It Begins!

I am back. The start of year two with the laptops. I am incredibly excited to be able to have an entire year to use the laptops with my students.

We have been using laptops in our classroom for about 3 weeks. The kids are now all able to log on (well, all but one...maybe two students!) Most of my kids are able to log-in to their reading and math program, Pearson, when using their password card (a few of the kids even have this password memorized!) Yes, it is baby steps with the little ones but in 3 weeks they have come a long way.

Although it might not seem as though the children have come far to an outsider I believe the first graders have learned a lot since the first day we took out the laptops. They know how to click and drag things. They know how to located and find new programs. They know how to enter in several passwords (with the help of a card.) They can turn on and shut down their laptop.

Sometimes, I forget the hurtles that the kids have jumped over but when I get a new student I am reminded at just how far they have come. I had a new student start in my classroom on Tuesday. He is having difficulties with things that my students are now "experts" on. As I watched one of my children standing over the new student today showing (not doing it for him) how to shut down his computer I had a big smile on my face. They truly are learning 21st century skills in the classroom-as well as skills that aren't so new like being a teamplayer.