A Letter from
Zerrin Oelze, former WSU student
mentor, current 5th grade teacher at
Earhart
Environmental Magnet in Wichita, Kansas.
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 8:08 AM
Subject: Thanks!
I just wanted to write and give you an
update on how you and the M3 program has impacted my local school. I
really appreciated the thoughts and encouragement you gave me the day
I was in the Corbin lab in mid-September. Because of your
encouragement I came home and put together a research project for my
5th graders using Power Point.
None of my students had ever even heard
of "Power Point" and no one knew what it was! I made a sample for
them and made worksheets and overheads of the "how to's" (using lots
of screen captures, etc). I found one parent (a computer guy from
Raytheon) who was willing to help me in the computer lab as we
worked. And, in the past 4 weeks it has been really rewarding to see
how these kids have learned the application and had fun putting their
presentations together! They take to it like a fish to water. One
kid already found out how to make animations in his (on his own).
This first one is pretty basic (I didn't teach transitions yet or
sounds), but the kids are excited.
I have also been very surprised by how
excited our principal is! He is beaming. The computer lab was new
last year and I think ours is the first class to really use the
technology for a project. Tomorrow morning the class is going to have
their "viewing" to show each other their presentations. Then at
conferences I will have each student show theirs to their parents.
This is all a result of M3 and your
inspiration!! Thanks so much. If you have any suggestions
of what I should try next, I'd love to hear!
Thanks!
--Zerrin
