It's been so good to see all of your lovely children back at school this week!
Enrichment classes will commence the 3rd week of school this year. Starting the 25th, all classrooms will visit the computer lab at least once a week.
During that first week, we will be sending home the LAUSD Acceptable Use Policy for you and your child(ren) to go over and sign. This is necessary so that students are able to use the LAUSD network during the school day. (Students will need to go online to do research, and to have access to learning sites like BrainPop, Everyday Math Online, and Dance Mat Typing.)
We will be starting the year in technology with a heavy emphasis on typing skills. During our field test of the Smarter Balanced Assessment last year, we noted that the students who were proficient typists were able to more clearly and easily communicate what they knew. We don't waste brain power thinking about how to hold a pencil, but when students have to stop to locate a letter on the keyboard or to think about how to capitalize, their focus is diverted from whatever question they are actually being asked.
We have lots of other great stuff planned for the year, so be sure to check back in here periodically to see what we're up to!
My first grader is so excited about learning to type. I'm glad you are starting that early!
ReplyDeleteI have been a bad, bad blogger this year! So glad to hear the typing started well -- I hope they're still enjoying it! :-) It's an important skill for this generation.
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