And while teachers were definitely excited about the new program, they were also apprehensive. I thought it was a challenge for me, one that presented wonderful opportunities. The idea of using laptops without a well-proven model to follow was both exciting and frightening at the same time. To make teachers like Openshaw and Benson more comfortable with the new technology, and to inspire them to use it to best advantage in their classrooms, Ursuline developed a comprehensive training program, expanding on its existing in-service program. Classes are offered two to three times each week, for two hours at a time, generally from 4 pm to 6 pm.
Teachers can choose which classes to take, and they can repeat classes as often as they wish.
Classes explain how to integrate Windows 95 and Microsoft Office into the daily curriculum, how classroom fundamentals change when technology enters the class, and provide a forum for teachers to exchange views, problems and solutions. Introducing desktops and the network into the school was actually more stressful for teachers because suddenly, there it all was. With the notebooks, teachers became very supportive when they realized they could use the computers when they wanted to, then have the students put them away when they weren't needed. And the teachers had nine months for us to work with them between the time we announced the program and the time the first freshmen showed up with notebooks in September. When one teacher raises a concern, the others help him or her address it.