Word Processing in the Classroom


I use word processing in my classroom nearly every day.  I use it to create worksheets, assessments, and newsletters.  It seems that I am so used to using word processing, that I hardly even notice at this point. The basic format for Word, Google Docs, etc. is so seemingly universal, that I hardly notice the difference in formatting.  That being said, students hardly ever use word processing in my class.  Meeting for only 25 minutes, we hardly have time for students to log onto computers, much less create word processing documents.  I would love to have students create presentations, brochures, etc. that highlight what they have learned in my class about the Spanish language and culture.  However, time is simply not available for my students to complete such tasks.  With nearly every student having technology available at home, there could possibly be some at-home application, so long as I am sensitive to students current workload.  Being a specials teacher, there is a certain unspoken understanding that, while my lessons are valuable to students' education, they are supplementary to classroom education, and, given the incredible amount of work students do both in the classroom and at home, I try to keep the homework to a reasonable minimum.

Comments

  1. West Village AcademyFebruary 12, 2015 at 7:31 PM

    We also find it hard to find time to teach word processing with our students only having technology once a week when there isn't some type of testing that is going on where we cannot go to the technology lab. My question is, when do we start to help our students out and prep them for things such as the M step that is now on the computer instead of the MEAP? Do we even have time to do this? It makes me nervous especially when I work at a charter school in Detroit where a lot of our families can't afford to have computers. I have fifth graders who have never even typed anything on the computer before they came to our school. I am not sure how MStep testing will go for these students because they never set foot on any computers before.

    I am hoping that we can change that someday and help our students be successful but without time, it will be hard!


    Jessica Hickam

    ReplyDelete
  2. CollinFebruary 13, 2015 at 5:09 PM

    Jessica,

    You make so many important points. Technology is obviously SUCH an important aspect of our daily lives as functioning adults. Being ill-equipped to handle and manipulate technology will only set our students back as they prepare for the real life. Our kids get lab time (instructed by the classroom teacher, as we do not have a designated technology teacher). But like you said, it's once, MAYBE twice per week (and a designated ~30 mins for typing related activities.)
    My (lofty) suggestion-grant writing. We used grants, PTA money and other allocations to get a set of Chromebooks for our kids. Granted, it's two carts for a school of over 500 students. However, it's a start. In an ideal world, there would be one to one laptops for all students so they can do daily work (Google classroom, for example) and use computers as many professionals do. They NEED this proficiency in word processing and otherwise! It reminds me of how I learned to type. While we had type to learn in school to teach the basics, I didn't really learn until I had AIM, messaging friends at home. I didn't even realize I was learning because it had become just part of daily life, which is how our students will REALLY learn the technology skills they will need to be successful on the M STEP, and more importantly, in life!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2015 at 9:27 PM

    I also feel like sometimes there is just no time to do things like teach students how to use word processors when there is so much else to do. I am a special needs teacher and I find it hard enough to teach my students the common core curriculum and work on their individualized goals that sometimes I think when am I supposed to find the time to teach them to use a computer?

    ReplyDelete
  4. StaceyFebruary 16, 2015 at 4:09 PM

    Christina, I wonder if partnering with the content area teacher would be useful and a better use of that precious time

    ReplyDelete

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