Some teachers for the LAN must groom
  The trade’s tricks to them teach
But others must be helped to bloom
  Their full potential reach
 
There are teachers who’ve never used
  Computers until now
These ones may be left not amused
  When they must now learn how
 
The first thing that they have to learn
  Is where to find each part
The mouse won’t bite – the screen won’t burn –
  And how to make it start
 
To use the keyboard is a skill
  Like eating with a spoon
A course of touch typing won’t kill
  This they must master soon
 
It is important that they know
  The notion of a file
Don’t think – and let your ign’rance show –
  It’s paper in a pile
 
And once they master this concept
  New files they can create
Work with them – learn to be adept –
  Change and manipulate
 
And now address word processing
  This shrinks the typing pool
Their own notes type for assessing
  Once they have learnt this tool
 
Improvement in class lessons can
  With great ease be attained
If PowerPoint fits in the plan
  How teachers now are trained
 
The class will be more int’resting
  With visual impact
Use picture slides with captioning
  To emphasize each fact
 
Some mark sheets teachers must maintain
  To track and score progress
While spread sheets can take out the pain
  And minimize the mess
 
The internet is one good source
  Of things that they should use
So teachers must learn this of course
  To help them as they muse
 
A balanced view one must maintain
  About the internet
From it one can much knowledge gain
  But that is all you get
 
Some think that miracles take place
  When schools to it connect
That lights are lit all o’er the space
  Kids’ thinking then correct
 
The world wide web can only be
  Of a substantial use
If teachers do provide the key
  And content wisely choose
 
Email can be a vital tool
  To teach the kids to learn
Reading and writing while at school
  A national concern
 
If learners can not use email
  And thus communicate
They’re forced to leave a paper trail
  With this – must altercate
 
The teacher must these tools master
  – Email and internet –
Use them each day – become faster –
  Examples thus to set
 
It therefore makes a lot of sense
  Teach teachers these tools soon
Spare neither effort nor expense
  Feed even with a spoon
 
The basics they must quickly learn
  This one can not replace
Do not the value of this spurn
  Do lay a solid base
 
To reach all teachers is a chore
  They are a massive clique
I T some have not used before
  Don’t know a single trick
 
Experience has shown to date
  What teachers really need
A body warm – a caring mate –
  To bring them up to speed
 
The training must be face to face
  One needs the human touch
Attention given to each case
  Using a person crutch
 
Some moan that this task is too vast
  You never will reach all
You can’t catch up – erase the past –
  The trainer pool’s too small
 
Learn from a distance – now in vogue –
  It’s best – proponents claim –
If you dissent you’re viewed a rogue
  Should drop your head in shame
 
But how on earth can one propose
  That schools I T must use
To teach I T to all of those
  Who I T do refuse
 
It’s best to take the middle road
  Adopt a learning blend
And rather use a hybrid mode
  The teachers’ minds to bend
 
The process starts with face to face
  Until you break the ice
Then move them to the I T space
  Throw in a bit of spice
 
They will be taught – in course of time –
  Each technical aspect
With effort they will reach their prime
  Earn learners’ full respect
 
To be computer literate
  Is only a small start
Helps teachers in the lab to fit
  It makes them I T smart
 
The skill that teachers next must learn
  – They’ll have to concentrate –
Their teaching should at every turn
  With I T integrate
 
If kids don’t learn the way you teach
  Then teach the way they learn
That means that teachers must not preach
  But take another turn
 
They must as soon as possible
  Use I T skills to teach
It is then more than probable
  The learners’ minds they’ll reach
 
To make it easy at the start
  One learning outcome pick
Select software that fits the part
  And see how these two click
 
More outcomes then add step by step
  Till confidence is gained
In this way one can teachers prep
  Until they are well trained
 
This is a challenge truly great
  The teaching way much change
I T will this accelerate
  Throughout the subject range
 
The lab  –  when it’s well utilized –
  Will make the teachers proud
For I T they’re now energized
  A most productive crowd