Challenges and Inspiration

I think that what I love best about hosting the program “Computers for Beginners”, is watching how far people, who never thought they could learn about computers at all, can come in just four short weeks. I wish that more people could just rise to the challenge, go out on a limb, and try something new.

Several classes ago, I taught an 87 year old man how to set up and use an e-mail account in order to send and receive letters from his grandchildren; he had never used or even touched a computer before. Now, several weeks after completing the course at our library, this 87-year-young man, is writing e-mails every week, looking up information on Google, and even coming in for more practice on our public computers!

I love working with my “students”, their courage and willingness to learn, even in the face of an obstacle, inspires me to do better; to be better. I also want to learn to be brave, to rise to the occasion, to face obstacles in my path, and it is my students who have shown me the best model for how to do this: you try. If that doesn’t work, then you try again. If that doesn’t work and you start to feel frustrated, then you try again still. The funny thing is that before you even know it, you aren’t just trying, you’re practicing, and then eventually, you’re even mastering!