Headphones

We now have headphones in the computer lab!  With the majority of our programs having sound, it is really nice for each student to have their own headphones.  The students are able to concentrate more on their own screen without as many distractions.

Your student is welcome to bring their own headphones or ear buds in the lab if they choose.  They will be responsible for bringing them in and out of the lab.  Thank you.

Type to Learn 4

Hello from the I.B. Perrine Computer Lab! This year has started off great and the children are simply amazing. We have been working on a new typing program this year called Type to Learn 4 and the students are learning some great typing skills. Your child participates in the computer lab once a week and our goal is to type without looking at our fingers! They have already learned some good typing habits and where to place their fingers. Have them explain this to you. I would like to give each student an opportunity to work on this program at home to help them continue their typing skills. 

The following is a link to download the program so you can utilize it at home. I think you will be amazed at how great your child has become at typing. This is a life skill that they will need and it is important that they create good typing habits now to help them in the future. 

Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions you might have. 

Thank you, 

Melissa Ficklin 
Computer Lab 
ficklinme@tfsd.org 



 http://sunburst.mediafire.com/download.php?7of54hejn0afrd2


Click on the link above and download Type to Learn 4.  Each child has a username.  It is their first letter of their first name and then their last name with no spaces.  Their password is their initials.  The account code is 149966 for every child.

For example:
If the students name was John Doe...

Username:  JDoe
Password:  JD
Account Code:  149966

Good Typing Habits!

Here are some of the "Good Typing Habits" that we teach in the computer lab!  We ask the students to sit up straight in their seats, sit with their legs out in front of them, and place their feet on the floor (if they can reach!).  We also want their wrists to be straight while they are typing to prevent any injury from occurring as they get older.

HOME ROW!!!

Ask your child where their fingers belong on the keyboard!  They should answer "Home Row"!  We work on keeping our fingers on home row which is shown in the pictures below.  We have "teaching" keyboards in the computer lab to help them learn what finger strikes each key.  Have them show you the "bumps" on keys F and J.  We begin teaching them proper hand placement as early as 1st grade.  They are simply amazing!

Move Along the Perrine Path

Each time a class comes to the computer lab they have an opportunity to earn points.  They can earn points for good behavior and for holding their hands properly on the keyboard.  They can also earn points when they are caught being kind to another student.  As they earn points, they "move" along the Perrine Path to get to the school.  When their class reaches the school they get to pick a small prize.

Mighty Mouse Award!!

Each week a new class will be awarded the Mighty Mouse Award!!

This is awarded to the class that demonstrates the best behavior in the computer lab for that week.  Their class name then goes on a poster in the lab for the entire school to see. 

20/20/20

In the computer lab we have instituted a new procedure.  It is called 20/20/20.  This is how it works.....

After 20 minutes of typing (and staring) at the computer we take a 20 second break to look at something 20 feet ahead.  This also gives the students a chance to stretch.  This 

procedure is to help with eye strain.