Keyboarding

Tried 3 keyboarding websites tonight:
typingstudy.com
10-fast-fingers.com
keyhero.com

Typingstudy.com offered a more "classic" style of keyboarding. Going through touch typing. At first it just seemed annoying, but then when I actually looked at what was on the screen (not just trying to type the letters they gave me, but utilizing the pictured keyboard and colored letters to type) it was quite interesting. I can see how this site would really be beneficial to new/young keyboarders.

10-fast-fingers.com is just a speed typing test. You can test and retest to increase your speed. A positive to this site is that is uses the most commonly used English words. So the faster you type these words, then the faster you'll type in general. You can also post to your blog how fast (or not fast) you type. (I'm only 57 wpm)

My favorite of the 3 was keyhero.com. It was both an accuracy test as well as WPM. And it tested your accuracy in 4 categories: bad ordering, wrong case, doublet, other while charting your mistakes on a table. In addition, the program buzzed at you if you typed something incorrectly....which scared me half to death, but also added a bit of fun to it! :)

Mac OS & Atomic Learning

Although I have a Mac at home, I've never really researched much about them....I usually leave that sort of thing to my husband! But as I read the overview, it is just fascinating to me how the Apple Computers got started. I actually remember, as a child, going to the JBC computer lab when I was probably 6 or so (1983) and using an Apple computer....way to go Dr. Templar! I have loved my Mac at home - mostly because it really is so simple to use once you learn the little "tricks" about it (like scrolling with two fingers). And then when you use all the tutorials on Atomic Learning, it really makes everything seem simple!! It helps so much to see HOW to do everything. And there's much more to the site that I haven't even looked at....whew.
We didn't purchase the OS software for our home computer, but after looking through the Atomic Learning site, it sure does seem smart.....if only using it for the Time Machine feature. Wow! I can't believe you can reload deleted files....that's just amazing to me. Props to the Steves.

I love Macs - I'll be a Mac user for life! :)

Learning from Others

I checked out a blog today of another educator - Will Richardson......the first post of his that I read was interesting b/c I've been thinking about the same things lately - encouraging (or saying it's OK) to wait to go to college. It's a lot of money to spend when passions/interests may not fully be developed....like Will, I think it may be best to just encourage my kids to find their passion and then dive into school. I mean, I'm nearly 34 and feel like I am just REALLY finding my passion and where God wants to use me in furthering His Kingdom. And while I appreciate the education I received right out of high school, I can't help but think there may be some merit to at least saying it's OK to wait to go to college. 18 gets younger and younger.....and that's such a huge decision to make at such a young age!!

His second post was really interesting as well. Basically saying that it's time for teachers to step up and change the way we are educating, because what is being done now isn't working for our kids. He states, "The onslaught of tests and data collection and standardization is doing the same thing to teachers as it’s doing to kids, driving the creativity and the passion and the enjoyment of real learning right out of them". He encourages teachers to fundamentally change what is being done in the classroom in order to put kids "ahead of the system", and make learning the focus.

Wow. To me, that's inspiring. I want my students to love learning and love being at school; I want my classroom to be a safe place that kids want be in and where they are inspired to become who God has made them to be.