The other schools are catching up now, but Independence still has a major advantage in hardware. Independence teachers also are helping teachers at other schools learn to work computers into the curriculum. Like most other district elementary schools, Independence also has a 30-station computer lab. Bogan said computers help students learn because they combine visual and sound effects with words and numbers. That's important, she said, because different kids learn in different ways.
Teachers say the computers also bring out the best in many students because they're fun to use.
And when computers are readily available in school, children from poor families have as much access to them as anyone else. That means kids from wealthier families have less of an edge. Warmoth said her fourth-graders surprised her a few weeks ago by turning out remarkably good computer presentations. The kids used a computerized encyclopedia and books from the library to come up with words and images for their presentations, which essentially were short electronic books. Keep parents involved and in close communication with teachers.