I've always found that a little candor, humor and common sense seem to
help with the dreaded mouse ball problem...
Common Sense:
The best way to keep kids from being destructive is to engage them in
something constructive. Meaningful Logo projects, along with support and
supervision, often do the trick. You can often tell what a computer lab
is used for by the condition of the hardware. Kids who spend their time
being forced to shoot down fractions or forced to endure keyboarding
lessons tend to be more destructive.
Be sure the kids understand that if they break the computers, then they
will have to occupy their time doing things they may find less enjoyable.
Candor:
Tell the kids that stealing mouse balls is about the lamest prank you can
imagine. Kids hate being told that their mischief is uninspired.
Humor:
Buy a few zillion superballs. (You can buy a gross from the Oriental
Trading Company for a dollar or two) Put them in a nice glass jar at the
front of the room and tell the kids that when they feel the
uncontrollable need to satisfy their rubber ball addiction, they are
welcome to take a superball and use it outside. Mouse balls don't even
bounce well!
Heck, you can give new superballs as awards whenever mouseballs aren't
removed from their protective dwellings.
I hope this is the worst problem facing you in 1997!
-=Gary
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