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Mrs. Mauldin
"Upon graduation from college back in the day, (1979), I had absolutely no experience with computers or any kind of technology.... ...I was trained to teach typing, shorthand, accounting, and secretarial/office procedures. I was trained to mold young ladies into successful secretaries - who knew how to prepare a good cup of coffee! I was prepared to teach as I was taught....never, in my wildest imagination, would I have expected to be teaching in a class filled with computers-- where the typewriter is now an antique--and a "secretary" is now an administrative assistant who now asks an intern (or co-op) to run to the nearest Starbucks and fetch the coffee. When I entered the classroom as a teacher in 1984, I did actually teach typing (on typewriters), shorthand, accounting, and secretarial practice and procedures. However, that was shortlived.... ENTER.......THE COMPUTER I have actually lived through teaching students with the RadioShack TRS80, the Apple II, IIc, IIe, etc... the IBM, pc jr., the IBM PC, DOS prompts, Windows 3.1, 95, 98 and now the Internet and webpage design. It seems like yesterday I was plugging in a tape recorder to a RadioShack TRS80 and running something called Scriptsit....what was that about? Oh! now I think that they call it HTML! My teaching environment was still a mixed lab of various operating systems (Windows 98, Windows XP and one iMac with OS X) until January 06. Most of the computers were outdated, some were donated from the public, and others were hand-me-downs from other labs. The magic happened in when my number came up in Jefferson County and with the help of the principal at our school I managed to acquire a new lab--all Windows XP and all the same! Lest you think these are the ramblings of a madwoman - ask anyone whose been teaching in this field during the last twenty years and they will not only be able to relate, but will be very sympathetic. I am now in my 25th year as an employee with the Jefferson County School System located in the Heart of Dixie - near Birmingham, Alabama, and, as I get closer and closer to the end of my career, I wonder what the next teaching year will bring.....(retirement??) Just when I get discouraged with the educational funding in the state, overwhelmed by technological changes, and everpresent student apathy .... I have to remember.......we did survive Y2K!!" --Becky Mauldin Mrs. Mauldin's Personal Website |