Video transcript for Writing on slate boards

[Music]

Dianne Robertson: Now, would you like me to teach you how to do some running writing?

Students: Yes

Dianne: Oh, wonderful. I can see you’re all sitting up straight and your arms are folded and we’re ready to do some running writing. But, I have a problem, you’ll have to try and help me. What are we going to write on? Does anyone have any ideas? Yes young man.

Student: A board.

Dianne: What was that?

Student: A board.

Dianne: A board, a board. Do you know what sort of board it is?

Student: A Whiteboard.

Dianne: Not a whiteboard, not a blackboard, it is a ...

Student: Black board

Dianne: Slate board. Can you say slate board?

Student: Slate board.

Dianne: Yes, this is a slate board. Here it is and it is a black colour. So, you are a little bit right and it does look like a board. So, everybody was fairly correct then. And it is a blackboard. This is actually a rock.

Have a listen. It’s very hard. I’ve got some here. It’s called slate. Slate comes from the mountain and when they dig it out of the mountain it’s quite rough. Well, you can’t write on that can you? So, if you smooth the slate, and make it nice and smooth, you can turn it into a board. And that’s how we make slate boards. Imagine that, a rock turning into a board. It’s exciting isn’t it? I can tell by your eyes you’re excited by that. But, then what do we write with?

Student: Crayons.

Dianne: Crayons weren’t invented, okay. Have you got an idea?

Student: Ink.

Dianne: No, I’ll tell you. You’ll know when I hold it up. It’s another rock. Were you thinking of that? I thought you were going to tell me that. Yes, this is a soft slate rock. This was hard. This one is soft. But you can’t write with this. Well, you can. I’ll show you, you can write with this. Isn’t that amazing. It’s a rock, a soft rock. I’m going to try and write some ‘n’s. It does hurt my hand a bit. So, you know what they did? They crushed the soft rock and they turned it into a pencil. Imagine that, rock has been turned into a pencil. And then, the pencil was put down the middle of a slate holder and you have one of those on your desk in front of you. See if you can find it and hold it up. Yes, just like the olden days the children had a slate pencil holder. Now, I am going to give you all a slate board. You have your slate pencil holder and I’m going to get you to do a writing lesson on … see if you can do three ‘n’s, maybe three ‘m’s and if you’ve got time some ‘o’s. Now, some people say ‘But Mrs Robertson I can’t write running writing’. It’s not that hard, it’s a bit like printing with a little flick on the end. Alright, I’ll give those to you right now.

[Music]

Dianne: Now, gentlemen I’d like to see some nice straight backs here. The straighter the back the better the writing. Straight backs, don’t let your tummy touch the tip of the table, the timber on the table. I’ll just check to see if your feet are together but a little bit apart. Oh, there’s going to be some good writing going on here today. Alright, see how you go. Three ‘n’s and three ‘m’s. Luckily we don’t have anybody writing with their left hand today. Goodness me, last week I had a left handed student, I had to make them change their hands and I have to tie left hand behind their back. Well, they didn’t like it but it was the only way. In the olden days they would not let the children write with their left hand. You’re very lucky this room has big windows on one side and little windows on the other, the sun shines over your left shoulder. That’s why it’s good that you have the sun on your left side and you are writing with your right hand. A right handed room especially built just for right handed children. Mmm, this is very good, very good indeed. So, if you do your work really well and I’m actually thinking that some children could get an early mark today. Let me see. Look, I’ve been watching your work today, I’m going to give you an early mark, you can go home at lunchtime and don’t come back. Imagine that. Imagine getting an early mark. You’re looking a bit surprised aren’t you? It is surprising. No, you don’t get big early marks like that these days because in the olden days you could get an early mark because you possibly lived fairly close to the school. But, don’t think you’re going home to play young man. If you got home your father could possibly get you back out in the field and you would be digging those vegetables up. Now, hold up your work under your chin so I can have a little look. I am very pleased with the improvement. Hold them up under your chin, under your chin. Well done, well done. Now, I know your work is good but I cannot give you a merit certificate or a star. There are no star charts in my room, no merit certificates, no table points, not like you would get today. In the olden days you were expected to work and be good. That was just expected, to be good. Well, if you weren’t good you’d get a little cut of that cane. The monitor’s doing a good job here. Oh, I just noticed a couple of boys trying to clean their slate boards and they were using their fingers just like the olden days. Well done, boys. Thank you very much. Did you already know that?

Student:Yeah.

Dianne: Oh, yes, yes. So, you know that you clean your boards with your finger. Don’t worry girls I’ll do it later. Don’t worry. Thank you. That’s alright, that’s fine.