698 more things

I know I'm supposed to be doing the 11.5 things, but things keep getting in the way. About 698 little things.

In my new job as technology teacher at my school (I will miss the books), I picked up a group of 2nd graders yesterday, to teach them the fine art of image downloading and Animoto. Someday, we may actually get there. Seems that this group of 14 youngsters, billed as "not needing core-subject tutoring because they are smart" belong to me for the second hour of the after-school program. Great, sit down at the laptop and let's go. The hour was up before we got to the part where we create a shortcut to the SAN folder. These 2nd graders were not familiar with "Ctrl-Alt-Delete". They could not figure out how to make their left hand into the "hook-em-horns" symbol. Double clicking was a challenge. Digital Natives, my Aunt Fannie!

Actually, it may be the teachers who are the problem here. These kids have been here for 2 years, and do not yet know how to log on to a district computer!

While trying to trouble-shoot (I discoverer the "-" key) several of our recalcitrant laptops, I glimpsed a note that said the rollout for the new laptops has been pushed back. No surprise there. When the system lets me into OWA this morning, I will read the email more thoroughly. In the meantime, our 5-year old, trustworthy Dell D505s have just about had it! One died on the operating table last week, one refused a request to turn on during our after-school session, and one seems to have lost the letter "T".

So, I am taking bets as to what will happen first - New laptops that have been promised for several years, or two 3rd grade classes will occupy the T-shack out back, that has been languishing on the playground since April.

There is hope, though. Our 6 new teachers are new to us, but not to teaching . They also seem to understand a little bit about technology, so that is very encouraging.

Trying to be part of the solution, I have scheduled a class on Easy Tech so that several of us, including several aides, can start to change the situation. I also helped an aide get the cute little Writers powered up so that this third grade may actually learn something about keyboarding. Since blogging is on my radar this year, it would help if the kids could actually find the letters on the keyboard.

Ah, I will miss the books. Wonder what will happen to them?