Amazing learning

Okay, I am going to date myself here but I remember when I was in school (seems like the dark ages) and we had typewriters. If we made a mistake we had to retype the paper.

Now with all the advances in technology my kids are in a virtual co-op for TOG. They are using TeamSpeak, WiZiQ, and uploading PowerPoint presentations. We communicate through a yahoo chat group to send out reminders and information the teachers want the kids to know.

None of this stuff was available when I went to school. A virtual whiteboard!! A class where the people are from Nevada, South Carolina, Maine and places in between. How cool is that!! And how much smaller the world has become!

It is amazing to me that just through doing TOG my kids have become so computer literate. Who would have thought that a curriculum would lead to such amazing learning? I would never have dreamed of it. No other curriculum that I know of has a community of users that do virtual co-ops. This curriculum just lends itself so well to co-oping - and for those that don't have a local option, they have headed into the virtual arena.

My kids have always loved doing a co-op and now the virtual is even better. It satisfies their love of learning computers. I was kind of scared about this new virtual co-op we found. The women are so amazing and do huge powerpoint presentations every time they teach. I haven't used powerpoint since I was in the working world (dating myself again!). My kids have never used it yet. Well, for the dialectic level's first class they have mini reports due. The mom teaching that class said to send the kids' presentations to her ahead. She will then get them uploaded. Kid's powerpoint presentations for a mini report - REALLY - are they serious?!! That was my first response. Now that I am over that initial shock. I did help my D student start a presentation today. My husband had to give us all a lesson on how to get pictures from the internet into the powerpoint presentation. I am feeling better about my teaching next week. I have at least opened powerpoint and helped my son create a very, simple presentation. Mine for next week will also probably be very simple. Still, isn't the learning amazing. We have had a whole computer course just to be part of a TOG virtual co-op. Isn't that something!!!