Internet to the rescue!

I have finally brought the boys to the internet for both reading and writing.  Over the past few days they have taken a reading test to prepare them for the Accelerated Reader program in which they will read books at an appropriate level and take tests about the books on line.  One advantage to this is that students can select books they are interested in, and the program will test them on their reading.  I can assign them to complete a certain number of books on their own outside of class.  This encourages independent reading, a good thing, although it sacrifices the group interaction about a shared reading experience.

They have also started on MyAccess.  This is an online program which assists them in rewriting their assignments and keeps their work in an online portfolio.  Rewriting is of course the downfall of most people who have to write something, both adults and children.  My students are willing to write every day, but they never think about editing and rewriting. For me to get them to rewrite would mean correcting mountains of work every day, and that is not feasible.  So this online program has a variety of devices to help them rewrite and improve their compositions.  It gives them a score so they can measure their improvement as they follow the various suggestions from the program.  I can monitor everything they write and add my own comments and suggestions.  It's a fairly sophisticated program, but it still will take a lot of teaching to get them to use it effectively.

I feel good about getting them started on these programs, and the boys were relatively cooperative in the effort.  There wasn't as much of a management challenge as I expected.  There's a lot of logistical stuff to get through in issuing laptops to everyone, getting them (boys and computers) all booted up, logged in, and ready to go, but there's also something about using the computer that focuses them.  I think this is the nature of the device, although they can also be distracting since there are always games to play.  Plus, this is how we all write now.  Many of my readers may remember the old system of handwritten drafts, with all their marginalia and cross-outs and arrows to move text around.  But who writes like that any more?  I wouldn't want to.  Why should these boys use an antiquated technique for writing?  So the last few days have gone pretty well, and I'm feeling just tired not exhausted.