How the Text Widget works
The text widget shows words you type, large enough for the room. Use it for the agenda, the directions, or a short passage. It is not a slide deck and it is not a document editor.
- Click Text in the dock.
- Type the directions in a few lines. Short lines beat a paragraph.
- Enlarge the tile until you can read it from the back row.
- Change the text when the task changes. Leave stale directions up and the class will follow them.
- Press Save Board so this layout stays in this browser. Use Copy link to open it on another computer.
Settings and features
The content is whatever you type. There is no cloud copy.
| Control | What it does | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Text | The words on the tile. | The task changes, or a typo would make the class do the wrong thing. |
| Tile size | How large the words are. | You cannot read them from the back of the room. |
Ways to use it in class
Directions that stay up
Write the three steps and leave them up for the whole work block. When a student asks what to do, point at the tile instead of repeating the speech.
Agenda
The classroom-agenda template is this idea already laid out. A list of three blocks with times is enough. A full script is too small to read. The same widget can hold the agenda for a family meeting; here is a five-screen plan for parent-teacher conferences.
A passage
Paste a short paragraph for a read-aloud or a sentence study. Then switch to the timer for the writing that follows.
Ready-made boards
Classroom agenda
The day in a few lines.
Open this boardBell ringer
A short prompt in large type next to a timer.
Open this boardMorning meeting
A greeting and a task already on the board.
Open this board
When not to use it
- You need a drawing. Use the Drawing board.
- You need a countdown. Use the Timer. Do not type "10 minutes" and hope you remember.
- The text is a private note. The projector is public.
Accessibility and privacy
Read the directions aloud once for students who cannot see the tile, then leave the text up for everyone else. The words stay in this browser when you press Save Board. They are not an account. Copy link opens the same layout on another device. The board does not load ads.
Frequently asked questions
Will my text be there tomorrow?
On this browser, yes, if you press Save Board. On another computer, open the Copy link. There is no account sync.
Can I paste a long article?
You can paste it. The back row will not read it. Keep tile text short.
Is this a slideshow?
No. One tile of text. Change it when the task changes.