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1. Too many kids, not enough computers.
There's only so many kids you can put
in front of a screen before nobody feels like they are in front of
the screen and going to get their turn.
2. Too many computers, not enough teachers.
You're wasting time, opportunity, and
money if you don't properly staff your project.
*. Too many teachers? ...nope, you can't
have too many teachers.
You've got 40-50 minutes a week
at best in the average Sunday School. Maximize it.
*. Too many computers for your class size?
Believe it or not, there are churches who get used
(or new) equipment
by the truckload, or buy
their computers thinking "one computer per kid" only to discover later
they didn't need all the equipment, (and that bigger labs require more
teachers and bigger
software budgets). Then they wonder why no sane teacher will set foot in
such a lab -where the computers are lined up all in a row and the
kids all have headphones on. Get your numbers right.
3. Believing this is easy, and settling
for "happy"
You can't just turn on software
and expect learning to happen.
Yes, the kids will be happy to
plow through your software (and miss half its content doing so).
And they'll look forward to the lab the next time, and the next.
But "happy" isn't what we're after with computers, it's
merely where we begin. We're after teacher-student sharing &
reflection. That happens AS you go through the software with
your kids, -not when you sit back and watch.
4. Mis-judging software before trying
it out in the classroom.
You should immediately assume that
most children's software is not built to appeal to you.
It's about how they enjoy it. We test each program with real kids.
More than once I've been surprised by what my students like or grab
onto in a program.
5. Putting your computers too close together.
When you stack computers too close together, the
music, sound effects and narration wash over each other and
create
cacophony. Headphones are a cop-out, and will cut-out
your teacher's ability to interact with students. Start with an adequately sized room and place computer about 5
feet apart with dividers between them. If you stick headphones on
your kids, it's because either, a) you aren't really teaching them
anyway; or b) you have nothing to say to them and they
couldn't hear you if you did; or c) you have left for coffee;
or d) you need a bigger space but are afraid to ask for it.
Read my article about reducing sound cacophony in
a lab.
www.sundaysoftware.com/sound.htm
6. Not having enough software, and not being able to
buy-choose the right
software for the lesson.
I continue to hear from well-meaning
churches who have blown their budget
on great equipment and have little left for great software. A few go
out and buy computers and are surprised to learn that we don't have
ONE MEGA PROGRAM that will teach all their stories. Then there are those who are
"surprised" that they can't copy one program to all their computers
and had imagined their software budget built on the false premise of
permission to make copies! Control the size of your lab and
the number of kids coming into it at one time, --and you'll teach
better and be able to afford a better library of software.
FYI: Copying is pirating. Do
not teach the Bible with stolen materials.
7. Recruiting "Techies" instead of Teachers.
If they know how to related to kids
and manage a lesson plan, then they are perfect for your project! If
they are just computer techies, go find some real teachers.
8. Not having a lesson plan and not being
prepared.
If you're not previewing, preparing
and going into class with a lesson plan, PLEASE let somebody else teach
my kids. Print our free Teaching Tips and Guides for nearly every
program at
www.sundaysoftware.com/tips
9. Thinking those six year old computers
are fantastic!
Well, they are fantastic --compared
to nothing. But the screaming fact is that you can't teach with
the screen-saver. You teach with the software. And if your computers
can't run MOST of the Christian software available, then there's a
fundamental flaw in your lab concept.
10. Too
Many Good Computers (!)
I know it sounds unbelievable, but I
regularly encounter churches who get TOO MANY COMPUTERS --good ones too.
Then they can't afford all the software they
really need. And the computers crowd the room -which then creates
a noise problem. And now your real teachers want nothing to do with
the lab.
** Hey,
if you have more mistakes you'd like to caution others about,
drop me some email.
<><Neil
Ten Most Common...Copyright
1999-20010. This list may be copied for non-commercial teaching
use only.
Read my Getting
Started article. |
