Are You Smarter than a Third Grader??
Posted by: Emily in Library Technology, professional developmentI just couldn’t let this one languish down in the comments.
Remember my little rant recently about Librarians and Minimum Technology Competencies? You know, the one that got a lot of people riled up? (If you could only see the outrage that warmed my In Box. LOVE IT!!)
So one comment read as follows:
It is interesting to compare your list to the list of skills that students in Livonia Central School must exhibit at the conclusion of third grade.
Sorry this is a cut ‘n paste. That’s as far as I went.
Well, well, well.
In case you’re not interested in clicking through to see what the school expects third graders to be able to do, I will summarize here.
Prior to completion of Third Grade, students will:
- be able to copy and paste within a document (creating and formatting the document was required for 2nd grade)
- use spell check
- insert a graphic into a word processing document
- use the internet to communicate
Please take a look at the full list. Using a mouse is listed for Kindergarten.
Why does the school require these skills? Beause without them, the kids won’t be able to function in future grade levels, much less in college or in the workplace. So for anyone who god miffed and argued with me that simple computer skills just aren’t relevant to their lives as librarians, I wonder if your child’s school would agree.
Didn’t grow up in a time when basic computer skills were a required part of the curriculum? I totally understand - most of us didn’t. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to catch up.
Thanks to Lizz for the link. I really don’t think I’m out of line in any of this. Lizz would be the first person to tell me if I was… she’s also my mom! 
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July 17th, 2007 at 11:23 am
My kid had to do a PowerPoint slideshow in 3rd grade.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I have to admit, my small town library has embraced technology. We have a technology room where classes are taught (mostly by the staff, some by volunteers). I assume all libraries are this advanced, until I read things like this.
I think that most of the skills mentioned should probably be on everyone’s to do list to learn - librarian or not.
I also think it’s a mistake to think what kids are learning in school makes them tech savvy. My 18 yr old daughter (fairly good at powerpoint by now) couldn’t connect to the internet this morning. Yes, she’d checked the modem. But no, she didn’t even think to restart! They are not learning some of the practical foundations of computing that would help them out.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Lu, hope I posted the right one!
I agree that it doesn’t necessarily mean that kids are tech savvy so to speak. But they have (at an early age!) many computer skills I see librarians lacking on a regular basis. And that’s sad. Or promising for the future - I guess it depends on how you look at it.
July 18th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Emily - that’s the one - thanks!