| Some parents debate whether learning to write is | | | | Anyway with the number of students who own |
| necessary as all around them they see computers | | | | computers you would think they would do their |
| and keyboards. I sometimes wonder myself as I was | | | | homework on a computer but not so. They do the |
| brought up on a notepad and pencil and all around me | | | | research on a computer but then they hand in written |
| kids are using computers. As a school teacher I still | | | | assignments, albeit in printing not in longhand writing. |
| use the blackboard and chalk, but most of the young, | | | | Most children use the computer for entertainment as |
| new teachers use the computer and power point | | | | opposed to working on one and they have this mind |
| presentations. I have tried using the computer in the | | | | set that the computer is a plaything not a work tool. |
| classroom but it didn't suit me, as I like to stand and | | | | People from my generation appreciate the computer |
| walk around. I think the kids prefer the blackboard as | | | | because we know what life was like without one and |
| the teacher can create the lesson as they go. But the | | | | the younger generation do not. |
| debate still continues whether students like using a | | | | The computer is a great time saver as well as an |
| computer in the classroom or not. We have already | | | | extremely good time waster and a lot of students |
| got the paperless office and for some courses in the | | | | have mastered the time wasting side of the computer. |
| university we have the paperless lecture. But they are | | | | They have to be taught how to use the computer as |
| basically to do with highly computerized courses and it | | | | a time saving tool. At school we don't do that, we just |
| is to the advantage of the student to use a computer. | | | | teach them how to type. And parents don't bother, |
| But not all courses need a computer. | | | | they just let them lose on the computer so they are |
| Now back to school life. A lot of students have | | | | not destroying the house. |
| computers but there are a number of socially | | | | One big change I have noticed that has been brought |
| disadvantaged students in the lower area schools who | | | | about by the computer is longhand writing verses |
| can't afford computers. These are the students | | | | printing. My generation all wrote in longhand but now |
| without a voice only school teachers know about | | | | nearly nobody writes in longhand, it is all in block letters. |
| them. The people who do all the talking and want | | | | That is partly due to schools not teaching writing and |
| computers in the classroom, are the parents of the | | | | also teachers using block letters. On the blackboard I |
| socially adjusted students not the socially inapt | | | | use block because the students can read it but |
| students. And most of the older teachers like me, don't | | | | everywhere else I use longhand. The only time I use |
| like computers because the students know more | | | | longhand is in a kindergarten where I teach Montessori |
| about them that the teacher. And most students are | | | | writing with sandpaper letters to a bunch of kids after |
| better on a keyboard that the teacher. | | | | class. |