Author: admin

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Gmail Signatures With A Little Flare

gmail iconWant to add an image to your Gmail signature?

Uploading a picture directly to your signature file can not be done however Gmail will accept URLs of image files stored online.

Let’s begin…

  1.  Find a picture in Google images then click on “view image”. Copy the image URL.
  2. Log into your Gmail and click on the Settings cog icon that is located near the top right corner of your mailbox, select Settings and scroll down to the Signature section.
  3. Click on the Insert Image option, and paste the URL of your image in the Web Address (URL) field. You will see a preview of your image allowing you to make edits your signature file.
  4. When finished, click Save Changes at the bottom.
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Keyboarding: A Necessary Life Skill

Are students prepared for the work place if they are not taught keyboarding and simply rely on the good ole hunt-and-peck method?

keyboardingMuch like memorizing multiplication facts to quickly solve mathematical problems, keyboarding is a technological skill that requires fluency and focus in today’s digital world. Students who are fluent with keyboarding are able to focus on their writing rather than spend time hunting for characters on a keyboard.

Some argue there isn’t enough time in the day to work it in or the budget doesn’t allow it. This could very well be the case however, there are good free web-based programs available that if 5 minutes a day were spent using them instead of computer free time spent in games or watching music videos, you would be providing a great service to your students for acquiring a needed life skill in our digital world today.

Check out these free web-based resources and bookmark them in your classroom today!  Make free time, (free)board time.

  • TypingWeb – completely free online typing tutor & keyboarding tutorial for typists of all skill levels. TypingWeb includes entertaining typing games, typing tests, and free official typing certification.
    Perfect for All Ages  –  Lessons for All Skill Levels
  • Keybr.com – very straightforward. You can choose from three basic lessons that start with a certain number of keys on the keyboard, and then, as you progress through the lessons, more keys are introduced to the mix to make things a little tougher. As an added bonus, our software keeps track of all your mistakes and your words–per–minute (wpm) — and even creates graphs of your day–by–day performance
  • Good Typing – Learn how to type correctly in just a few hours using all your fingers. You will soon be typing faster than you ever imagined.
    27 guided lessons to learn step-by-step from the beginning.
  • Ready, Set, Type – Teaches correct finger placement. Displays online keyboard to guide positioning. Three levels.
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    Become a Plickers Ambassador

    Are you a Plickers expert, blogger, plickers ambassadorpresenter, trainer, mentor?
    Then this program is for YOU! The goal is to give you the recognition you deserve and making sure you have the support you need from the team. Without even knowing it, Plickers teachers have already planted the seeds for a thriving community!

    If you think you’d make a good Plickers Ambassador, then follow this link for more information about enrollment and benefits.

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    Grading Policy for 9-12 IKAA-R

    It shall be the responsibility of all teachers and administrators to insure the following regulations are followed:

    Summative Assessments – 70%
    possible items for evaluation to determine a student’s grade and thus their level of achievement:

    • Tests*
    • Quizzes
    • Special Projects—if designed for students to be able to demonstrate learning and achievement.
    • Lab Work— if designed for students to be able to demonstrate learning and achievement.
    • Writing Assignments

    *State SOL assessments will be the final exam for EOC courses, except in the case of advanced/honors classes.

    Formative Assessments – 30%
    possible items for evaluation can be graded; however, as they do not reflect a student’s level of achievement, they should not be a major part of the student’s grade

    • Class Work
    • Notebooks
    • Homework – cannot count more than 10% of a student’s grade in a grading period
    • Participation – not to be counted in a student’s grade, unless it is a stated part of the learning goal as in a fine arts or physical education course

    Semester examinations for year-long courses and mid-term examinations for semester courses may not count more than 20% in grades 6-12.

    Frequency of Evaluation for Grades 9-12
    Formative evaluations must be ongoing through the many different methods available, i.e. questions to check for understanding, homework, class work, etc.
    There must be a minimum of eight evaluations per grading period, averaging 2 per week.

    Grading Policy 9-12 and Gradebook Setup

    Please see me if you need help with setting up your gradebook.

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    Quiz, Quiz, Trade

    Who says technology is the only method for getting kids involved in learning? Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a cooperative-learning technique that has students review information with other students by asking and answering questions. Working with peers in a nonthreatening manner builds confidence, encourages greater participation, and results in more thoughtful discussions.

    Follow the Teacher Toolkit for more details.