Computers And My School Not a very good combination

[Hamtaro 0]

My school has finally made me EXTREMELY mad! First of all, I need to explain sosme stuff: Duriing this week (for three days, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) we had testing. We had to sign up for after-testing activities (during those days, we did nothing after we tested). Well, the only one I really wanted, was the Internet. I signed up for it on all three days.

 

On my first day, I did everything I always do when I get on a school computer: Stick in my flash drive, and launch Portable Firefox (I'm not sparking a FF vs. IE conversation) because I hate IE. Nobody said a word. Plus, I'd been using it for over a year at school, anyway. Well, the next day, the computer lab teacher (who is pretty much computer illiterate), started fussing about me using some program she doesn't know about. Well, I'm not the only one who uses it, either. Two of my friends do. Plus, a lot of people were playing games that they downloaded from the Internet. She said that she talked to the principal, and he said that we couldn't use a program that wasn't already on the computer (stupid, isn't it? They even said that it wasn't a concern for viruses, either. I don't get the point in what they said). Oh, and I might add that the principal is also computer illiterate. Well, I did as they said (even though I hate IE), and didn't use Firefox the rest of the day.

 

Now comes the next day (today). It turns out, that they took me out of the Internet just simply because I used Firefox!!!! That ticks me off so bad!!! If you ask me, they're just afraid of people using new programs! I have no idea whatsoever why the heck they would throw such a fit over something like that. Oh, and I want to add: I don't mean to insult them by calling them computer illiterate. Most people around here, though, barely can get by with a computer (literally). I'm always helping people in computer classes with problems (most even the teacher doesn't know how to fix).

 

Anyway, I'm not mad because I couldn't get on the Internet, or use a computer, but I'm mad simply because I got kicked out for using Firefox. All my teachers have seen me use it before. None of them care if I use it, either. Except that ONE teacher. I don't see how she became a computer teacher in the first place!!! I wish there were some schools that at leas knew a LITTLE about computers around here. Anyway, my tennis coach is the technology expert of the school, so I'm going to try to get permission to use Firefox from him.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Hamtaro (see edit history)

[CroSpartacus 0]

That sucks.My computer teachers only know about stuff like microsoft word, excel, powerpoint etc.But on those other kind of stuff they don't know anything. I prefer firefox too, but my schools computers are so slow that downloading firefox takes 30 minutes.

[Hamtaro 0]

My computer teachers only know about stuff like microsoft word, excel, powerpoint etc.

Heh, that's pretty much all my computer teachers are trained in, as well. My school has a T1 connection (at least that's one thing they did right) so I really like getting on the Internet there. I can tell you this: That teacher had better not ask me for any help at all, because I won't give it to her (she even told me the first day that she wished she knew as much about computers as I do). I don't usually do that to people, but it's just plain ridiculous what they did to me.

[fffanatics 0]

Wow that really does suck. In my school, all my computer teachers (aka all 2 of them) knew a decent amount about programming and such since they were the only two computer teachers and each taught languages so we never had any issues with them. However, the administration at the district headquarters really started to cut down on programs that could be downloaded and install and they did yell at you. They just erased them from the hd and then blocked them online. It does suck but i guess from their point of view it is a security issue and could cause a problem.

[dvalkass 0]

At our school we have two technicians who think they own the place. They try to give out detentions for stupid stuff, one tried to give my friend a detention for laughing when she thought he was laughing at her, and they aren't even allowed to give detentions. All they know is stuff about if you lsot/forgot your password or if a simple program goes wrong.

[Artem ZHI 0]

Computers and my school..haha.. :blink:In our computer-class only 15 computer for studens and 1 for techer. These 15 comuters - pentium 1 or celeron 500 ))) For teecher - sempron 3000+ - it's very good and i worked on it - as best pupil))) It is Necessary to say that amount computers very small and we don't have internet in school(((

[Giant Roy 0]

Hamtaro, I know exactly how it is with you and school computers. I'm going through testing currently at school. We aren't allowed to bring our own programs or anything either. Plus we have this stupid security block that allows us from getting on game sites and stuff like that. WE should all unite and fight the sucky rules of school!

