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St. John gets new computer lab
“It smells so good,” said one young girl as she led classmates into the new computer room at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School. All the fifth graders eagerly found their designated spaces in front of the new, sleek monitors.According to Cathy Miclat, the school's computer teacher, just a few weeks ago, the crowded computer room was full of tables jammed together with CPUs on top, leaving no desk space for students to work.
Electrical plugs were on the floor with their tangled cords hanging precariously from the tables, readily available for accidental disconnection by sudden student movement. It was not the best of learning environments.
Parents Mike and Margaret Mason came to the rescue.
The Masons have two children at St. John's, Ben, an eighth grader, and Kelly, a seventh grader. Along with the children, Margaret, a math teacher at the school, was well aware of the need for a new computer facility. She and Mike decided to do something about it.
Mike, owner of KBM Concepts, Inc. in Warrenton, is quite familiar with what was needed to convert the crowded, unorganized space into an efficient and attractive learning environment.
Having a great deal of professional experience in the drafting of computer floor plans and installation of updated technology, Mike had to work his magic in a narrow time slot of five days. Wall surfaces were prepared and painted, carpet installed, and countertops with individual work spaces were custom-built to accommodate 19 student computers and a teacher work station.
In addition to building supplies and labor, the Masons also donated most of the technological items in the room: computer monitors, wireless keyboards and mouses, and a network laser printer.
Now finished with the renovation, Mike said that the space is very safe, with no obstructions to a clear pathway. The computer server is now housed in a newly constructed closet for classroom safety and noise reduction.
The refurbished room and updated technology enhance the learning environment for not only the students, but also for instructional techniques used by Miclat. “We integrate [learning about computers] with what they are doing in their other classes,” the teacher said.
She confers with other teachers about course assignments and reinforces the material in her computer class.
For instance, while fifth graders are creating postcards, highlighting their research on various western European countries, third graders are designing commemorative coins to represent different states in the United States.
Computers have been reported to be excellent tools for the reinforcement of academic skills. In a 2005 national study, “Teachers Talk Technology,” more than 75 percent of the teachers surveyed said that “technology is an effective tool for the subjects they teach.”
Using computers as a independent data bank and retrieval system is part of self-regulated learning, as outlined in The Electronic Journal of Science Education.
According to independent learning research, students “transform their mental abilities into academic skills,“ and various studies show that “the most effective learners are self-regulating.”
Fifth grader Heather Boswell is a good example of such a learner. She said the instruction she has received in her computer class is helping her with her other studies.
Camila Garcia agrees. She likes the computer class because it helps her with her creative writing, keyboarding and taking of computer-generated tests. “The class has taught me a lot of stuff," she said. "When I have to type my final [essays], I don't have to look at my fingers.”
That is the type of learning opportunity Mike wanted to provide for students, “It's about everyone's kids and what it takes [for them] to succeed.” Inspired by principal Ed Hoffman's visions for updating the school's facilities, Mike said that he hopes other parents will also find ways to enhance such school areas as the cafeteria and library.
Although he seemed completely satisfied with the new computer room, Mike beamed at his own son's compliments: “It really looks nice," Ben said. "I am amazed at what [my father] did.”
Other students are amazed, too. “The computers are a lot nicer and we have good chairs," Chuck Crum, 10, said. "The room is a lot quieter.”
Boswell likes the individual desk space.
“The mouses would get tangled up,” she said of the crowded tables. She also added that the new computers were much faster.
And those involved in the project seemed aware of all of the students' pride in the new computer lab.
“The students go out of their way to take good care of it,” Mike said.
E-mail the reporter: afelts@timespapers.com.
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