I remember a time, back in the day (my day--for all you people who grew up in the 80s or before, you can skip this part--this is for the young people like me who have already started feeling old like you..), when classrooms didn't have student computers and teachers didn't have lap tops. In order to use the computer, we had to go to the "computer lab"...where we would find rows of large, bulky, macintosh computers (before they were cool!!) on which we would sit for 30 minutes and play...children of the 90s, you remember this...Oregon Trail. We loved it!
Well, in present day elementary schools we have student computer stations. In my school, I have 3 mac computers for student use. They are nice computers, but they do freeze quite a bit when the students are using them. This would be fine....if the students knew how to unfreeze them. However, most of my students can barely use a mouse correctly, let alone press control + "force quit" all by themselves. So I typically have to leave my small group lesson to go help them fix their computers. In the process I always say something like "Oh yes, it's frozen again I'll help you"--not thinking that anyone around me would have no idea what I mean by that. Here's a story of misunderstanding that is sure to make you smile.
The other day two of my boys were on the computers, and I was with one of my small groups. One of the boys came to the table to say that he needed help with the computer. So I followed him over to the computers, and the other little boy was already sitting at his station. He saw me coming, upon which he said "Yeah Mrs. Sims, the computer's just not working. It's frozen." Then he gave his computer a little feel, rubbing the front of the monitor, and said.........
"It's warm, but it's frozen!"
:)
