So, when one of my students would stand next to me and ask me a question while I was typing, I would turn, listen, answer, and continue typing.

The usual response was,
“Wow! How do you do that?! That freaks me out!”

During the last few minutes of class, as we waited for the bell to ring, one of the favorite things they enjoyed doing was to see if I could “win the race”. A website use to exist where you could race against other random participants to type a famous quote. Your little car would move along with your WPM speed, and the pressure mounted as other contestants fought a hard battle to stay with you. Sometimes another contender (with a name you couldn’t pronounce) would win, but it was always fun when you finished in first place.

This also worked as a motivator for students to work hard in keyboarding, as in “Take It Seriously”.

Sit up straight.
Don’t look at your keyboard.
Put on your headphones to eliminate distractions,
and work to beat your best WPM time.

Dance Mat Typing is the program we used at school.
It is found on the BBC website and part of the BBC Schools Collection.

FREE!

And the kids love it.
(You can hear them giggle as they work.)

Another program that is very simple and easy to use is TypeFu.

And FREE.

While not as entertaining, it speeds up the process and puts you into “training mode” right now. Charts and diagrams track your progress with WPM, accuracy, letters most often typed and most often mistyped.

It’s your choice of what you will type:
  letters,
  words,
  proverbs,
  quotations, etc.

You can repeat lessons, and move ahead as you wish.

You can focus on the “home row”, or even numbers.

(Numbers on a number pad: I am a rock star.
Not so much on the QWERTY keyboard.)

And remember…
One space between sentences!
Go HERE if you want to learn why.

After you have bumped up your WPM speed,
we recommend some “outside time” while the weekend is still here.
I know I am headed for the woods for a walk and some fresh air.
(Let’s not talk about the “Pumpkin Pie” that was added to my rumpus over the weekend.)