I run the Apple computer lab at Muir Middle School. We have 34 workstations running.
Position:
Teacher
Needs:
We are currently using Apple eMac computers. We would like to upgrade to iMac computers in order to run currently available software.
My Philosophy:
My objective is not to train my students as computer professionals (although some of them will, indeed, find success in such careers). Rather, I strive to get my students comfortable using computer technology in their daily lives. Increasingly, computers are the primary source people turn to when they need information; indeed, nowadays there are many services you can't get except by using a computer.
Not everyone wants to be computer programmer, but most jobs today that pay substantially more than the minimum wage require the use of computers. Health and legal professionals, accountants, and architects all need to use computers. Our military relies more and more on high technology. Teachers use computers. As do business executives. Corporations hire people who can say, "Yes, I know how to set up an Excel spreadsheet and make a PowerPoint presentation." Virtually all universities now insist students turn in their papers electronically.
Thisis the world my students will graduate into. I want to make sure that, no matter what their background, my students leave Muir ready to compete with in a world increasingly reliant on technology.