other ways to organise your life using visualises. These blogs are a good starting point, too.

Which one should I buy?

It depends. Are you buying it for yourself or is the school funding it? Do you want to use it for HQ scanning or just showing the odd thing on the board? Here’s a VERY quick guide:

HUE HD Pro USB Document Camera – On Amazon at £79. Seem’s good, good reviews. Plug and play (after a short installation that your IT technicians wouldn’t mind doing). Click here!

IPEVO V4K HD Document Camera – A bit steeper at £99, but if you want the full package, this is your thing. I’ve recently purchased these for the Year 6 team to trial them out and the quality is remarkable. Also, you can fit more into the screen. Click here.

HUE HD Portable – RRP £25, but currently unavailable at the time of writing. This is the one I started with and enjoyed using. If you’ll only use it now and then, I’d recommend trying to find this. Click here.

5 tips on how to survive your PGCE year

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Nothing is more daunting than the sudden realisation that, as you walk onto campus for the first time, in a year you’ll be a teacher. Not just a dreamer who has always wanted to be at the helm of a classroom – but, instead, a real person with 30-or-so little people as your responsibility. It’s easy to wonder why, as you swipe your student card, what on Earth got you to this point. Your passion and drive to follow your dream career only just outweighs the intense nerves and trepidation that in a few weeks time you’ll be unleashed in a school you’ve probably never heard of with kids that have never seen you before.

Having said that, it really does get easier. In fact, every single day becomes a little brighter and you get more of a skip in your step. Life moves on pretty fast – it feels like I started my PGCE yesterday and I’m halfway into the first term as a qualified teacher. I survived my PGCE and so did every other member of the course. Some, however, decided that teaching wasn’t the journey for them. They’re still alive and absolutely thriving though. Your worst-case scenario at this point is realising it’s not for you. Good odds… if you ask me.

Your PGCE year can be stressful and full of trials and tribulations but it can also be a source of positive, fun, empowering, confidence-boosting and completely random events that you will face day-to-day as a teacher. Here are a few things I wish I’d have known before I started my year.

1. Your mentor wants you there

When you first walk into school (or sometimes even before you start your placement) your first contact will be your class mentor. This is (the vast majority of the time) also the teacher of the class you’ll be teaching in. It’s a big thing to let a complete stranger come in and teach your class in front of you, I’m sure, but you need to remember one thing: this person asked to have a student. No self-respecting headteacher would force a member of staff to take on a student – it comes with a colossal amount of more responsibility and even more unnecessary paperwork. Yet, they still made that choice. So, the point I’m trying to make is you need not be scared or nervous to speak to your mentor. You are new to this and they are not. You are the apprentice and they are your master (for now). They expect to be questioned on their practice because it will help you develop. Never be afraid to ask questions to push yourself. If you ever want something clarifying, get it clarified. You will not access your greatest teaching potential if you do not let yourself learn from experience.

2. Do your paperwork now

Anyone I spoke to before the PGCE told me that it was a fun year but “you’ll drown in paperwork”. Every single person did. They told me it would be the longest most brutal year of my life and I will never get rid of paperwork as it will follow you everywhere. Now, I managed to get through my PGCE without any drowning and whilst being pretty much on top of things. This is because I ensured that the paperwork was done immediately. If something needed doing by next week and you have a spare 5 minutes later in the day – get it done now. You’ll not rush and you can then prioritise accordingly. Your PGCE review meetings will require you to describe key events/reflections – write them now so 1) you don’t forget it and 2) you’re in the correct frame of mind to answer key questions.

3. Experiment

This will not be a first-day piece of advice. It might not even be useful halfway through the course. You might only start to do this towards the end of your busiest (or most teaching responsibility) placement. But this is the time in your teaching life where it is easiest to experiment. Try new things. If it goes wrong… you are a student-teacher and that’s fine. If it goes right you know you can use it later on in your career AND it makes you look great. If it was boring, reflect on that. If it wasn’t focussed enough, your next lesson can fill that gap. You have the freedom to build on your own skills and to try new things – your mentor will support you through this (and so, believe it or not, will the kids). Anything that gets the kids out of their seats they’ll be thankful for, even if it’s just for 30 seconds whilst they sing times-table chants.

4. Remember why you’re on the course

You’re not on the course because you were bored at home and fancied getting a little bit more student debt. You’re also not on the course because you’re the wrong person for the job – a teaching qualification interview is known to be one of the toughest ones to get through – you’ve been scrutinised heavily and you are good enough. You’re on this course because, hopefully, you love children. You love their enthusiasm, willingness to learn and you see endless potential in even the most difficult to get along with (also, if you can’t relate to something I just said there, I’d seriously reconsider your options). When your day hasn’t gone well and that Maths lesson just didn’t quite hit the learning objective. Or, maybe, the behaviour wasn’t great and you lost your rag a little. Perhaps you’re dwelling on the development points of that lesson objective or you didn’t manage to chat to anyone at lunch because you were catching up on marking (easy to do this, by the way, but take steps to avoid, for your own sake). Any or all of these lead to me sitting in my car as I pulled onto the drive, staring at the dashboard, reflecting on maybe I’m not made for this.

Trust me, you would not be reflecting so much and caring so much about the children if you weren’t made for this.

Bad days happen in any job and teachers are the best at 1) taking everything to heart and 2) being negative about their own practice. Pick yourself up, enjoy your evening/weekend and focus on the next day. It’ll be totally different.

5. Don’t take everything at face value but also take things in your stride

Your children will walk into class one day calm, ready and prepared to learn for the day and eager to find out what’s on the timetable. Another day a few kids will be shattered after not sleeping properly, one has had a fall out with little brother and has therefore got an attitude and another will be feeling poorly. Take it in your stride. Deal with things as they come and remember to not take things personally. A child with their head down on the table when you’re delivering input isn’t always disrespect – they could’ve missed breakfast and now their energy is completely sapped. A child snapping back at you isn’t necessarily them being rude – there’s every chance Mum and Dad fell out earlier and has caused their morning to be a living hell. Having said that, if a child is like that, it’s most definitely not you. If you are a fair, calm, friendly person, children will want you to be their teacher and you are not the reason for their bad mood.

Good luck. You’ve got this!