Great News from Snap

If you have been into your Snap account recently you will have noticed that your monthly allowance has been increased from 30Gb to 50 Gb - at no extra cost to you!!!  Way to go Snap!!!

Cheers
Denise

Andrew Dooley shares his story.....

Andrew is a solo parent of three children ranging from 6 to 15 years, most attending Victory Primary School in Nelson, and was hosted by Auckland Point School for his Computers in Homes training.  I interviewed him recently about his "Computers in Homes experience" and here are some of his thoughts.

“I got on board the CIH course because once I heard there was a course for parents to possibly get a computer in their house, I didn’t have to think twice about it, I wanted to be on that course and since having the computer in the house it has benefited the kids something, leaps and bounds they have gone in just their learning alone.”

He has noticed benefits for all of his family.  He is able to connect with his children’s school daily through their website.  “I just didn’t realise, there were lots of things I was missing out on.” His children’s teachers email if there are any issues at school and a lot of times the children arrive home and he says “well what have you been up to today” and they say “how do you know?”  So he is able to address situations early on.  The school is starting to ask what is happening at home because they have noted positive changes to one child’s behaviour.  Andrew puts it down to the computer – “if you don’t understand it you feel like an idiot in class, it is easier for you to get kicked out of class…. But since the computer has been at home my son says what he is having trouble with and we look it up and go right back at the start level and by the time he goes back to school he has got the gist of what to do.  He’s gone ahead in the last 6-7 weeks.  It’s like fuel on the fire, they all want to learn more.  I really went to school to eat my lunch, but I want my kids to love school, so anything they have got qualms about we just go and check it out together.”

Andrew has found this course has also benefited himself.   He says he now walks taller, with confidence, and where he would shy away when ‘pen and paper’ were put in front of him he will now give it a go.  He is finding that being able to write something and push a button which will correct all mistakes is encouraging .  He is noticing if he spells a word wrong he makes an effort to see how it looks and believes his reading has improved “big time”.

As a coach of a rugby league team, Andrew has used his new gmail account to send bulk emails to his team, saving time and reducing phone costs.  He also googles well known league coaches to get ideas about drills to use and to understand what their purpose is “The training has gone from being boring and now is exciting because I have more understanding to break down everything I am doing and can explain what the benefit for the team are.  It has made me a better coach, a better person.”

“It has really opened my horizons.  It allows me to interact with my children and you don’t have to be the smartest person to use the computer.   It’s great to be able to support my kids.”

When asked about the training itself he said “I would push for anybody to get on there and do the course.  Heather, the tutor, was awesome.  She had a way of putting into the words for anybody, she’s really good like that.  You just ask anything, and she will show you the little secrets if you have gone in too far and you’re not sure what to do.  Which is just awesome!!   I really loved it.”  He acknowledged how welcoming the host school had been and how comfortable he felt entering the school and training there.   “I felt they  were really really cool people.”  

Andrew expressed his thanks to everyone involved, for giving him this opportunity which he sees has been a blessing for himself and his kids. He sees they have changed and he also feels more confident in the things he does.  He says “As parents we have got obligations and we’ve got to step up to the plate for our children – so seize this opportunity.  It is awesome!”

Andrew with his son - receiving a webcam from Computers in Homes

Stepping UP is moving into libraries!!

Hi

We are in that on again off again season, where we shift between winter and spring continually and everyone seems to come down with bugs.  I hope this isn't the case for you - personally or computer wise!!
Classes are continuing on at Stoke School and I have enjoyed receiving emails and attachments from families during their sessions.

Stepping UP for CiH Families

For those of you looking to extend your skills further, after Computers in Homes training we have a programme called 'Stepping UP'. It is a topic based approach with 17 modules to choose from.  Computers in Homes families can select up to four topics they are interested in and receive the training at no cost to themselves.  Talk to your tutor about this.

Stepping UP in Libraries

We are also collaborating with libraries to offer revised and reduced Stepping UP modules to the general public.  Marlborough District Libraries trialled this last term with great success.  Now we are able to offer Stepping UP in other libraries across our Nelson/ Marlborough region. 

Classes will be held in Marlborough at:-

• - Marlborough District Libraries in Blenheim and
• - Picton Library and Service Centre in Picton            

Classes will be held in Nelson at:-

• - Tasman District Library in Richmond and
• - Nelson Public Libraries in Nelson

Please check out the options for this training on our website Stepping UP.  These are free classes and available to everyone, so please spread the word and take advantage of this opportunity.

