Computers...

Gah, my classroom computers stressed me out today. I had planned to have my students take their FAST reading test on the computers today, but the internet in our classroom stopped working (on my computer even) and then the computers wouldn't let students log on. I was going to call the IT guys on my school phone, except that quit working too! It kept saying that it was rebooting, after about three minutes it would be booted back up and appear to be normal... everything seems good to go until you hang up the phone. Then it goes dead and has to reboot all over again.

I used my cell phone to call the IT guys, but they didn't answer. Eventually one of them texted me a few options to troubleshoot, except the instructions only kind of made sense. Still, we did our best to try what they suggested. After plugging and replugging a few cords we're usually never supposed to touch, the kids could log on to their computers. Well, some of them could. A few would try and it would look like they were logging on, but it would log them off right away and the screen would go black. One girl successfully logged on, but when she tried to open a program, it said the file was too big and it couldn't successfully be opened. Umm, okay?

I tried the IT guys again, this time on my desk phone which had finally begun working again. They answered and said everything looked normal from their end. Great. He was going to try a few things to see if he could find the problem. Of course, by this time it's almost 11:30 and there's no time to do testing.

All through the morning the students planning to take the test either sat at a computer, begrudgingly working on other homework while they waited futilely. Others kept popping up from where they were working to turn on a computer and try logging on again. We wasted so much time this morning!!!! It made me crabby. And tomorrow we get to do it all over again because they still need to take this test!

By the afternoon, of course the computers worked like a charm. The 7/8th graders were able to log on during study hall. Their class was okay today, but it took me a while to get out of my crabby mood. I think I need to go home and read a book.

Speaking of books... in a few days it will be February, a month full of things to do: Mystery Class, I Love to Read Month, the Fruit and Vegetable Challenge, my class serves a Lenten supper, work on science fair projects and editing NaNo, InCoWriMo (International Correspondence Writing Month), get ready for Fine Arts Fair and National Lutheran Schools Week, and of course all our usual things to do. It will be a busy month!