COMPUTERS

The Aurora Montessori and Private School Computer Laboratory is dedicated to keeping a pleasant and comfortable working environment.  The Computer Lab is filled with modern Dell computers to ensure there are available resources for student study and research.  Each computer is equipped with a floppy drive, a CD drive, and sufficient room on the network server to allow students to save their work. 

Today’s student will find learning proper use of computers is as important to their educational career as it will be after they graduate.  Computers have entered almost every facet of our lives.  Even coffee shops use computerized registers to control cash flow and provide inventory statistics.

Access to computers, both in the homeroom and in the Computer Laboratory gives students countless opportunities to manipulate, interact with, and process information quickly and easily.  The development of keyboard and word processing competence is an essential component of our curriculum.  Children will learn how to keyboard properly, and most important, safely as they learn stretch techniques to help prevent some of the maladies associated with poor keyboarding habits.  Students will learn the components of a computer, explore the many uses of a word processor, and other Microsoft Office software including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access.  Programs are available to help the students practice and consolidate skills in many subject areas.

In addition to encouraging use of conventional library resources; use of the Internet is also a component of study.  Under the guidance of classroom teachers, computers are used to access the World Wide Web and offer excellent means of gaining valuable information in all areas of study.   Using the Internet requires good research skills.  Just as students were once taught how to use a library card catalogue, students today are learning effective Internet search skills and tools.  Topics include efficient Internet searching techniques, the parts of an Internet URL such as what is a ".com", printing without paper waste, and safe surfing rules.  Senior students will learn how to make a web site using tools and even coding in HTML.

Many lessons are often behind the scenes, integrated into their class assignments.  Students learn to work in teams and delegate responsibilities, leadership issues, processing information and situations in a logical manner, relaying information in a proper communicative manner, and presentation techniques to build confidence.  The many computerized systems that children deal with today are often varied and complex.  By learning computing techniques and logic early, the student will be able to carry these skills far into their future.