Wishing you healthy times and a bucketful of spring flowers.

Cheers 
Denise

PS Watch this space - we hope to offer a Tips section in our blog in the near future, thanks to our wonderful Nelson technician, Tim!!

All Set to Go!

Hi Everyone

Stoke School is now under way - with three classes starting this week.  There are sessions Monday and Wednesday mornings and one on Tuesday evening.


Pete Mitchener

Thanks to Pete Mitchener, principal at Stoke School for supporting families and the Computers in Homes programme.  Stoke School is also hosting some families from Nelson Christian Academy, Nayland College and Nelson Intermediate.  Welcome to all.

It has been lovely to attend the first sessions of each of the classes and meet the families participating.

Graduation has been set for October 22nd, so remember to keep that evening free!!

Monday's group checking out their internet options before putting their computer systems together!

Tuesday evenings group.



Angela is connecting all the cables to set up her computer. 

There will be 10 weeks of classes and then our Stoke families will be taking a computer like this one home for their family to use. The time will go very fast!!

 

Have fun and enjoy the learning!!!

 

Cheers

Denise

11 July 2014

Victory Primary School celebrated their families success at the Computers in Homes graduation held on 1st July at their Community Hall.

It was a pleasure to spend time with the participants during their last session with tutor, Heather Bates, before seeing them graduate.  Thank you to the school for organising such a lovely occasion  - I'm sure the families felt proud to share in their parents success as they graduated.

Sherry Ropoama with her daughter - receiving her certificate from Principal Helen Taylor-Young (left) and tutor Heather Bates.

Sarah Te Aonui's children,  sharing in her achievement.

Jennifer Sasa with some enthusiastic helpers cutting the Graduation cake.


 



Computers in Homes Graduation Cake.



Patricia Flynn heading home with her computer!



Safe and happy holidays and enjoy those computers!!

Cheers Denise

27 June 2014

Greetings

It's nearly the school holidays - just one week to go, and one session left for Victory Primary School families before they hold their graduation and take home their computers.  It will be a great celebration and I am looking forward to sharing the occasion with everyone next week!!

Auckland Point School has completed their Stepping UP programme for the moment - with some keen learners intending to go further and enrol at NMIT for further training.

Stepping UP at Marlborough District Library has been running successfully with the last training session to be held on 3rd July.  With 5 computers available each session, classes filled up fast.  Thanks to Sarah for taking on the tutor role and making sure participants had a really positive learning experience along with Jane and her team from the Library.  The response has been great and I enjoyed sitting in on a class recently - learning how to manoeuvre around sites to search for employment opportunities.

Mayor Alister Sowman visits one of the first Stepping UP classes to officially launch the pilot and offer his support for the programme.
 

Computers in Homes are pleased to have been funded to train a further 1500 families throughout New Zealand over the 2014/2015 year.  Our region has been allocated 50 of those family places. So I am now able to offer to other schools in the region, the opportunity to host the Computers in Homes programme, and allow their eligible families to benefit from the training and having a reconditioned computer in their home.

I am exciting to have Stoke School, Nelson, take up this opportunity and they will be hosting the Computers in Homes programme during Term 3.  They have indicated they are happy to host neighbouring school's families if there are spare spaces!

I will be back soon to share some graduation photos and further updates for Term 3.

Have a happy and safe holiday!
Cheers Denise


















Hi Everyone & Happy Mother's Day!

The new term has started and so have our courses. 


Our Stepping UP class at Auckland Point School, Nelson, is underway with a group who have graduated from the Computers in Homes programme and who are keen to continue on with their ICT learning.  The topic chosen for the first session was  "Computer Maintenance" - a great topic to help troubleshoot  problems and keep computers running efficiently.  Roll on session two!!


A new programme of Computers in Homes started at Victory School last Tuesday, with families warmly welcomed by Acting Principal - Wendy Taylor, School Champion for CiH - Dianne Goodwin, and tutor Heather Bates.  Welcome to those families who have registered for this programme.

Our first session of Stepping UP in Marlborough District Library is tomorrow at 9am.  The topic is Computer Basics.  There is one space left on this course.  Most classes are filling up very quickly. Please go to http://www.steppingup.org.nz/ to look at the schedule and enrol.

If there are any other families or schools who are interested in being involved in Computers in Homes next term, please make contact with me as soon as possible.  I look forward to working with you.

Kind Regards
Denise