Image: Country SunshineLego Boy has almost finished his first term of school.
During orientation last year, the parents were taken on a little tour of the school to see the library facilities, and the new technology room in the high school. Lego Boy is attending the local (public) community school which has a primary school and a high school.
The primary school has almost 200 students, and the high school around 1200 students. The advantage to the little kids is primarily that they have early access to a lot of extra facilities that would otherwise only be available to high school students.
Anyhow, we spoke with the head of the Technology department. And he expects that the kindergarten children (so we're talking 5/6 year olds) should be able to log into a computer (!). When I bought that little gem home to talk to hubby about. He was outraged. I must say I was a little taken aback too! My little boy, able to type in his name and a password - and remember it all?! Where was my little boy going?! I had no doubts he would be able to cope and do this (now simple!) task, but I have to say we were both somewhat apprehensive.
LegoBoy came home from orientationed and exclaimed "Daddy needs to teach me to use a computer!" Had we been holding back our little boy by not giving him earlier access to a computer and it's facilities? He had played a few games on the Wiggles websites, and a few puzzles, but nothing intensive, and I could count the number of occasions on two hands.
Was I right to feel apprehensive? I have three nephews and one niece in school (14, 11, 8 and almost 7), and it's an expected activity to use a computer - they all have USB drives, they use the computers for assignments, research, games, even Facebook (for the older ones). Using computers was only JUST becoming accepted when I was in late high school - and even then I was only one of about five students (out of about 200 in our year) who had access at home and used them regularly for assignments.
So why do I feel so apprehensive giving him access when I was such an early adoptor myself?! I feel like such an old fart!!!
Me to me too me too. Olivia (6) comes home and tells me all teh other kids are doing their show and tell via a USB. What the?! What is wrong with glue stick and texta?
ReplyDeleteteaching year 1 and 2 (that's 6-7yo kids in SA) I expect all the kids to learn their log on and password by the end of term 1 (most year 2s already know it from the previous year). To start with the kids get a little card with the info on it. I keep the cards locked up, and take them to and from the computer room each lesson. Sometimes there are kids who just aren't ready to memorise these kinds of facts at such a young age, so they might keep using their cards for longer. There's no point forcing the issue if they're still struggling with basic literacy!
ReplyDeleteBy the end of the year my class could write blog posts, comment on each others blog posts, create powerpoint presentations, do mind mapping on various software tools, create pictures in kid pix and make movies with movie maker.
I don't think you've held back Lego boy at all. He will have plenty of exposure through kindy and school, and now might do a little bit at home. There are lots of other things that are just as or more important, and he's been enjoying those things.
Enjoy watching your little boy grow up!