Nov 21 2007
Why should we bother?
Everyone always says we need to teach students WHY they need to learn things and sometimes it sounds better coming from someone other than a teacher. So, chime in and explain how touch-typing (keyboarding) skills have helped you………at home, in school, at work, wherever. Or, do you wish you had better skills? Why?
53 responses so far
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I can’t say how keyboarding skills have HELPED me, but I sure can comment on how having NO keyboarding skills has HURT me! I am a teacher who is in the middle of a program to get an additional certification in Special Education. I have had 15 papers to write so far, with 6 more to come. All need to be typed in a professional format. It takes me longer to type each one than it does to research and write it. Fortunately, my husband is skilled with WORD, and my daughter is a business education teacher, so I have been lucky to have them help me. But they can’t help me with all the typing that I have to do every day at work. I have to type all my students’ IEPs in an IEP program, e-mail parents & social workers to document student behavior, and create documents for my classes on a daily basis. Because my skills are so poor, this all takes me WAY longer than it should . I end up having to stay at work longer than others just because of never learning keyboarding!
Keyboarding is the most basic skill required to be successful in any professional career. Almost all official communication at work must be typed, and increasingly, the primary method of personal communication (e-mail) must also be typed. Being a slow typer, or have poor keyboarding practices, will make all of this very difficult. I was lucky that I made the decision to have strong keyboarding skills when I was learning to type in middle school, and even today in graduate school, people comment on how rapidly and accurately I type!
i am in 1st grade. I need to learn where the letters are on the keyboard. (Emma – 6yrs old)
daadzoeemmamama (Zoe – 4yrs old)
I would not be able to do my job very well without having the ability to use a keyboard. As an attorney, I use a computer to write letters and memorandums, draft motions, and file pleadings continuously throughout the day on a daily basis. Becuase many of the federal courts require you to file pleadings electronically, there is no getting around having this skill. Even though I am required to use this skill continuously, I still have room for improvement. I unfortunately have the habit of unconciously looking at my fingers when I type. It’s a habit I picked up when first learning typing, or rather “keyboarding” as its now referred to. If I did not have this habit, I would be able to keyboard at a faster pace saving me a lot of time.
I’ve also found it important to not rely on a word processing progam’s automatic functions such as spell checker and its automatic word correction. I found that many times these functions either don’t work properly, make changes at times that I am not exepecting them to, and/or make changes in locations that I don’t intend the changes to occur. Relying on my own skill is my best insurance that my keyboarding is correct.
Greg Greene
New Orleans, LA
I am only in my early thirties and I really wish that I would have taken my keyboarding class more seriously and I wish I would have taken more keyboarding classes in high school (keyboarding was not offered at the elementary level, even though we did have one computer per classroom). Several years ago, I lost out on a job interview because I could not type fast enough (40 WPM); I was a “shoe-in” for the job, and it probably would have been mine, if I could have just passed the typing test. This typing test was within a year of passing a college level keyboarding class with an A (40 WPM). If only I would have typed faster. Everyone should know how to use the keyboard!!
There is very little in the world today that is not associated with computers. I feel that is essential for kids to learn how to keyboard and type just to function. Technology will continue to advance and people are going to need this basic skill to live day to day. I find it very helpful to be able to keypunch quickly and accurately. My job requires it!
I went to a very small high school and only had to take 1 quarter of keyboarding. In this quarter I learned the very basics like home row. I am now a 31 year old teacher who still needs to look at the keyboard in order to type anything including emails and this blog. Not only does this slow me down, but it is also embarassing when I am working with other teachers and students when I make mistakes and have to look at the keyboard rather than the screen. My students are always telling me they like to do things quickly and they get bored easily. Don’t let poor typing skills slow you down!
My typing skills started when I was in 9th grade and computers had not been invented yet. I sat in a large room filled with typewriters with a bunch of other kids all feeling a little scared and wondering what to do with this new alphabet. When the keyboard came out with the new computers the keyboard stayed pretty much the same, so I was happy for that. Since 9th grade I have used my skills through numerous school research papers, grant writing, professional presentations and three college degrees. I use my keyboarding skills every day now and wouldn’t be able to do my job without it. It has been a long time since 9th grade, and I can’t remember the teacher’s name, but I am thankful for what she taught me.
Keyboarding has helped me immensely in my job. I am a nurse and everything we do for charting on patients is on computers. If I had not had keyboarding it would take me a lot longer to do charting and I would not have as much time to spend taking care of my patients. I work with a lot of older nurses that have never had any keyboarding and do the hunt and peck method when they chart and it takes them forever! Keyboarding is definitely important.
It’s true that typing is important. If u are someone that works at a computer all day then you probably will not get hired if u can’t type very fast.Plus if u are someone who wants to get done with a paper quickly typing will help u alot. Typing is an easy skill to learn so don’t whine about not being able to type fast cause all u need to learn to type is a keybored and computer.
