Like all skills taught in schools, keyboarding skills are best developed through regular and authentic experiences.  As 21st century citizens, functional typing is our goal, not touch typing.  

 

All classrooms, grades 2-8, are equipped with a cluster of computers.  This allows for technology to be regularly utilized as a learning tool and not as an isolated aspect of the curriculum.  Students regularly use the classroom computers to practice new skills, to create, to compose, and to access district online tools.   Teachers are encouraged to use the phrase "use your whole hands to type" in order to move children away from a "hunt and peck" style of typing.

 

Until 2014, MTSD offered a keyboarding class in grade 5.  As of the summer of 2014, keyboarding is integrated into the computer classes for grades 1 & 2.  During the summer of 2014, the OHES computer labs were renovated in order to utilize the same computers as students use in their classrooms.

 

Online typing games can be fun and help students practice using new fingers.  Check out:  Typing Club 

 

The key to becoming a strong typist is frequency.  Create meaningful opportunities to create a type is critical to your students success in becoming a proficient.  Consider finding your child an email buddy, composing stories and submitting them to Stone Soup or utilizing the resources on Read*Write*Think.