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  How our students use technology:
Kraybill Campus has a computer lab of 28 computers, as well as computers in the media center.. Each elementary classroom has up to 4 computers for student use. Our teachers all have laptops connecting to our wireless network for easy access to technology.

Students in grades 3-8 receive formal computer instruction in the lab for 40 minutes each week. In these classes, they are taught a wide variety of basic computer skills in accordance with national and state standards. Keyboarding "by touch" is taught in third grade. To reinforce the use of technology as a tool, the computer teacher works with the classroom teacher to integrate the computer skills being taught in the lab with what is being learned in the regular classroom subjects. Teachers also use laptops and projectors for whole class instruction and bring classes to the lab to work on extra projects.
computer
           

KEYBOARDING
ONLINE SAFETY
IF YOUR CHILD IS NEW TO KC

Middle school Writer's Workshop classes are held in the lab each week, where students compose and edit all creative writing assignments. Middle school students have opportunities to use technology through the computer elective, by producing the yearbook online, and through the middle school Challenge Program, which is technology-based. Students in grades 1-8 also use the online program, First in Math, to reinforce math skills.

Read what students are doing in Computer Classes (Grades 3-8) this year! Click HERE for the Kraybill Computer Wiki (formerly "Quarterly Progress Reports").

 

 

 
         

KEYBOARDING:

The first and most important skill in using computers is KEYBOARDING. Keyboarding is the main method of input into a computer. Typing by touch (without looking down at the keyboard) enables a person to type as fast as they are thinking. Keyboarding by touch is taught at Kraybill Campus at the third grade level using the UltraKey Keyboarding program by "Bytes of Learning".

Third grade computer class is held 4-5 times per week for 20 minutes each session. Studies have shown that keyboarding by touch (without looking at the keyboard) is best learned by practicing often. It is a skill similar to learning how to play an instrument and is learned by repeating the "finger reaches" until it becomes "automatic" and is done without thinking. Short, frequent practice is better than infrequent, long sessions. In the beginning, accuracy is more important than speed. After students know the reaches, they should speed up a bit to be more so their fingers move more easily and not worry about accuracy. Finally, when the accuracy is there, and students know the reaches without thinking and the fingers can move smoothly to the keys, with continued practice, both speed and accuracy will improve.

Time spent keyboarding in 4th - 8th grades / Goals

3RD GR: 20 minutes keyboarding 4-5 times/week (Computer skills are added in the 2nd semester.) PAST GOAL: Complete level 6 at 10wpm/95% (GOAL when students typed 2 X per week)
CURRENT GOAL: Complete level 9 at 10wpm/95% (GOAL now that students type 4-5 X per week)
4TH GR: 20 minutes keyboarding / 20 minutes computer skills GOAL: Complete level 9 at 10wpm/95%
5TH GR: 15 minutes keyboarding / 25 minutes computer skills GOAL: 15wpm/95%
6TH GR: 20 minutes keyboarding / 20 minutes computer skills GOAL: 20wpm/95%
7TH GR: 20 minutes keyboarding / 20 minutes computer skills GOAL: 25wpm/95%
8TH GR: 20 minutes keyboarding / 20 minutes computer skills GOAL: 30wpm/95%
GOAL FOR MOST HIGH SCHOOLS: 30wpm/95%


PRACTICING AT HOME
Practicing typing at home will greatly increase your child's progress through the UltraKey program, and limit his/her frustration. Students who also type at home usually complete the program in less than a year. It is important that when typing at home, your child's hands are covered. You can tape a piece of paper on one side to the keyboard, so it covers the hands. Again, practicing frequently for short 15-20 minute periods of time are better than practicing for less frequent longer periods of time. Your child may use the typing sentences from UltraKey for practice. (Please let me know if you need any.) I also offer UltraKey for parents to purchase sometime during the first quarter of each year, at a reduced price. Students will certainly benefit from any keyboarding program. The more they type - the better they get!

