Archive for September, 2006
I have a couple of things I think would help you with trying to make your PowerGrade a little more “stable”.
1. When you are finished working in a class, go to File -> Save before closing the window.
2. When you want to close the window, go to File -> Close class.
3. Be sure you have unchecked the preference to Auto-save and Update automatically. You need to make sure that the preference for Auto-Backup is set for every 1 day! (when a class is open, click the “light switch” icon to open the preferences – general tab to find these items.)
4. When you are not working in PowerGrade, quit the program! Don’t just close the red button – go to PowerGrade -> Quit PowerGrade. Make sure when you quit that it gives you the message that the backup was successful!
In case you haven’t noticed, the more you open your classes and add assignments, etc., the faster the program runs. Hmmmm…!
September 27th, 2006
I found some very good sites for you this past week – I know I am past due getting these up, but you’ll have to forgive my sickness and PowerGrade (these two are not related!). Also, back by request is two versions of the websites page. The first is the Word document with clickable links and the second is the pdf file. I hope you find something you can use. (Lots of great preschool and lower elementary sites this week!)
Week 7 Websites.doc
Week 7 Websites.pdf
September 27th, 2006
I have had one or two people question me about the purpose of the blog and “why don’t you just send information in email like you used to?”. I have a several responses to this that I hope will help everyone understand this a bit better. So here are my reasons for blogging:
1. Information in a blog is saved and archived in one location. You never have to search for that email you KNOW was sent but can’t remember when or where you put it. (Maybe it is just me that does that, but I think not!) Plus, I never have to type the information again. I know right where it is!
2. Many of you will respond to an email I send with an additional question or suggestion pertaining to the information I included. A blog allows for you to submit your question/suggestion in the comments. Why is this beneficial? That then makes your question/suggestion available to others who may have been thinking or wondering about the same thing. (I believe they call that collaboration!)
3. I believe that as teachers we have to find a way to work smarter, not harder! (Do I hear an “amen” in the crowd??) I think blogs can help with sharing of all kinds of information. Each of us brings our own expertise to the table. Let’s share that with each other and help each other out as much as we can!
4. IT IS EASY! I am all about doing things in the easiest way I can. While it doesn’t seem like much to you to email me a question about something and have me answer it, multiply that times as many teachers as I have in 5 buildings! I want to help you in whatever way I can, and this is the easiest way I know right now to do that.
5. A blog is available 24/7 from ANY computer with Internet access. Your email will not always be available. In fact, your laptop could crash at any time – with your email – and cause you to lose everything you had on it. (I don’t wish that on any of you, but we do have to face the facts!) The information on the blog is always there!
I know that I have not had the opportunity to show you about using the blog or making comments or how to know that information has been posted, but I will do that in the very near future. I just didn’t want to overload you with everything else you have to do with getting school started and all of the PowerSchool/PowerGrade issues! Continue to send comments, criticisms, cries of outrage or whatever else you have to share! I hope this helps you understand more about blogging! Thanks for your time!
September 18th, 2006
I found A LOT of great sites this week. There is a great online project for grades 4 and up! I hope you find at least one of them you can use!
Week 6 Websites.pdf
September 15th, 2006
I know there has been a lot of confusion about saving and backing up your grades. The first thing to remember is to always work ONLINE only! Several problems have been found when teachers were working offline. The next is the back up. If your grade book is set to back up once a day, it will make a BACK UP EVERY TIME you quit your grade book. I would strongly recommend this! To check this, open your grade book and open the Preferences. Click on the General tab and make sure that it says to do a back up every 1 days (this is about halfway down the screen). This is the default and should say that unless you changed it. You can always make your own back up whenever you want by going to the File menu and choosing Make Back up while a class is open. I strongly recommend you make sure that you are working online only and making a back up frequently (aka daily!).
September 12th, 2006
I found three websites that I thought you might like this week. Another busy week with PowerSchool, etc.! I hope you continue to check her often for ideas. Also, if you have comments about something on the page or have some information to add to the what I post, feel free to do so!
Week 5 Websites for Teach.pdf
September 8th, 2006
Here are just a few good websites I found this week – what can I say, I was busy with lots of other things this week! They are good, however, and I hope you find at least one you can use with your students. Have a restful long weekend!
WEEK 4 websites.pdf
September 1st, 2006
