Teaching on Zoom can be a challenge, but I’m finding new ways to make it easier. One of the best tricks I figured out when we switched to virtual learning was connecting a digital whiteboard using an iPad. I was able to show students how to solve math problems step-by-step in a manner that was much easier for them to see than standing in front of a physical whiteboard.
What it Looks Like
Watch the video below to see what it looks like from two perspectives:
- the iPad that is using the whiteboard
- the laptop that is hosting the Zoom meeting.
How do You Do it?
- Start a Zoom meeting on your main device (I prefer to use my laptop)
- Use an iPad or other tablet to join the meeting
- On your main device: Allow Participants to share their screen
- Click Security on the Bottom
- Make sure Share Screen is checked
- On your tablet: tap on the tools at the top and select “share content”
- Use the whiteboard
- Click View Options at the Top
- Make sure Annotate is checked
- Students can annotate over the iPad content from their screens (this is easier for them to do on a tablet as opposed to a laptop or desktop)

Click on Security, select screen share, then select annotate on the screen share settings.
Connecting your iPad as a digital whiteboard can be used for:
- working step-by-step through math problems
- editing sentences for punctuation practice
- identifying places or features on a map
There are so many more options to use and I will be sharing additional ideas as I discover them.
Looking for Digital Resources?
Find distance learning resource here.
Check out some of these resources that use various strategies, including visual models, to teach common math skills:
- adding and subtracting decimals (digital and printable options)
- multiplying decimals (digital and printable options)
- dividing decimals (digital and printable options)
- adding and subtracting fractions (printable option – digital coming soon)
- multiplying fractions (printable option – digital coming soon)
- dividing fractions (printable option – digital coming soon)
- order of operations with grouping symbols (digital and printable options)