I am posting an email that I sent today to Ms. Merrick (7th Grade "Computer Skills" teacher). I also cc'd Fred Wright (middle school principal) and Jean Davis (special education mentor). I am posting this because this blog is all about parents communicating. I won't know if any other parents share my concerns if I don't post what my concerns are. I also won't post any concerns that I haven't first sent to the school and asked them to address. I will post any reply that I receive under "comments."
Ms. Merrick,
I was going over Mitchell's progress report with him this evening and have some concerns regarding some of the computer grades.
I understand that typing is a big part of computing, and being able to type without looking at one's hands is a big part of typing. However, I fail to see the merit in turning the computer screen OFF while one is typing. Not only is this something that the students have not been practicing, but it seems to negate the idea of word processing. In fact, I don't know of any computing application where one must type and not be able to see the results of what you are typing in real time. Can you please explain to me why students were graded on something that they typed with the computer screen off, and how this is relevant to computing?
Thank you
Margo Whitt
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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Received the following response on 12/7:
ReplyDeleteI have been absent numerous days the past couple of weeks because my husband had a major surgery, and I haven't had time to answer all of my emails. I do apologize for not getting to you sooner.
Having the computer screen off reinforces their memorization of the keyboard, and it enables them to type faster. I have been using this technique for over 15 years and have found it to be extremely effective. I have never had any complaints from any students and only one other parent (this year) regarding this technique. When the monitor is on, the students who don't know the keyboard will look back and forth from their paper to the monitor; which, slows them down enormously, causes them to loose their place on the copy they were typing from, and does not make them aware of the keys they don't know the position.
Mitch doesn't appear to be having any problems with the keyboarding techniques used. He has an "A" in the class.
Mrs.Merrick