Class Session Win

A couple of weeks ago, when I announced my Manejo Basico (basic computer use) class, the response was not exactly overwhelming. Of the sixty-plus scouts who had come for weekly activities that drizzly Saturday, only one had asked to have his name added to the sign-up sheet. But as the days went by and I generated buzz among the regulars at the computer lab, the eight slots slowly began to fill. By the time I was about to give the class yesterday, I was a little worried that I would have to turn some kids away. But absenteeism and group mentality came to the rescue; while only about half of those people enrolled actually showed up, the open seats were filled by scouts who happened to be present and decided that they wanted to be included.

The class presented an interesting set of challenges. Students ranged in age from 20 to 9. Some were adepted at installing software and browsing the web, while other struggled to type and use a mouse. One had the audacity to get on Facebook a mere minute and a half into class in a lab the size of a small bedroom. Luckily, I had installed a piece of software that allowed me to disable his computer while I made an example of him. He became my assistant. Since the lab lacks a projector, I used every monitor to display my slides simultaneously. The students took turns reading from them and answering critical thinking questions about the subject matter: hardware, software, data, bits, bytes, input devices, output devices, and so on.

In the coming week, I will have to work on how I will address some of the issues I encountered which include slow computers, students talking over one another, and especially how to establish a closed environment. Kids kept coming up an knocking on the door to the lab which is usually a public place. I even had them opening the windows and sticking their hands through to greet my students. In the end, however, I think the students enjoyed themselves. After half an hour of computer basics, we switched gears and I had them use a typing program they like as a reward for paying attention to the presentation and participation. When our time together was finished, they didn't want to leave. They even told me they want to meet more frequently, so now the class is Tuesdays and Thursdays! Win!