I remember listening to tape cassettes during stenography (a.k.a. shorthand) , a style of writing that allowed students to write words as quickly as they are spoken, and being one of a very few who COULD NOT WAIT to get to this class.
(refer to cartoon on left)
The recordings were dictated by, well, I don't quite remember who (it was a long time ago, shuddup!) on a funky little contraption called a dictaphone (I think) and then my classmates and I would transcribe our notes onto a typewriter.
Yes, it was an electric typewriter (I'm not THAT old!) and I was the one...way in the back...with the stupid grin on my face.
Keep in mind, it was the 1970's, technology was still in it's tween years and computers were for super-secret governmental type stuff.
Yes, a great many of my teachers were also conspiracy theorists.
It’s no secret, kids today are much more technologically advanced than their parents and my kids are no exception. A majority of homework involves researching stuff on the internet and two of my tween's text books are now available online.
I think this is a wonderful thing: less books to carry home (seriously, their backpacks can get heavy!) and, having 4 kids in school for the last 13 years, I am ALL for going paperless.
I know how important school programs are to a child's experience. That's why I'm working with Clorox's Power A Bright Future K-12 school grant program to get parents and their teens (13 and older) to vote and help schools win grants up to $50,000.
Care to help a school out?!? EXCELLENT!!!
Here's how you AND YOUR TEEN can help: from November 12 to December 19, 2012, anyone 13 and older can vote online and via text -- a great way to get your older kids involved in helping their classmates and/or younger kids out, yes?Visit www.powerabrightfuture.com from a computer or mobile phone to do it, or visit the site to find your favorite school's text to vote code. You can vote once online and once by text every day. Voting ends December 19, 2012 and the winners will be announced later this year.
Previous grant winners created new computer labs, digital white boards and many schools submit grant requests for iPads and updated technology systems.
Sadly, we don't have an iPad (YET!) and most local libraries are equipped with an awesome reference lab for those folks who don't have computers at home.
So you see, not ALL technology is evil and I really do believe growing up in the age of the internet can be a wonderful thing (when used properly, of course, common sense helps) YOLO!!!
What? YOLO = you only learn once (just trying to keep it young and fresh, for you youngsters!) and I am all for programs that help enrich and enhance our children's education.
Oh, and be sure to check out Clorox on Facebook and Clorox on Twitter or #yolopabf if you are a hashtag-enthusiast...like me...minus the stupid grin, of course!
© 2003 - 2012 This Full House
Disclosure:
I am being compensated by The Clorox Company to talk about the Power A
Bright Future school grant program. As always, all opinions are mine
and I am more than happy to participate in stuff to help schools.