Helen Ramsey
Eight-Grade Student, Harpeth Hall School
Eighth-grade year has never been referred to as "easy," considering the numerous projects and difficult research that is included in the curriculum. At Harpeth Hall, we not only do exhaustive research, but integrate it with technology as well. This is the first year at the school that a Learning with Laptops program has been used, which I feel is a complete success. The laptop that each student has does not detract from schoolwork, but enhances the curriculum.
I feel that having my own computer has helped me learn and improve my grades quite a bit. When writing a research paper, I was able to use a program that allowed me to make individual notecards with separate information on each one. It categorized my research into sections, so that when it came time to write my paper, all my information was ready for me to use. To add to that, we used another program that helped us put our information into outline form. It made the whole paper-writing process a breeze when I could use the computer to help organize the information I had collected.
My laptop helps me learn in many ways, which will prepare me for the technology-centered world ahead of me. Many times, it even motivates me to perfect my work, because I can use the computer tools that are always right in front of me to help me out. The laptop program is significantly helping me through a tough year by making my work better and easier to do.
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Reading Online, www.readingonline.org
Posted February 2002
© 2002 International Reading Association, Inc. ISSN 1096-1232