My high school physics teacher pointed this out to our class 20 years ago. My recollection is that he used to be in the army and they gave this advice to officers who wrote on a blackboard (I may be remembering that part of the story wrong though). Regardless, it is one of the best pieces of teaching advice I’ve received.
One thing my seven-year old revels in doing (and frankly irks me a bit) is playfully smacking my rear end and then giggling with his younger brother that “it jiggles!†I’m not sure anyone is happy with their backside jiggling in front of people, even family.
Yet I often see presenters unconsciously wiggling their own in front of an audience because of how they erase a whiteboard. Most of us try to erase a whiteboard side to side. As we move our arm from side to side, the rest of our body makes compensatory movements, much like a dog when it shakes off water. I know the simile is a bit extreme, but it clearly illustrates my point.
If you are ever in front of an audience and are erasing a whiteboard, go up and down, not side to side. Now I worry about what I’ve done … the next time you see a speaker erasing a whiteboard, will you be giggling like my seven-year old?
Steady, even motion across the whole board, I believe is the reason…and personal preference, but math people are never anal retentive enough to actually care :-)
Simple mechanics. As your arm goes to one side, your butt goes to the other. Repeat, and you’re giving a little show to the attentive students in your class. Try it out with a partner.
Discussion (15) ¬
My high school physics teacher pointed this out to our class 20 years ago. My recollection is that he used to be in the army and they gave this advice to officers who wrote on a blackboard (I may be remembering that part of the story wrong though). Regardless, it is one of the best pieces of teaching advice I’ve received.
Known in some quarters as “J. Walker’s Law.”
Why up and down? I’ve always done the “wax on! wax off!” method using circular motions.
wow….that’s pretty good. Very subtle and clever.
I’ve heard the same advice. It must be wise.
From http://www.mindimensions.com/html/nl_successful_speaker_0807.htm
One thing my seven-year old revels in doing (and frankly irks me a bit) is playfully smacking my rear end and then giggling with his younger brother that “it jiggles!†I’m not sure anyone is happy with their backside jiggling in front of people, even family.
Yet I often see presenters unconsciously wiggling their own in front of an audience because of how they erase a whiteboard. Most of us try to erase a whiteboard side to side. As we move our arm from side to side, the rest of our body makes compensatory movements, much like a dog when it shakes off water. I know the simile is a bit extreme, but it clearly illustrates my point.
If you are ever in front of an audience and are erasing a whiteboard, go up and down, not side to side. Now I worry about what I’ve done … the next time you see a speaker erasing a whiteboard, will you be giggling like my seven-year old?
I’ve never heard of this advice, either. What’s the rationale?
Steady, even motion across the whole board, I believe is the reason…and personal preference, but math people are never anal retentive enough to actually care :-)
Simple mechanics. As your arm goes to one side, your butt goes to the other. Repeat, and you’re giving a little show to the attentive students in your class. Try it out with a partner.
Ah ha! Well, it’s too late for this semester…
The more you know…(music)
Ha! I love it!
also, conservation of momentum
If you move your non-erasing arm the same but opposite to your erasing arm (think reflection), your butt won’t jiggle.