It’s true you need keyboarding sometimes but not for everything. Like for certain jobs and stuff but you woudn’t really need it for like being a army guy or something. But when you do and you really need it but didn’t take lessons or forgot, so it’s a half and half but it would be better just to take lessons to know it.
P.S. There are better skills than keyboarding.
I have learned a lot from my keyboarding class. I am always excited to come to keyboarding class. But at times i have to look down at the keyboard to see what i am typing…At home i just put my fingers wherever i want to type so it’s harder for me do the homerow at school. Also at time I find myself not using the homerow.
It is important to learn keyboarding especially if you are going to work with computers when you are older. You may want to start a little young especially if it takes you a little longer to learn things.
My keyboarding teacher has taught me a lot from this experience.:)
I wasn’t good at keyboarding so when I had school projects it would take me longer than it should. Now that I have learned where the keys are it takes me less time to do simple everyday things like typing in websites on the computer. I think that learning keyboarding now will help me when I get older.
I learned how to keyboard by being online all the time.It has helped me to type faster and know where all the letters are on the keyboard.I would like to learn how to type without looking because at times i will catch myself looking down at the keyboard typing.Middle School has helped me alot too becuase we get taught by this typing teacher (Mrs.Olson) and she teaches us how to type faster and learn where all the keys are on the keyboard.I am on AIM alot so it helps me type faster but at times it can mess me up because some words we write on there aren’t real words like: You turns into U and Why turns into Y and other words.The experience at school has really helped me with typing.
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I’m glad that I learned how to type because, when I have to do a school report I might want to be able to type correctly so I’m a little faster at typing and my reports will be done sooner. I also think the blog is good because people should learn to type correctly.
Typing Time has helped in 5th and 6th grade.I can type faster with out looking at the keyboard.I like typing – it helps when you grow up and have to type in your job.I want to be a cop and they have to type to put in people when they go to jail.
I think that typing is really important. I just had two of my best friends move away this summer and we just talk through e-mail. one of them moved to Utah so all I can do is talk on e-mail. Also when you have to do reports for school, it would really slow you down if you have to find each key.
Typing time has helped me a little over the couple of days i’ve been using it. I don’t use what I learned from it at home or friends houses because I think its slow. Why do we even have to learn how to type why can’t we just type how we want? I think we shouldn’t have to learn typing i think we should type how we want.
as a middle schooler i need to learn how to type. as in where all the letters are. i think this blog will help those who are still learning. or people who need to do research for assignments. if you didn’t know how to type how would you able to do all the computer things like typing.
Wow,your website is cool! Especially your teaching of the keyboard. I’m doing way better at keyboarding afer you started teaching me. So thanks for helping me with my keyboarding.It’s really fun learning to type with you. You’re a great teacher.
Typing time has helped me improve my typing so I can type faster and it’s helped me not to make a lot of spelling errors. Typing helps you in the future when you have a job or even own your own bisneass. Typing can inprove your eye and hand coordination a lot it also helps young kids with disabilities. you can learn a lot I have.
Keyboarding has helped me a lot!!! It is also very fun, even though I’m only in 6th grade and keyboarding isn’t as important to me as it probably will be in 10 years, but it helps with my e-mail and instant messaging. I really like it when someone teaches keyboarding because you learn the right way, and it dosen’t just have to do with you hands, but with the way you sit and your posture. It may seem sorta umcomfortable now…….. but I know l’ll be thankful when I get older!!!!!!
I think that the blog is a good thing to have in this world. As a 6th grader I think it has been a good time learning how to type like this. Why do we have to do this in 6th grade instead we should do it in 8th grade? Are we going to do this in 8th grade or just in 6th grade?
i think that keyboarding has helped me a little but not a lot because im not used to typing like were being taught. And also when i was little i always used to type with one hand and then when i turned 9 i started typing with 2 hands so im used to typing with one hand and 2 but not on the rows that we are supposed but i think im getting the hang of it
Wow, I didnt know that nurses had to know how to type and that they use the computers a lot. And when you used type writers if you made a mistake you couldn’t erase it right? It is really fun to learn how to type better because i used to only use two fingers (my two pointer fingers) and first of all, it took me along time to type something and second of all it drove my mom crazy. She would always tell me to type on home row but i would tell her i forgot how to type on the homerow since 4th grade because in 5th grade they didnt teach us how to type on homerow.
Before I started this keyboarding class I didn’t know very much about typing on a computer. Now I know a lot more about it.
Before I read this blog I didn’t know that nurses and attorneys needed typing skills. In class I learned that mechanics need typing skills. Its amazing how many jobs need typing skills
I’m glad that I’m learning how to type because when there is an assignment that has to be typed it’s a whole lot easer when you can type correctly. I’m glad I learned how to type because I know I will be glad I learned in the future.
Keyboarding has helped me a lot. With Mrs.Olson coming to our school and teaching us how to type with good posture and where to put our fingers on the keyboard. One of the programs that we use is Typing Time. This site teaches us all the keys on the keyboard. So thank you Mrs.Olson for coming to our school. If Mrs. Olson didn’t come to our school I wouldn’t have learned as much as I know now.
