All Natalie wants is to be on her computer.
Just in case you thought all I had to deal with were Doris issues and Domingo issues, nope. While trying to settle them, Natalie will amble over to her computer, neglecting whatever task we have set her.
I spend all of their break time watching Natalie. Because at some point she's going to head for the classroom and for her computer. If she fails at getting into our class, she will go into the other rooms. She will attempt to use other students' devices.
She gets computer time. At the end of the day, they all do. They just have to do work first.
When Natalie is on her computer, she frequently logs off of it. She knows the restart trick for when she gets stuck.
But she does not know how to log back in.
All of the student computers use the student's district-assigned email address as their username. It's something the general ed students learn early. It's just their first initial, last name, and some portion of their student ID number (whether from their district ID or the state one, I have no idea). That is followed by the usual email stuff, which because school district, is more complicated than gmail [dot] com. (If you have ever emailed a teacher via their school district, you know what I'm talking about.)
So, I am teaching Natalie her username.
It only took a day for her to get the first initial, last name part down. (For where we're at, she's a pretty sharp cookie. Not compared to others her age of course, but compared to the students in this class.)
I hear her reciting the rest of the username sometimes. She tries it a couple times before she asks me for help.
Her main issues include finding the period key. She frequently hits the comma key instead. (She has some vision issues.) The other main issue is typos, which she can't quite figure out how to identify. (Again, that might be partially due to vision issues.)
But as we work on this, I wonder. One of the safeguards we have on her daily computer quests is that if she manages to get to a computer, she can't log on. But if she learns her username, suddenly she could log onto any computer on campus.
Perhaps teaching her her username isn't such a brilliant idea. (She has no issues typing in her password.)
It sounds as if Natalie had determination in her corner.
ReplyDeleteOh, she does. If she would just use her powers for good.
DeleteWouldn't that be nice!
DeleteOn one hand, you’re helping her be more independent when it comes to the computer. That’s a positive, I would think.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that she's determined to learn and that you're able to help her do that...even if it may make things more interesting for you in the longer run. :)
ReplyDeleteShe is a very determined young woman
ReplyDeleteOh my. You have no idea.
DeleteIf Natalie is so determined, she'll achieve much. She is lucky to have you as her teacher.
ReplyDeleteI don't see her achieving much. She has a one-track mind, and it's to get on the computer.
DeleteIf the people in her life could somehow link everything Natalie has to learn to the computer, somehow, she could go so far (within her disabilities). Natalie is fortunate to have you and other educational professionals in her life. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteIt definitely motivates her.
DeleteThis is what TV Tropes calls "Gone Horribly Right".
ReplyDeleteSounds like you started with the carrot and not the stick. I would have told her if she stops trying to use computers outside of her allotted time for a week, then you would teach her how to log on :). Of course, I'm sure my logic sounds easier than it really is.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really conveying the severe disabilities of the students in this class. We have told her work first, then computer. And she will repeat back what we say. And sometimes she will work. But sometimes she gets obstinate.
DeleteWith the comma key and period key right beside each other, I sometimes mix them up, too. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's easy to do. Once she figures that out, things might go more smoothly.
DeleteMy congratulations to you Liz for sticking with the programme. Its not always easy communicating, which is why its rewarding when results follow after getting in early.
ReplyDeleteWow....poor Natalie and bless you and your patience. I have gone through spells in my life where I had patience, then I did not, then I did...and so on and so on. Not much of course as a teen. Got a tad better but I found as a single mom, raising to kids it seemed to disappear yet again. With my grands I prob have more than I ever have. But with that said, I can't stand a bunch of bull shit and I will shut it down. haha...Yes, I have seen patterns for crochet house slippers and socks and thought I would make a couple of pair for the up coming winter. Yep, not even all the way into spring and I am planning for next winter! I have in the past knitted slippers. Matter of fact when my kids were little they always had a pair.
ReplyDeleteI have a good knit pattern for slippers, but it's so easy to find tons online nowadays that you'll have more trouble narrowing down what you want to do.
DeleteLaughing at your comment "if only she'd use her powers for good". Does she do worthwhile activities on the computer?
ReplyDeleteI am sure Natalie will soon be able to figure it out.
ReplyDelete