These boys, above, and the young people shown to the above right are working in the computer lab at Fairmont Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio, which sports 10 computers. Jeanne McIver says the computer work does not isolate children, as some may think, but brings them together. Photos by Jeanne McIver. The Bible computer lab is often the students' favorite workshop, according to Neil MacQueen, a Presbyterian pastor from Hilliard, Ohio, who has been instrumental in developing the Workshop Rotation Model . Computers attract kids to church school, he believes.
Good software captures their interest, and holds it.
In the lab children work in pairs or groups of three at six computers. At Southminster they publish a church school newsletter. When the children arrive they type an article based on what they learned the previous week. The younger children dictate their thoughts to a teacher. Software, like music, art or drama, is meant to enhance, not replace, a lesson plan.