GEN: TEACHER HOOKS

[Guusje Moore <Guusje@AOL.COM>]

Last week I raised the question about faculty members who are resistent
to technology and the Internet. Several people sent along ideas to
remedy this. I also tried something that seems to be working: I sent the
whole staff an e-mail with the address and content of the puzzlemaker
site. http://www.puzzlemaker.com

I gave them instructions on how to click on the address and be taken
there instantly. The results were good with the first few teachers who
checked their mail that day (Halloween celebration day) printing out
puzzles to use that day.

Now for the suggestions:


I too am dealing with training and implementing use of technology in our
building. There are definitely different levels of enthusiasm and
comfort
levels. One thing we are doing is sending out the office based memos on
our email system. There are no print copies so teachers have to use
their
email. This is only fair if they have very accessible computers. We have
at least one in each classroom. We also started our faculty training
with
a word processing course. It definitely helps if the computer becomes a
tool for their use. Another suggestion - is keyboarding in the classroom
curriculum? That is the next thing we are working with for the 4th and
5th
grades and their teachers. The teachers have to use the lab for it
because
they are expected to teach keyboarding in the curriculum at that level.
One last thing that I have done for the first time this year is to take
2-5 grade into the lab for approximately 3 sessions of instruction when
they are in the media center. I have tried to give basic instruction of
turning on, logging on, using menus, correct shut down and mouse skills.
I
feel that this is a help to the teachers who are more reluctant to work
with a whole class using machines they don't know much about. It has
worked extremely well.


At the NJ EMA Conference Alan November, keynote speaker, had what I
thought
was a great idea.

He suggested that we first validate the fact that they are good teachers
--
ask them for their "best practices" because you want to feature some of
their ideas on the web page.  No one can resist reading about themselves
--
this becomes the hook.  You need minimal skill to read a web page -- but
suddenly it is not so intimidating.

Thanks Betty and Melanie.

Jo
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Josephine Dervan
Library Media Specialist
Strathmore Elementary School
Aberdeen, New Jersey, USA 07747

Home-rderva@injersey.com
School-jdervan@marsd.k12.nj.us

PC/Windows95, Netscape 3/Netscape Mail

"Anyone who has a library and a garden wants for nothing"- CICERO

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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I've got kids playing games and hanging out in my LRC all the time and I like
it that way.   Kids who are up on their work are always welcome to come read
or play on the computers (if they aren't being used by a class).   In fact a
library pass is a popular reward at my school.

We're doing Accelerated Reader at my school (k-5) and one of the "incentives"
is a   library pass that lets the bearer into the LRC before the AM bell rings
and after lunch.  I give them to the top 25 high point readers each 6 weeks.
My principal calls them my "Nerd Club".

The kids play computer games, draw with Kid Pix, chat with each other,take AR
tests, read, talk to me and generally hang out.  About the only thing they
can't do is internet surf because I"m to busy to supervise it properly -
however they get to do that at computer club so they don't mind.

I consider it quite a compliment that the kids WANT to come to the library!
Guusje Moore
Housman Elementary School
Houston, TX 77055

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