If your child is new to Kraybill or is struggling with keyboarding, I strongly recommend that you purchase the UltraKey program so your child can work through the program at home. You can purchase it through our school for a discounted price: $19.95. It works on a Mac or PC. Send a check payable to Kraybill School, Attn: Mrs. Garton

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ONLINE SAFETY:

The following was taken from a brochure sent out by Representative Payne, 106th District (2008):

INTERNET SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS:

  • Move the computer to a populated area of the home, such as the family room, so parents can monitor their child’s activities.

  • If your child minimizes the screen being viewed when a parent walks by the computer, treat it as a “red flag.” Learn what sites the child has been visiting.

  • Talk to your child to learn what he/she uses the computer for. Be especially aware of popular kid sites, such as facebook.com and myspace.com, where children often upload photos and personal information. They can unknowingly supply information to child predators (or to students who may use it for cyberbullying).

  • Use Internet Service Provider (ISP) filters to restrict your child’s access to certain areas/items on the Web. Some ISPs can even be set up so that when a child visits a Web page, an email is sent to the parent’s email address notifying the parent of your child’s “journey” through cyberspace. (Set up your computer’s search engines [google, aol.com, yahoo, ask.com] to use filtering when performing searches. On google, check the “preferences” part on the page. For other search engines, go to http://kids.getnetwise.org/tools/searchsafe/)

  • Take the time to talk with your child to learn what they are doing. If you have any concerns, contact your local police department, or the PA Attorney General’s office.

 

THE MAIN TYPES OF RISKS CHILDREN FACE ONLINE:

  • Sites that allow the accessing of inappropriate information.

  • Sites that provide access to dangerous products and hazardous information.

  • Sites that allow the posting of personal information, like blog sites. If not monitored, this can lead to the child being stalked or harassed by others who may pose to be a friend or who may be rude, insulting, and make threats. Additionally, the information may be accessed to send viruses or hack into computers.

  • Sites that provide forms that solicit personal information to enter contests online and, as a result, information providers are targeted by irresponsible solicitors using unfair marketing techniques.

  • Sites, if not legitimate, that allow for the purchasing of products online run the risk of disclosing important financial information to others, such as credit card numbers, pin numbers and passwords.

  • Dishonest “cyber-predators” may pose as adolescents in chat rooms or on networking sites. Their goal is to lure an unknowing child into a face-to-face meeting.

 

SOME USEFUL SITES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNET SAFETY:

SOME SITES TO HELP KEEP KIDS SAFE ONLINE:

 

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IF YOUR CHILD IS NEW TO KRAYBILL CAMPUS:

The most important computer skill for your child to learn is keyboarding by touch. If your child is in middle school, your child will be required to work on keyboarding in the computer lab for at least one study hall per week until he/she has completed the UltraKey program and is typing at an acceptable speed. If your child is in grades 3-5, he/she will have opportunity to work on the program during the alloted computer class time. However, in either case, typing at home will greatly increase the time it takes for your child to complete the program and ease his/her frustration. See my information on keyboarding and practicing at home above.

I strongly recommend that you purchase the UltraKey program so your child can work through the program at home. (Practicing 3-4 times/week is necessary to learn to keyboard.) (The hands should be covered w/ paper taped to the keyboard, so it is easier to type "by touch".) You can purchase UltraKey through our school for a discounted price: $19.95. It works on a Mac or PC. Send a check payable to Kraybill School, Attn: Mrs. Garton.

As far as having missed any computer skills, I repeat skills every year or two, with added complexity, so your child will receive instruction in the basic computer skills. I have found that even new students quickly pick up the skills and can keep up with the others fairly well. All students vary in their abilities, and I allow for mastery of just the basic skills, as well as provide challenges for those students who can do more. Students are always welcome to see me for more practice or help during study halls, or before and after school. If I see that a student does not understand a concept or cannot perform a skill that was taught, I go over it with him/her "one on one" or in small groups during a study hall until he/she can do it.

 

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