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Teaching (Homeschool students and maybe parents) computers - how to present
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Question:
I've been asked to present info on my computer training classes, along with
pricing, to a homeschool coop, and I have a few questions.
Usually I spend about 30 minutes with a potential student to find out what
they _really_know_ about computers, in relationship to the class they are
intrested in.
I do this for 2 reasons
1 - To be sure that they make it into the right class, especially to
avoid putting them in over their head.
2 - To find out if I want to teach them. Sometimes I get a prospect who
acts as if I am an idiot and they know everything, and just need to skim the
highlights, cuz they think that computers are so easy that only a moron
needs detailed instructions. This is very bad for the class and thus, I
smile as I assure them that I feel they'd waste their money on my classes.
A) Do I need to do the same screen with kids (10yo to 17yo) and/or their
parents?
B) In your opinion, and if you had the chance, would you spend $1200 on you
kids over the course of a year for classes that were to last 2 hours a week
for 9 months (following roughly the public school's year), being taught the
basics (mouse and keyboarding and the power switch) up to advanced internet
research, word processing, spreadsheets, online safety, etc.
I would provide any software that was neede for the classes, the parent
would need to provide any hardware, which would be optional, except for the
computer building class, if they wanted that.
C) Most of the parents are born again Christians, some are not. How do I
handle the online safety part.
I mean, my methods and reasons for how I handle it are based on the fact
that I an a Christian, and have certain motives to why to avoid certain
things...dating sites for example. The internet is the modernday wild wild
west, and it's easy for a kid to find things that they don't need, and my
teachings on online practices will alert them to the dangers, but also let
them know that theres some "fun" stuff out there. I monitor my kids (2
teenagers) online, and am confident that they stay safe. What about other
parents. Not to say that they won't be prudnt, but just that some things are
unsafe for a kid, and people forget that they are kids...learning and
growing, and not very wise. I just don't want to accidentally lead some kid
into harms way.
D) How hard should I work on, if at all, helping the parents who don't own a
PC to get one? Not to make money on the sale of a PC, but to allow them to
take my classes?
I mean, work out deals with local stores, or maybe match people with an
older PC that they want to donate with a family that needs one.
Answer:
- First, I'd simply present them with a task to see if they can do it.
Don't talk about power buttons unless they don't know where it is. A
series of tasks of increasing complexity would allow you to screen your
students with relative ease. Then you could take them from where they
are to where they need to be.
Definitely not. I can go to a book store and get an Idiot's guide
for under $40. I have a Microsoft Office instructional text that cost
about $60, but it includes step by step instructions for even the
advanced stuff.
if you go to them, that is reasonable that they have a computer. No
computer, no course.
Find out the orientation of the parent. A little questionaire like, "To
keep my computer safe I'd like to know how to fi
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