Keyboarding has helped me at home in my email, and at school for reports.My keyboarding skills could definitely get better.I took keyboarding in 4th grade and this year in 6th.
It is probably much more important than i think because i feel like i don’t need to use it but i know i do need it. I have learned a lot about keyboarding since coming to the class. I learned you need good posture to type and much more.
The people made me think keybording is important. Almost every job you use keyboarding. They made me think of keyboarding in a new way. Keyboarding also helps in the future because if you are a doctor and can not find a cure you have to E-MAIL another docter for the cure.
I am a quick typer, when I look at the keyboard. But I think keyboarding is really cool, because it will help me learn all the keys quicker.
I learned a lot from those emails and how keyboarding helps in many jobs. One thing i thought was odd was someone couldn’t get a job because of their typing skills. A way that keyboarding has helped me is while i’m typing stories. It helped me type much faster and know where the words are.
In Mrs. Olson’s blog I have read on how some people think you do not need keyboarding but I am thinking some people do… If i grow up to be say a engineer i may need keyboarding once in a rare while. Say now if I was a writing teacher I may want to know how because you will need it more than many jobs. Also if you are a writing teacher/teacher you might eventually have to teach it and if you can not teach it because you do not know it you are not fit for your job.
I am very glad I am learning typing. I learned from reading this that most jobs require typing and if you don’t know how to type you might not get the job. I hope I learn to type pretty good so I can get a good job.
It is true that typing is important for some jobs. If you are someone who works on computers all day like a vet or somthing you have to know how to type. Plus you can get your homework done a lot faster. And it will look better.
In Mrs.Olson’s class we are learning about mainly right now the home row but I know mostly all of them. When I was in the 3rd grade when I started typing real good. But that was then, now is now. I like Mrs.Olson. She is one of the best typing teachers I’ve ever had.
yes, it’s true that if you don’t have good keyboarding skills that things are going to be alot harder for you to get things done like school reports. if you dont have good typing skills you may not be able to get a job. but if you do then you are most likely to get the job you want if you have a good education. i have been in keyboarding for 3 years. 6th grade, 5th grade, and 4th grade. i am pretty good at typing. i love keyboarding.
I think that typing helps you with jobs and your life. we always need a little typing.
I’am a good and fast typer and I think if I didn’t know how to type fast a lot of papers that i had to type would be turned in late.
You are all very correct you need to have skills with keyboarding. They will help you in the future. with your job and typing things on the computer.
Keyboarding has helped me enormously. I took keyboarding when I lived in Rochester, and it has helped me a lot now. i still have a habit of looking at my hands when I type, but only when I type a certain way. Keyboarding is mandatory!
Keyboarding is a very important skill to have. We are entering the Information Age where using computers and modern technology will be come part of our daily lives. If you don’t know how to keyboard, you will be slowed down greatly while working in a job that requires use of a computer.
I think keyboarding is an important skill because most jobs require some typing skilla. I think typing is important because you can get school projects done a lot faster. Thanks 4 teaching me how to type.
keyboarding skills have helped me alot when i have to do school work like writing a story i just jump on the computer now i do wish that i had better skills sometimes because all my freinds are somewhat good at typing and they get sooo much done before i do so yes i wish i had some better skills
No, I do not have the best typing skills and that makes it harder for me to work on the computer. If I am looking up something on the computer it could take me 30 seconds to write five words. I hope that Mrs. Olson’s typing time will help me get better typing skills. typing is fun. i love keyboarding!
Keyboarding is a very important skill. I just started keyboarding class so I don’t type very fast. Even though I am typing at about 25 words per minute. When I grow up I want to maybe be a lawyer and need to have good typing skills. This skill will prove very important in my future.
You need keyboarding for just about everything. You need it for school papers and for a teacher to print off papers for the students and report cards. And so your parents don’t type it for you.
Well the good posture and everything I’ve learned with Mrs. Olson is helping me a lot. I’m already typing faster. I don’t know if the job i want to be would require fast typing skills, but many jobs do. Also I like to email people so it would help to have faster keyboarding skills. Thank you Mrs. Olson for teaching me to type faster!
KH
keyboarding is very important to many people. I would also be embarassed if when I was older and I had to look at the keyboard. I would not like to lose my job because I’m too slow.
PV
keyboarding is important because many people need to learn how to type so that when they are older than it would be easier for people to find a job.I think that I’m too slow and i need more experience.
Keyboarding is fun and it helps me be a really good typer. I’m in 6th grade right now and I hope to use it through out my whole life. Keyboarding is really helping me and i’m really getting good at it.
There are a lot of things that I didn’t know like you need to be good at typing or it will just slow your day down. Well i think lots of the people on this did really good I learned lots of things I would never have learned.
keyboarding is important beacause it has helped me with a lot of school work. it will help me with my future too. I have learned a lot from my keyboarding class. I didn’t know any thing until i started keyboarding class.