Kid's College

Our school has been the recipient of a grant for a program the children call Kid's College. (I will remind you that I was lacking in the classroom tech field. However, I have made tremendous gains this year. As I have said before, my technology included tape players, CDs, overheads, and anything else that was plugged into the wall!) Our weekly trips to the computer lab have been so successful! The students have learned many basic computer skills including keyboarding, logging into sites, gaming, computer etiquette, sharing limited space, etc. I have a few computers in my classroom but only one is online and the others do not have sound cards. (It is not much fun to try do an activity on a computer that does not have a sound card!)

The activities that the students do on the computer are centered on Reading and Math and it is in a sports format. The more correct answers they get, the longer they get to play. I believe they have increased their personal speed on math facts and raised their scores on state mandated tests as well. It is important that students are exposed to technology, early, in the classroom and begin to gain confidence in this area. As an adult, computers terrified me. In the beginning, I was led to believe that I would erase the entire planets bank accounts, personal information, credit scores, etc., if I ever logged onto a computer and hit the wrong button. Now I know that every mistake that is made can certainly be corrected and that I am not all powerful on the computer. I am determined to see that the students of today are given more opportunities to learn at an early age and not be afraid to try and increase their knowledge in the technology field. I personally believe that video games, ipods, and other "toys" have allowed this generation to be very comfortable and confident with current technology.