Computers Make
Literacy Personal
I teach literacy at a vocational/techni-cal high school where we have access
to computers and the Internet in every
classroom. When I began making
almost all of my literacy assignments
open-ended and had students do them
on the computer, I saw two important benefits: ( 1) Students’ completed
assignments told me a lot about them as
individuals; and ( 2) While each learner
worked at his or her own computer, I
was able to move around the classroom
and have one-to-one and small-group
conversations. The result was a more
personal relationship with each student
and more in-depth awareness of how to
accommodate each student’s learning
preferences.
—Jason Renshaw, literacy teacher,
Geelong Technical Education Centre,
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
It’s Your Birthday
I create a birthday section on a bulletin
board, and I make a poster celebrating each student who has a birthday
that month. Among my 90 students,
we usually have between four and six
birthdays a month. We sing “Happy
Birthday” and share our favorite birthday stories. I teach grades 9–12, and the
students love seeing their posters as well
as those of their friends.
—J. B. Mahli, teacher,
Princess Margaret Secondary,
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
DATAWISE
The Name Game
At the beginning of each year, I spend
time going to each table in the lunchroom learning the names of new
students. I try to have fun with it and
go back and forth testing my memory
while talking with the students. It is a
little thing that can garner big results in
creating an atmosphere where everyone
feels respected and well-known.
—Christopher Chew, headmaster,
North Middlesex Regional High School,
