Annie's Corner

 How many of you parents are impressed, even pleased by your children's expertise at the computer?

 Computers are in every business, every mode of transportation, doing our banking, and keeping all our records. Everyone is doing everything by computer. Good I think, my kids will be able to keep up, get jobs and then I see an alarming trend.

 I witness high school students who are using the computer for everything - book reports, research, you name it. But if the teacher wants other sources, they can't imagine anything else. 

 It saddened me to have to instruct a high school senior on how to use an encyclopedia. Having only used the Internet, the students don't know anything else. The concept of reading for research, reading a book is unheard of, unless of course they are reading it on line. 

 Another issue needs to be stressed to our teens is that not everything on the Internet is the truth. Some individuals have made bogus sites on topics. Why? We would all like to know that, but the point is they are out there. (Probably they are roommates with the people who enjoy making viruses for our computers.)

 I caught a student doing a report in school one day and he put it together by cutting and pasting whole paragraphs from others' articles into his report. Guess he never heard of plagiarism. 

 The other rising problem is the time spent on the computer, the majority of their free time. Sure they are chatting, meeting new people, and having fun; but then I hear teens bragging about their boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, and parties - all online. Trouble is they don't even know what is at the other end of their connection. 

 Am I the only one who finds this strange?  Is the Internet the newest teen addiction; or are we all addicted?  Does your child suffer withdrawal when it is off, or if you go away?  

 For years the professionals told parents they should monitor how much television their children are watching, well what about the Internet. Is it healthy for them to be on it so much?  Why don't teachers teach other forms of research besides with computers?

 Worst story I have ever heard was when a sister called her brother by using her computer and e-mailing him, instead of leaving her room and stepping next door to his room. 

 I have to wonder, are we sure what the computers are doing to all of us?