Mavis Beacon Etiquette

It is important that students show consideration toward others when learning to type with Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for Schools. This is best achieved by letting them draft their own set of Mavis Beacon etiquette that encourages sharing and conscientious behavior. At the beginning of the course, explain the importance of developing an agreed upon list of rules and guidelines for using the program to be posted at each computer station. Students must address issues such as sharing the computer, not interrupting others while typing, and leaving the computer set up for the next user. They might also consider rules for using specific program features.

Begin with a class brainstorming session and encourage students to suggest any ideas that come to mind. Try writing a few of your own suggestions, for example:

• Log on under you own name, please!

• Do not delete other users.

• Quitting? Be sure to log off.

• Accuracy Counts.

Write each suggestion on the board without editing the remarks. Help develop any of their suggestions that seem incomplete. Verbally acknowledge good ideas and keep the group motivated. Once you have a good list, divide the students into small groups. Have each group select at least five important rules from the board and then reword them. Emphasize the need for using clear, concise, and easy-to-remember phrases. Suggest that they evaluate their work by asking how easy it would be to read them if they were a bumper sticker on a car.

Ask each group to present their rules to the class and open a discussion on their validity and wording. Discuss how the others plan to comply with the rules. Finalize them and ask several volunteers to finalize the list of the top ten rules, make copies, and post at each of the stations.

Rules are much easier to follow when everyone designs and agrees with them.