Good Morning Mr. Lawrence

On Friday morning at 8:30AM a request went out on the Cruisers Network, a radio broadcast for people traveling around the Exumas.  They needed someone to go to the Staniel Cay All Age School (SCAAS) and teach a computer class.  The regular volunteer had stepped down, and they needed someone to step up.

The SCAAS, has 15 students from 8 – 13 years of age.  They have a computer lab/store room.  All in all, not bad really.  What they don’t have is a teacher that knows enough about computers.  That Said Mr. and Mrs. Denny do a lot with what they have and they have overcome significant challenges to provide a good education for the kids.

After the broadcast I asked Sue if she would go with me and help with the class if I could improvise a class on the spot based on what the kids knew how to do and what they could learn.  She was a gamer – as usual.  So off we went at 9:30AM to meet Mr. and Mrs. Denny the two teachers.

After an hour of getting the computers up and running, familiarizing myself with what they had and talking to Mr. Denny about objectives, we decided that making a Mothers Day Card was just the project we would undertake.  It provided them the ability to use Microsoft Word, import Pictures, Format Text and Search the internet for a Mothers Day Poem (for the older kids).

I made up an example and the young kids were sent in to start the class.  Now everyone who knows me, knows that what I don’t know about kids is a lot!  So when they all marched in single file I was a little daunted.  However, when I did introductions for Sue and I they all echoed “Good Morning Mr. Lawrence.  Good Morning Dr. Sue” – Cute in the extreme and it broke the ice!  They were about as attentive as you might expect and everyone made up a card with Happy Mothers Day at the top, a picture of a heart and I Love You at the bottom. Some of the kids customized and typed their own little message and changed the picture for a flower.  All in all it went well.

Building the Sample

Introducing the Kids to the Objective

The Younger Kids - Success!

The in came the big kids.  Their project was much the same, except we added an internet search to fine a poem that they liked for their mom.  That class went even better and we discussed the concepts of multiple applications and how to cut and paste information from one to another.  They all picked it up very quickly, and those that were not quite sure usually had Sue, Myself or another student to show them.

The Older Kids Lesson Plan

After Class Help

Older Kids - Success!

Each student go to print out their card to take with them and I think they were all very proud of their accomplishment.

The Whole School and Mrs. Denny

For our part – we were too!