Further to my comment re homework. The Teenage Hormone Wreck has had her own Lap-top and printer for a couple of years.
Last week she was both "heartbroken" and incensed to have ALL of her English and History course work returned to her by the two respective teachers as unacceptable because she had done it on her lap-top and it was not handwritten.
Much weeping and gnashing of teeth, shouts of "UNFAIR" rang through the land and I said ... "I told you so but you wouldn't listen ~ as always you knew best ~ now shut up and start writing"
I.T. is the only subject that demands computer useage. For other subjects it is handy but most teachers and ALL examination boards say that too much reliance on computers endangers genuine original work by the student and suggests that they are taking "the easy route and copying work".
Despite T Bliar's promise that every child will have a computer a great many do not. Access to school computers at the THW's school has to be booked 14 days in advance and preference is given to those doing IT at GCSE level. It is therefore impossible for teachers to expect homework/coursework to be done on a computer and they want everyone to be playing at the same level in order that the teachers may grade work properly ~ so paper and pen it is and will remain so for a long time yet.
