I’m a Computer Teacher, Teaching the Teachers

“This class will last 1 hour, and will be held every Tuesday from 2:10 – 3:10. I will start right on time, so please do not be late. There will be no cell phones allowed in class. I will teach a different subject every week, and that subject will be posted on the door. If you are interested in learning that subject, please come to the class. If you are not interested in learning, please do not come. Խնդրում եմ գրանցվել ցուցակում, եթե դուք հետաքրքրված եք: Ես կդասավանդեմ մինչև 7 ուսուցիչների ամեն շաբաթ: Ես կսովորեցնեմ, օգտագործելով համակարգիչ և պրոյեկտոր: Ես ձեզ ցույց կտամ, թե ինչպես անել որոշ բաներ, ապա դուք կփորձեք դրանք ինքներդ համակարգիչներից մեկի վրա:*”

We had talked about me starting a class at the college to teach the teachers various computer skills. But we never really got around to fixing the details. So finally, I came up with them myself, as written above.

My main goal with the recurring computer class was to get all the teachers more comfortable using computers in general and give them more self-confidence in their ability to learn new things. My secondary goal was to show them a new teaching style that required creative thinking on the students’ part. And my last (and least important for me) goal was for them to become proficient in whatever I chose to teach.

I sent out a short (translated) survey to determine where I might begin. It included questions like: “Do you know how to open Microsoft Word?” And “Do you know how to save a file in Photoshop?” And then I listed 14 different programs and computer-related skills I might be able to teach and had them circle three that they most wanted to learn.

The answers were pretty much all over the map, so I decided to just dive right in.

My first class was basic Microsoft Excel skills. It went really well: as good as I had possibly hoped for, and way better than I dared expect. I had a ratio of one computer per teacher, there was not a single cell phone interruption, and I feel like they all walked out of there with an extra bit of knowledge.

And, proudest moment of all, I did it all in Armenian.

Let me repeat myself: After four months in country, I taught a class by myself. In Armenian!

Of course it wasn’t easy. There were definitely times when the teachers didn’t understand what I was saying. But the lesson I had prepared was heavily based on demonstration. So I showed them several times how to do what I wanted them to do, then walked around and showed each teacher individually, too. Two of my counterparts were there as well, helping explain to the other teachers what was going on.

I had prepared a simple excel file that I uploaded to all the computers beforehand. During the course of the class, I stepped them through different ways to format the file, taking frequent breaks for them to try it themselves. This included things like adding and deleting cells, rows, and columns; re-sizing them; coloring them, coloring text, adding borders, and putting everything in alphabetical order.

Starting from a simple, unformatted, Excel spreadsheet, the goal was to have the teachers create something that looked like this.

I purposely kept it very simple. I had a backup plan of getting into mathematical functions if it was too easy and we still had time at the end, but there was no need.

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My second and third classes were the same subject: graphic design principles—the same thing we taught during our practicum. Again, I prepared a couple simple files (this time in Photoshop) and uploaded them to all the computers. After I explained each design principle, I then had the teachers get on the computers and try each principle out, to demonstrate that they understood. At the end, I gave them a file with a lot of different elements, and had them arrange them into a nice-looking design, using the principles I had just taught them.

This is what the file looked like that the teachers had to create into something beautiful.

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My fourth, and most recent class, was basic Photoshop skills. I taught four tools: the Move tool, Paint Bucket, Shape tool, and Text tool. I also showed them a little bit about how layers work, and how to change colors and sizes.

The teachers who came in, not knowing anything about Photoshop, and left with a basic understanding of some of the tools and their functions.

I think they enjoyed having the freedom to create whatever they wanted, in the bounds of what I was teaching them. They could feel free to experiment, and if something went wrong, I was able to help them get back on track.

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Again, I taught every class in Armenian. All my own lesson plans. All my own teaching style. All my own ideas. And not one single cell phone interruption.

Permit me, just this once, to toot my own horn.

And please tell me if you have any suggestions for what to teach next week.

* The last few sentences of my class description read: “Please sign up on the list if you are interested. I will take up to 7 teachers each week. I will teach, using a computer and a projector. I will show you how to do things, then you will try them on your own, on one of the computers.”