DR> I'd like to hear some comments on what I should 
 DR> focus my teaching on. Perhaps you can tell me what 
 DR> other people in similar situations are doing ?
 DR> 2) Towards the end of this year, I was able to take a few classes up 
 DR> to the computers and use a few particular programs 
 DR> to enhance the units of other teachers on my team.  
 DR> While we were there, I could see that student 
 DR> behavior would still be a fairly-major problem.  
 DR> It's amazing how some of them just want to "goof 
 DR> around" or test the limits of the rules.
Next issue is the software secutiry, I am presuming that the labs' computers 
already have some sort of security software on them, if not, that is the next 
step.
 
As for classroom plans, my class has to learn keyboarding and applications. I 
have no curriculum either, but our district is working towards that, it will 
take another year or two.  My classroom is completely different, I have only 
DOS machines mostly, four windows machines and one windows machine for me. I 
have no internet access other than at my desk.  I have access to WordPerfect 
5.1, Lotus, Microsoft Works, NeoPaint, the school library, a desktop 
publishing program, and a BBS that I have installed.  The BBS has E-mail and 
Chat with five allowed on at a time.  I was going to expand access to 25 in 
chat and connect to the K-12 net for students and parents--however the 
company that makes the software went out of business.  Back to the drawing 
board.
 
Projects are a favorite of mine, I try to make them as interesting as I can 
so students will stay on task.  Here are some that I have used:
1. Menu (for cafe or rest.)
2. Cards (for all occaisions)
3. Calendar (yearly--done in teams of three or four)
4. Booklets (the 8th grade English teachers and myself work on a poetry book 
at the end of the year)
5. Reports, business letters, etc.
6. Graphic illustrations, etc.
7. Posters, etc.
8. Keyboarding - Ultrakey (available for Mac also) and another product.
Unfortunately, we don't have basic anymore as we went to MS-DOS instead of 
PC.  However, two of the classes are going to be year-long, so they are going 
to be using UCBLogo for programming, working on web pages for school and a 
video and print annual--something new to try.
 
I do use games as a motivation, games can only be played at the end of the 
week if all work is complete.  This cuts down on most of the 
disruptive-non-productive time in class.  Most stay on task, the office takes 
care of the rest, (and I use referrals very little).  I also try to circulate 
around my class, that helps, as does moving disruptive students. Hope that 
helps some.  I do have some sites for you to surf, but I have to update my 
homepage.
--- Maximus 2.02
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