Kids with knack for computers help classmates, teachers
The Edison Middle School students in the computer lab after school are making "sprites," images they'll use to play a computer game. They'll learn how to program the images to move them around in a virtual room they build.
It's not homework. The members of an after-school computer club are learning to use Game Maker software because it's fun. But it also builds their computer skills and knowledge, says Laurie Jacob, the instructional technology specialist at Edison.
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A few students are helping the others learn. The students are not only teaching each other. They're teaching the teachers how to use software programs. They're helping in computer lab classes. They're troubleshooting problems with equipment.
They are an important part of the school's technology program, Jacob says.
Several years ago, the money for an aide who did computer maintenance and troubleshooting at Edison was cut from the school's budget. Jacob noticed that a number of students liked to hang around the computer lab. So she began training some of them.
"I would watch for students who had some knowledge ... or just really wanted to help others," she said. "If you were teaching something, they'd hop up and go help somebody who was a little bit behind."
The Edison Tech Squad was born. The students meet during their lunch period and learn how to use the school's software programs, how to identify common computer problems and how to maintain the wireless laptops.
The students also help with Tech Tuesdays – districtwide computer training sessions for teachers – and they teach other students during the after-school computer club, as well as in the computer labs. They taught an animation program to students in an art class.
They've put together presentations with photos and video for the monthly student convocations at the school and taken field trips to Parkland College and Volition.
"Some people think it's all boring and stuff," said eighth-grader Kayce Paine. "(But) sometimes we get to do animation and games. It's not all manuals and boring stuff."
Eighth-grader Samone Thompson likes using a lab management program that lets a teacher and students see each other's screens, to better demonstrate something and monitor who is having difficulty or not doing the work.
"I like that, being able to keep people from doing what they're not supposed to do," Samone said.
"If a student is having trouble, they can watch what you're doing and understand it more so they can do it by themselves next time," Kayce added.
Clark Chen and Jody Hankel, both seventh-graders, used computers a lot before they got to middle school. Clark has done some programming, and both boys wanted to learn more. Mariam Saadah, a sixth-grade student, likes to know how technology works and how it does different things. Seventh-grader Adrian Rochelle likes helping with Tech Tuesdays and working with the Smart Board, an interactive white board.
Kayce said the tech squad gets to know other students in the school by helping in computer labs.
The students are sometimes allowed to leave class to help in the computer lab or with a piece of equipment. But Jacob said they need the permission of their teachers to do so, and they must be keeping up with their homework to participate. Jacob keeps copies of their schedules and they don't leave any core class periods.
Jacob's favorite part of her job is working with students.
She needs to be able to trust the students, because they have access to codes and keys for the equipment not available to other students. Along with the trust comes the respect of their classmates, Jacob said, when they see the tech squad members given the responsibility of moving and maintaining the equipment.
It also gives them a boost to provide help to other students and to teachers.
"It's interesting for them to see, wow, teachers struggle with things too," Jacob said.
"They're giving help rather than always feeling like they need help. I definitely think it helps their self-esteem," she continued. "It's fun be around other people who enjoy the same thing. They make friends across the grade levels. It gives them confidence, where you get it and can pass your knowledge on to somebody else."
Plus, she said, "We just have a lot of fun."