Re: Target: Kindergarten in the Lab

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@DYNAMITE.COM.AU>]

Dear Sylvia

"Our kindergarten teachers are struggling with the computer lab."

Our kinder kids are getting quite adept at using KidPix even though they
have only been at school 9 weeks.
Each unit of four classes has its own mini-lab (Jamie McKenzie's notion of
'critical mass') where the kids get a lot of time on a rotation basis to do
things like creating pictures to accompany their maths ( each child has made
a 1 - 10 counting book using the stamps) or their writing.  You can see some
of their work on our webpage > the pods > Bimberi or Namadgi.

In their weekly library session with me I have incorporated the technology
in a number of ways via a unit I am doing based on nursery rhymes.  I have
an LCD projector that allows me to show the images on a large screen but
some of things I have done include
* scanning in a picture like Little Miss Muffet, projecting it and getting
them to use the clues in the picture to tell me about it
* typing in the rhyme as they say it - great for reinforcing print
direction, word vs letter concepts
*having them use the tools to colour in pictures that I downloaded from the
'net and experimenting with the patterns and colours
* creating a graph of their classes based on The Old Woman in the Shoe - I
created the grid, each child had to fill in a square with a coloured pattern
in either the boy column of the girl column
* watching the Encarta animation of a spider creating a web and then trying
to construct their own.

Each time I do a lesson with them, I start from scratch - showing them how
to log on (we have a generic username and password); which program icon to
select and how to use the mouse to do it;  how to select the basic functions
using the mouse and how to save and print (if appropriate) and close.

As part of this, I teach them the names of the hardware pieces, how to use
and care for them, turn them on and off etc and basic computer etiquette. We
have an ICT Continuum as a guide but we are in the process of reviewing
this.

But to do this, the teachers have to be up to speed and so we have a
checklist of computing skills we expect teachers to have, and we provide
targeted PD before school, lunch time or after school depending on what
suits.   For instance last week I ran a session on using our new scanner and
another on using a typing program.  Only those who needed to come, came and
we find this just-in-time learning to be most effective.

We have very few CD-ROMs ( the site licences are prohibitive) and this is a
good thing because it means the computer and its programs become just
another tool that the kids use like paper and pencils. In fact, in previous
years we have had to roster access to the RC lab at lunchtimes but now the
novelty has worn off and there is hardly anyone in there!

I hope this provides some ideas.

Cheers
Barbara
Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."

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