Computer Skills Development Program
History & Description- page 2
December through May is our busy season for making greeting cards and banners. With Christmas, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day. Valentine’s Day, St. Partick’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day we use Microsoft Publisher to design custom cards and banners for friends and family. The students also enjoy sending Internet greeting cards to contacts in their Yahoo address books.
Another popular activity our students appreciate is using our digital camera to take photos, edit them with Kodak Imaging, saving them in their respective folders and inserting them into various publications. To demonstrate the level that these students have achieved, several of them have the ability to attach photos to their e-mails.
For students who own their computers, lessons were given on how to download, install and run Yahoo Anti-Spy, Pop-Up Blocker, Spybot and Adaware to protect their machines from spyware and unwanted Internet advertisements.
On Thursday, July 8, 2004, an Awards Ceremony/Open House was held to recognize these students’ accomplishments. Family members were invited, refreshments were served and each student received a certificate.
The most gratifying aspect of teaching these exceptional individuals is the look on their faces when they see messages in their Yahoo “In Box” from family, Wayside staff and classmates. Recently, an e-mail was sent out to family members to elicit their response on how receiving e-mail from our students impacted them. It is also a gauge of how technology can broaden the residents’ communication skills and improve their self-esteem. Here is a sample:
Hi Timothy. Thanks so much for working with Patty on the computer. I so appreciate getting emails from her and knowing that she is learning to use the computer in that way. I hope she can continue in this program. Thanks again for all you do.
Hi Tim. It's nice to "meet" you. I love getting email from Scott. It makes me feel good knowing he is a part of the computer world. It IS a great accomplishment for him. And it brightens my day to see an email from him. Thanks for teaching all your students.
It feels great! Since I'm out of town, I don't get to see Patty much. It's nice to see that she is staying involved and participating, with her friends, in different activities
I always enjoy getting an e-mail from Doug. I have spoken to the other members of the family and they also enjoy getting e-mails. I believe that being able to e-mail has not only opened another avenue of communication but it has also bolstered his self-confidence in being able to say that he too his on the “information highway.” Thank you for all your good work with Doug.
I love to get email from Johnathan. I know that he is thinking of me when he sends me mail. Of course, I know he is always thinking of me because he calls me at least twice a day. I also know that he looks forward to coming to your class. He gets so upset when he doesn't get to come. Thank you for all that you do. As a parent, I can tell you it means the world to all of your students.
If you are interested in becoming a pen pal with one our students, please contact me at tacaskey@yahoo.com.
Timothy Caskey
Computer Skills Development Program