Dear Journal,
Scripture Typer has not been wildly popular among the students. I think this is largely attributable to the fact that half the class has an average typing speed between 11-22 wpm. It's tough to enjoy scripture typer when you just can't type. So I've split the class so that persons who type over 35 wpm continued with Scripture Typer as normal, and those who do not, are working through a typing course to learn something other than hunt-and-peck.
I was somewhat saddened that the students didn't enjoy Scripture Typer. I had it integrated with their Bible class so that they are learning their memory verses and keeping them current, and I felt like it would really benefit them.
Sunday night in the dorm, I found myself snuggled between two little freshmen working through the review sheet for the Bible midterm.
Somewhere between discussing what the Bible means when it says God "hardened Pharaoh's heart" and finding parallels between manna and daily devotions, sweet Miss Study-bug said, "I feel like I know my memory verses so well! You know what really helps? Scripture Typer. Before, I always learned my verses right before the quiz and I would forget all of them by the time we had the quarter test, but now I review them all the time and I actually know them."
I'm tickled.
Thanks, Jesus.
There are other ways to learn memory verses, but I think that typing them pounds them in through the fingers into the brain, even if the brain is hardened from miss-use or other heart issues. I don't think that it is a problem if you go slow at the typing. If you go slow, then you are spending more time with each word. That could turn out to be a blessing. Sometimes when I type faster, I focus more on going fast then on the meaning of what I am typing. God bless your sweet freshmen and all their learning. Miss Barbara says that she wishes that she had been pressured into learning more when she was a freshman. The things I memorized at their age I can still remember. The things I try to memorize now takes many times more effort.
ReplyDeleteI know. :( I wish in a way that I didn't have to get them all to 35 wpm in order to pass the class, because I know they were benefiting from scripture typer even going slow. But they've got to master something other than hunt-and-peck in order to be prepared for life, so we're getting them through the typing basics. They are doing so good! They complained up one side of the room and down the other when I first switched them, but they are starting to realize that the practice is making them really good typers and they are getting excited. Yay!
DeleteI've had cause lately to think a lot about whether "wildly popular" is important. On the one hand, I want every student to love every worthwhile learning experience. But you know what? They don't always seem to love things that are hard and require discipline. If they will be brought to the point of conquer, they will then love it. But bringing them there? A constant teacher/child of God thing I ask my Lord about a lot. I want for them that satisfaction. I want them to learn what it is that will make them successful in life and Christianity: faithfulness. I love hearing that some of your Scripture typers are starting to see
ReplyDeleteit. Praise the Lord!
I couldn't have captured that struggle in better words...
DeleteI wish they could see that the REAL stuff they're learning in school isn't typing, and math, and grammar, but rather teamwork, discipline, stick-to-it-ive-ness, critical thinking skills, and, well, you said it best, faithfulness..
I know someday if they get through this they will see it and they'll thank us for holding their nose to the work and enduring the whining, lol.
Oh for more grace to do it well...