Techno Classroom

Some twist of fate tossed me and my wonderful Jesus of Nazareth students into a brand new classroom outfitted with the wizardry of technology. Tuesday morning I entered the room, walked to the “rostrum” (not sure of the right word here), and put down my book bag — a Stanley Traveller — and then began to explore all the techno stuff.

Here are my observations:
First, there was a screen on which we could put images, but they were recessed into the ceiling and I couldn’t for the life of me find a switch that lowered them — not that I would need them.
Second, a big black box full of lights — like the cockpit of an aeroplane — and switches and lines and holes. I assume that thing was the power and the brains of all the fancy stuff that was on the “rostrum.”
Which was my main problem: there were wires going in all directions. There was a white board with two switches and a small light-like looking object that a student told me I could use to write on a piece of paper and it will show up on the screen (which, of course, was recessed and I didn’t know how to lower). Another techno gadget did something else, but I never figured what it did.
Now, I’m sure our school kindly thought it would be good for me to have a nice classroom for my students, and I appreciate it, but I’ll be informing them soon that someone else might find such a classroom more to their style.
I’ll be getting a chair and sitting at the table in the front row. I’m pumped about this class — should be lots of fun.
FYI: My new rule about using computers only in the front row: not even a smidgeon of a protest. Nada. Nichts. But, then again, one of the two students using a computer was using an Apple PowerBook, and I can’t believe such folks would ever think of surfing the net during class!
We’re off to a good start. I haven’t brought up the issue of cell phones during quizzes yet.