In my former life as technology manager for the public library, one of my responsibilities was to teach three computer classes each week. I LOVED IT !!!
During our book club meeting a couple of weeks ago it came up about teaching some basic computer skills to them. So yesterday a few of us met at Nina’s house for an mini computer class.
We didn’t cover anything real involved—how to select or highlight text; how to copy/paste; how to get photos from a camera onto a computer; how to put a photo onto your Facebook page; how to make an attachment to an email; how to randomly select photos and organize photos into folders, etc..
So for two hours I got to teach computer stuff again---I was in heaven! Love doing that. So much fun to help someone learn a new skill and enjoy the sparkle in their eyes when they grasp the concept and are able to do it themselves….they get such a feeling of accomplishment….it’s wonderful to witness!
The ladies seemed to learn what they wanted and had fun in the meantime. Thanks, Barb, for the great cookies (addictive), and thank you, Nina, for hosting and baking that delicious banana bread.
When I was teaching computers most of my students were senior citizens whose adult children had tried and failed to teach them computer skills. Problem being the adult children “showed” them how to do something without the parent actually doing it themselves. Plus the children rushed through steps saying “all you have to do it is this and then this and there you have it”. Your eyes could hardly follow their fingers flying across the keyboard and the movement of the mouse cursor. Plus the adult children spoke in a whole different “language” about bits and bytes, moving a mouse, highlighting, downloading, hard drives, etc. All of that resulted in frustration and they came to me for help.
I didn’t learn how to use a computer until late in life as well so I spoke more “senior-ese” than “computer-ese”. We were in the same age group and I used our common language to explain things. We had a successful program.
I use to joke that parents shouldn’t teach children how to drive a car (lack of patience) and adult children shouldn’t teach parents how to use a computer (same lack of patience). I still feel that way.
Remember, you are loved.
Read the story behind this saying HERE
There is no telling how much you have inspired your students by teaching them these new fun skills. Much of your success with them has to do with your story at the end of each post. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSo great that you got to teach again...something you're awesome at and a great help to others. Are you hanging around Alamosa till after your meeting ? Then where to ?
ReplyDeleteHowdy Bobbie,
ReplyDeleteYou don't know how frusterated I am at this very moment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just 'lost' a very complicated email to YAHOO, that I had written 3 times and POOOOF IT'S LOST!!!!!!!!!
Then I come over here to relax, see about YOU TEACHING POOTER STUFF, and the very FIRST THING I type in, AND IT DISAPPEARS,, POOOOOOFF !!!!!!!!!!!! I hope I can get this email completed and sent before I THROW THIS OLD POOTER OUT THE WINDER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Would you help me LEARN how to use this thing, please??? I have 2 sons and 2 daughters and a s-i-l, who RUNS a computer shop, who are COMPUTER WHIZES; THEY TEACH OR WORK ON COMPUTERS ALLLLL DAY LONG AT WORK, BUT won't help me, because they do like you say, they do it and say , 'that's how you do it' and can't understand why Joyce & I can't DO IT !!!!!
Y'all are too, also !!!!
Joyce & butterbean