[shadowdemon 0]

My school has finally made me EXTREMELY mad! First of all, I need to explain sosme stuff: Duriing this week (for three days, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) we had testing. We had to sign up for after-testing activities (during those days, we did nothing after we tested). Well, the only one I really wanted, was the Internet. I signed up for it on all three days.

 

On my first day, I did everything I always do when I get on a school computer: Stick in my flash drive, and launch Portable Firefox (I'm not sparking a FF vs. IE conversation) because I hate IE. Nobody said a word. Plus, I'd been using it for over a year at school, anyway. Well, the next day, the computer lab teacher (who is pretty much computer illiterate), started fussing about me using some program she doesn't know about. Well, I'm not the only one who uses it, either. Two of my friends do. Plus, a lot of people were playing games that they downloaded from the Internet. She said that she talked to the principal, and he said that we couldn't use a program that wasn't already on the computer (stupid, isn't it? They even said that it wasn't a concern for viruses, either. I don't get the point in what they said). Oh, and I might add that the principal is also computer illiterate. Well, I did as they said (even though I hate IE), and didn't use Firefox the rest of the day.

 

Now comes the next day (today). It turns out, that they took me out of the Internet just simply because I used Firefox!!!! That ticks me off so bad!!! If you ask me, they're just afraid of people using new programs! I have no idea whatsoever why the heck they would throw such a fit over something like that. Oh, and I want to add: I don't mean to insult them by calling them computer illiterate. Most people around here, though, barely can get by with a computer (literally). I'm always helping people in computer classes with problems (most even the teacher doesn't know how to fix).

 

Anyway, I'm not mad because I couldn't get on the Internet, or use a computer, but I'm mad simply because I got kicked out for using Firefox. All my teachers have seen me use it before. None of them care if I use it, either. Except that ONE teacher. I don't see how she became a computer teacher in the first place!!! I wish there were some schools that at leas knew a LITTLE about computers around here. Anyway, my tennis coach is the technology expert of the school, so I'm going to try to get permission to use Firefox from him.

 

In the paragraph you asid you wish schools had computer literate teachers. In my school there is only 2 teachers of of 120 (estimate but atrleast 100) that can work a computer. I share your pain. It isnt there fault tho, they didnt grow up with computers.

[michaelper22 0]

My computer teacher is very good at computers. He does all sorts of stuff in Linux, gets more hardware (and rebates to fill out) by the week, and doesn't teach me much (since I know most of the stuff he teaches, or at least I can learn it really, really quickly). As far as you using Firefox on your machine in school, my computer teacher won't let us put any "external media" at all in the computers (CDs, DVDs, USB drives, floppies - those laptops actually have floppy drives, or any other device). Life stinks, but sometimes we just have to live with our problems (trust me, I do it everyday)

[tt3 0]

My computer teacher is very good at computers. He does all sorts of stuff in Linux, gets more hardware (and rebates to fill out) by the week, and doesn't teach me much (since I know most of the stuff he teaches, or at least I can learn it really, really quickly). As far as you using Firefox on your machine in school, my computer teacher won't let us put any "external media" at all in the computers (CDs, DVDs, USB drives, floppies - those laptops actually have floppy drives, or any other device). Life stinks, but sometimes we just have to live with our problems (trust me, I do it everyday)

It's a shame there aren't more teachers like yours in the school, but I'm truely shocked that you can't use pen drives. Over the past few years, the pen drive has been the most useful tool in our school! Our cd's are blocked as well, but we're allowed USB sticks at least. Then again, it's not surprising considering our school sells them.

