Awakenings...
Because I’m over fifty, I can remember every step I’ve taken into the world of computers. No step has come naturally for me—but every step has left me in awe.
When computers first arrived at Arapahoe I was reluctant to leave my typewriter. In fact, I was the last person in the English department to switch to the computer. I knew I was in trouble when our supply cabinet ran out of typewriter ribbons, and no one cared (except for me). One day I saw a screen-saver for the first time. It was a fish tank—with colorful fish swimming across the screen and bubbles gently rising from their mouths. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I decided that anything so beautiful couldn’t be evil, and I asked a colleague to help me learn how to use a mouse. She set me up with a tutorial (yes—there was such a thing on those early computers!) and that’s how I learned how to click.
When I typed my first test, I treated the computer like a typewriter. That meant that whenever I approached the end of a line, I would push “Enter.” I also used the space bar to set up columns. The resulting document was a mess, but bit by bit—with much practice and advice from my colleagues—I learned word processing. The first time I printed a document on the school’s brand new laser printer, tears welled in my eyes. The document was just so beautiful. I remember thinking, “This is a miracle.”
This week I felt computer-inspired awe once more. Terry, Lary, and I assigned our A.P. students to read and blog about Act I of Henry IV. This is a very difficult Shakespearean play, with so many characters, historical allusions, and archaic words in the opening scenes that the kids are bamboozled. We asked the students to post their reactions and questions on the class blog and to respond to each other. The night the blogs were due, I logged on and began to read what my class had written. I was excited by the depth of their thinking, by their astute questions, and by their helpful comments to each other. The beauty of the whole thing moved me. I couldn’t sleep that night because I kept thinking about the possibilities that this technology brings to all of us.
Mice, fish bubbles, laser printers, and blogs. These have awakened me.
When computers first arrived at Arapahoe I was reluctant to leave my typewriter. In fact, I was the last person in the English department to switch to the computer. I knew I was in trouble when our supply cabinet ran out of typewriter ribbons, and no one cared (except for me). One day I saw a screen-saver for the first time. It was a fish tank—with colorful fish swimming across the screen and bubbles gently rising from their mouths. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I decided that anything so beautiful couldn’t be evil, and I asked a colleague to help me learn how to use a mouse. She set me up with a tutorial (yes—there was such a thing on those early computers!) and that’s how I learned how to click.
When I typed my first test, I treated the computer like a typewriter. That meant that whenever I approached the end of a line, I would push “Enter.” I also used the space bar to set up columns. The resulting document was a mess, but bit by bit—with much practice and advice from my colleagues—I learned word processing. The first time I printed a document on the school’s brand new laser printer, tears welled in my eyes. The document was just so beautiful. I remember thinking, “This is a miracle.”
This week I felt computer-inspired awe once more. Terry, Lary, and I assigned our A.P. students to read and blog about Act I of Henry IV. This is a very difficult Shakespearean play, with so many characters, historical allusions, and archaic words in the opening scenes that the kids are bamboozled. We asked the students to post their reactions and questions on the class blog and to respond to each other. The night the blogs were due, I logged on and began to read what my class had written. I was excited by the depth of their thinking, by their astute questions, and by their helpful comments to each other. The beauty of the whole thing moved me. I couldn’t sleep that night because I kept thinking about the possibilities that this technology brings to all of us.
Mice, fish bubbles, laser printers, and blogs. These have awakened me.
posted by Cheryl Makovsky at 2:27 PM
3 Comments:
Thanks for sharing your own "learning journey" with technology. I think that in and of itself is a good example for your students as they face learning new things that may be difficult for them.
I think one of the great things about the recent advances in technology is that it is allowing us to see what has been there all the time - our students' abilities to contribute to the learning, to add to the conversations, to really participate in their own - and each others' - education.
What a cool segway into what you are accomplishing with computers. I can remember taking the first computer science class at Arapahoe circa 1982. It was "taught" by a math teacher (who will remain unnamed since I forget his name) but was really taught by one of the students in the class (this guy was smart and knew his stuff). We had a Hewlett Packard wall size computer located next to the now-gone typing lab. We would write programs and punch-out holes on cards and feed them,literally, into the computer. Man, it's like a bad science fiction movie, now!
What a perfect example of an appropriate narrative! I have heard so many teachers say, "I am too old for this." Or, "I need to get out of teaching."
I hope that we forge into the future without alienating teachers that are "unnatural" learners of technology.
How did you, despite your feelings, continue to work through your frustrations, your obstacles, and fears? I am inspired from your story and it reminds me to keep this "fire" for professionalism stoked. Thank you, Cheryl for setting such a powerful standard for us.
Post a Comment
<< Home