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I just returned from a trip to San Francisco with a group of WOU students who worked with 13 five to twelve year-olds from homeless families or families at risk of being homeless. I was impressed with the idea for the very mature twelve year-old girls that their future was very limited, perhaps to be a worker in that program. To encourage them to expand their ideas I asked if they had Facebook or email with which I could communicate with the later. They said no. I was amazed and quickly recognized my privileges in life and of many in the WOU community. They laughed and giggled as they played in the park, created crafts in the small office room and helped the younger children. Perhaps their lives have evolved more naturally than their peers who live at a keyboard.
The question is so broad and deep that I don't even know how to ask it, but how do computers properly fit into the development of our children? When should they be using computers and when should they be kicking soccer balls? How does this all affect their future and their lives in general?
Wow, sobering thought. It's easy to forget how "normal" this technological environment seems for us. What a compassionate and thoughtful way to spend that brief break between quarters. Who was impacted more, do you think? Those you helped, or those whose lives were impacted by those 13 young people? Too close to call, I have no doubt.
ReplyDeleteI admire your dedication to service - I think I remember you and an Alternative Break group in Louisiana after Katrina? I'll remember to sneak in a few extra prayers for those kids tonight. Having lives evolving naturally seems almost foreign to me now. I do recall surviving without a computer as a child, however...
Really miss being part of your classroom. And Gail's brownies. Or were they yours? I only recall the chocolately goodness. Which admittedly affects my waistline's future more than my own. But you ask a serious question: how can children experience the health/mental/psychological wellness of kicking a physical - not a virtual - soccer ball?
When music, art and physical education programs are marginalized in our schools - can we still help create healthy, talented and whole children? I certainly hope so. I certainly pray it's so.
Well, I would maintain that it's all about balance. It's okay to be on the computer almost every day, so long as what the child is doing on the computer is monitored and it is in small increments of time. In fact, I would submit that it is important to the work they will all likely be doing in the future. When there are few restrictions and there is little to no monitoring, that's when it can become ugly.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about kids on computers is that kids aren't yet afraid of making mistakes. They are still interested in pressing something just to "see what will happen."
For these kids whose families have much bigger problems than internet access, it's important to get those basic issues dealt with first, of course--but the public library is often a great place to get up to date on technology and what it can do for you. In our area, teens volunteer at the library to help those who are not yet tech savvy. I'm sure many public libraries have programs like this. They aren't tough to get started--kids love being recognized as experts. Honestly, don't we all?