[CinnamorollTK 0]

They really need to start training teachers in how to use computers. I hardly new how to use those Apple computers yet I was always correcting and helping the new computer teacher. It was sad.Maybe if you send the teacher and pricipal a few webpages about FireFox and what it does, they may change their minds. Make sure to add in two or three articles about how FireFox protects computers from many viruses that IE can't protect the computer from. And they should require all teachers to take a good computer class before becoming a teacher. It would save many students from having problems with teachers that are caused because of the teacher's ignorance.

Edited April 21, 2006 by CinnamorollTK (see edit history)

[Hamtaro 0]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with problems with teachers and computers. However, I bet that even if I did send the pages and describe it more, they wouldn't understand a word of it. Plus, on their list of "trusted" software, they pretty much have only Microsoft products. Here's their list:

Adobe Products

Central Products

Classroom or Office specific programs

Concourse Products

Epes

Follet Products

McAfee

Microsoft Exchange

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Front Page

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Works

Munis

Novell Products

Palm Software

Plato

Printer Software

Renaissance Learning Product (Such as Accelerated Reader)

Software that accompanied text books

STI Products

Most of those, I don't really like. Plus, they don't even acknowledge that there may be better programs that are distributed for free. There are only a select few teachers that actually let me do what I want on a computer (and one is a computer teacher). Anyway, I found out the reason why exactly I got kicked out of the activity (and it did invole the use of FF). However, her explanation was very bizarre. I can't even remember it now. I do know one teacher who knows a LOT about computers (and he's even used Linux). I could probably talk to him about it.

 

One last thing that I want to add:

That computer lab teacher did mention that she needs more training. The way it seems to me, is that our school has so little money, that they can't afford it. Whatever the reason, I wish that the teachers wouldn't be so ignorant about the use of a new program. I don't think that I'll ever understand some of these computer teachers.

[Cool_Freaker 0]

Hamtaro, that software list looks pretty good actually. A number of the Business/IT teachers at my school could only use the Microsoft Office Suite and do some minimal browsing and MYOB. It was rather pathetic, but I guess the course only required them to know this - apparantly the basics of computing comprise of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and IE.Anyway, best of luck with getting your internet at school back...

[Sinari 0]

Our computer teacher knows only powerpoint, excel, word, and publisher so I know how that feels. Even the tech guys at school couldn't fix a small problem with the dvd burner on one of the better computers in my gifted class... Our school actually has FF on the computers but more sites are blocked that I use than ones I don't use. We're not allowed to bring any devices in to connect to the computer so I think you are lucky. I feel your pain though. My computer teacher doesn't have a website and I do if that tells you how much more I know than her...

[psychiccyberfreak 0]

Dude, that's jappened to me loads of times. I use portable firefox all the timeand that's not the only reason I've gotten into trouble. Once it was for using my old cheap MP3 player as a flash key, another time I tried enabling java console because any web application done in jscript was non-functional, I used a CGI proxy for getting past sites that they block but they shouldn't, and numerous other things. One time I fixed the computer and my old computer teacher got mad. I used a live CD with slax on it (linux shrunken down) and that same teacher thought I tinkered with the computer and installed something. To tell you the truth, I would prefer to bring in my laptop for school then using those computers. And all the keyboards are horrible! Have you ever tried to type something at 50 WPM on a half-broken keyboard? That's my typing speed. And I simply can't to it on those keyboards (I'm so used to my laptop keyboard, I need to get out of that habit). At my town's high school, they use macs. I'm happy to hear that because guess what saffari was based on? KDE's Konqueror. (another great linux web browser) It has tabs, just not so popular becuase it's a linux exclusive. But eventually, they will have people bring in their own computers, most people have laptops, they just need to make them so consumer-avalable that everyone can afford one. Look at the $100 dollar laptop idea, that's awsome. I may get one anyway just for the hell of it. So, I don't expect to see this coming soon, but I think it will happen in about 10 years or so.

Edited March 29, 2007 by psychiccyberfreak (see edit history)