Are Your Kids Literate?
It’s surprising just how many kids B’Tude and I go to school with who know so little about computers. Back in about 1997 the President said there would be computers in every classroom. Not sure why that hasn’t trickled down yet.
Did you know—
The U.S. Census Bureau reports over 83 percent of all professional men and greater than 75 percent of all professional women in the United States use computers in the workplace.
In today’s digitally enhanced, high technology world, computer literacy is critical to all levels in the workplace; word processing for formal documentation and email, spreadsheet reporting, MS Powerpoint for presentations, and websites for company promotions. Employees without computer skills are quickly left behind.
Computers can be used in several ways in classrooms; as a teaching tool, a communications tool, and a learning tool. We use tools to make our jobs easier and more efficient. Schools and teachers who don’t recognize the benefit of using a computer in their classrooms may be shortchanging themselves and their students.
The reasons our youth aren’t getting the skills they need in school? Some teachers are still "old school" and; don’t have the skills themselves to teach using technology, resent being "forced" to learn something they think is "outside" their speciality, or are simply not educated themselves to the very real advantages computers can have as teaching aids in the classroom. Other reasons of course include a lack of funding. Funding is often funneled off to more "important" areas like the school football team.
While I certainly agree that having a good football team helps a school’s status and helps bring in students and popularity—thus aiding in funding, I’m not convinced that a football scholarship would help the probably over 75% of the students who will never have a chance in hell of ever receiving one. I have to say that the letter sweater hanging in my closet never got me a single job.
Before I get slammed by the underpaid teachers; let me hasten to add that I am not totally blaming the teachers. It’s the system itself that’s flawed. For Pete’s sake, provide the teachers the time and incentives to learn technology so they can help the students.
There is no substitute for a teacher who is in a classroom where there students can ask questions, so I’m not advocating replacing teachers in the classroom with a computer. I think teachers just need to be able to have access to the latest technology so they can help prepare their students.
I always thought that our youth were our future, so I guess I’m more than just a little concerned about whether our kids are being prepared to build a future for themselves. Are they really getting the advantages and skills our society should be able to provide for them?