Computers and School

[StrawberryFieldsForever]

This isn't really that big of a deal, and may be considered a rant, but I think it ties into social expectations and a greater rift between the rich and the poor and whatnot, but anyway.

I just started grade 12 today and in one of my classes (Western Civilization, if anyone's curious) our teacher expects students to hand in all their work typed up on a computer, or it won't be marked.

Now is she right to be doing this? I have a friend (she sits right behind me) who doesn't have a computer, and lives outside the city, therefore she has no access to a public library without driving into the city (our school is on the very edge of town, and she lives about a fifteen minutes drive down the highway with no busses going back and forth), which is definetly unreasonable considering gas prices. The school does have computers, yes, but we are not allowed any class time to use them, and the computer lab is not open during lunches. So basically, my friend will have nowhere to type up and print her assignments.

Even in this age there are students who don't have computers. Even if they do have computers, many of them may not have a printer. Other things can go wrong too. Computer viruses and crashes, the printer running out of ink, perhaps someone else in the family needs it for work.

Is it really fair that just because a teacher expects a typed assignment that students who don't have the available technology should either a) have to work their assess off in order to find a computer they can use or b) not hand in the assignment at all? Should schools be expecting students to have computers for work?

Once again, I apologize if this seems more like a rant.

[Volumnius Flush]

It is unfair. That's how things work out sometime. I would suggest talking with a guidance counselor and maybe getting a new teacher, asking your friend to arrange a parent-teacher conference, or appealing to the administration. I would save the latter as a last resort when the teacher proves to be inflexible with their decision.

[John Paul Harrison]

I don't know your exact scenario, but as a standard paper and pencil should always be accepted.

[StrangeVision]

I'm sure the teacher would be leaniant if a student really had no access to a computer, but I think most people have a computer and only a very small minority are without.

[Double You Awful]

That seems unfair to me. Has she talked to the teacher about it?

[Egggo]

umm she has to talk to the teacher about that

[HaVIC5]

All through high school this was the case for me. Students that didn't have access to a computer whether it was at home, in a public library or in the school's library/computer lab on a regular basis (actually, there weren't that many of those) would be given special permission, but really, the world is headed toward complete computerization, so don't be too suprised about this.

[Reaganista]

have you heard of emachines
or a pawn shop
if you can't afford that you've got bigger problems than handing in your homework

and maybe your friend should just go early or stay late to type it

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

hey what school do you go to i live in winnipeg

she must be hot right?

[666Ozzfan]

have you heard of emachines
or a pawn shop
if you can't afford that you've got bigger problems than handing in your homework

and maybe your friend should just go early or stay late to type it

But is that the child's issue if her family can't afford a computer and printer? Also, It isn't always possible to organise to stay late or go early. I get this from experience, we lived a half-hr from school/town, and it isn't always possible.

Alternatively, she could ask to use a neighbour's computer. Thats never a hassle, really.

[StrawberryFieldsForever]

Of course there are many other options, but not all of them are simple or always work out.

You'd basically be depending on your neighbours, who have lives of their own, if you were always depending on a neighbours computer. She lives outside the city, where school busses run, but not city busses, so she can't come early or stay late, plus the computer lab will often then be closed because the teacher who runs it has his own life.

I told her to talk to the teacher about it, and if she still wouldn't accept a written paper, then to talk to the principal about it and whatnot.

And I got to SNC (St. Norbert Colligiate) WWWWAAAAAYYYYY on the south end of Winnipeg in St. Norbert. My friend is from a town called St. Adolphe, dunno if uve heard of it.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

What is the point in having a computer lab that's closed at lunchtime?



That's like having a school that's closed in term time.



Anyway, it's not fair. Full stop.

The teacher would be right to say "I would prefer all work to be handed in typed" but not "I won't mark it"


anyway, what's she gonna do? write a letter home?

"Your daughter refuses to type up her work."

"We have no computer."

"oh."

[Reaganista]

But is that the child's issue if her family can't afford a computer and printer?
12th graders aren't children

[semi]

um why doesnt the girl explain this to the teacher im sure they are not unreasonable.
i dont think there is anything wrong with asking for some work to be typed. if they dont ahve a computer now they are going to have to use one at some point outside of school in their lives so they may as well learn to use one to type up an essay now.
its neater and better for things being sent off. you can edit it lots and print many times. we were asked to do it in school and those that didnt have a computer at home could go in after school and they did. it was never complulsory though. if anyone ever explained that they didnt have computer access it was fine.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

how old is 12th grade?

[Permanent Solution]

how old is 12th grade?
17/18

But, I'm sure the school would make a special accomodation for her given the circumstances. However, in the real world (ie outside of school) typing everything up is a minimal standard of professionalism which is I think what the teacher is expecting of her students which is not too unreasonable. Once you get to college it's so expected most schools have a way to help you financially to buy a computer in addition to numerous labs, public high schools don't have the funding for that though.

[Janeway]

It's fair. In the real world, she's going to need to be fluent with a computer. There's no getting around it. If she's going to get any job other than manual labor, she needs to have experience with a computer, and probably own one.
Computers aren't expensive anymore. You can get a $300 one that will work just fine for typing up papers.

[StrawberryFieldsForever]

She shouldn't have to be paying even 100 extra bucks because a teacher is incredibly picky.

In universities and jobs and stuff it's more reasonable, because it's your choice to be there. Public schools on the other hand shouldn't be forcing kids to buy anything outside of the essentials (pencils, paper, binders, etc).

She went and bitched at the teacher on Friday about it, haven't talked to her since then though.

[RockAndRoll]

Did she try explaining her situation to the teacher first or is she just always that rude?

[sexymuffin]

hey gas prices are going down so that's one less thing for her to worry about.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

funny thing is there's a computer here she could have

in this room

that my dad's work were throwing away

if it was mine to give away and i lived near you she could have it

maybe one day I'll start a charity that asks businesses for its old computers and gives them to children

but their parents might just sell them :(

[The Jester]

I've seen old computers in second hand shops for very cheap.

[toolboy84]

It's not particularly fair. If the teacher is going to make demands like "it must be typed", then the teacher should also make sure that the students all have access to a computer. Otherwise you're giving some students an unfair advantage over others.

I agree with the ideas about universities asking for work to be typed. Presumably if you're in university, you have a bit of money and should be able to afford some sort of computer. But at uni, you'd also have more access to computers and printers than you would at school.