Friday, December 12, 2003
Hi Ladies,
We had a busy day with Kid Pix. We've covered a lot of territory already this year. Unless someone discovers something new lurking on a computer near them, I think we have plenty to carry us through to the winter break.
Next week I'll be available for individual work and help. If you are planning something with your student or want me to be in your room for and activity of some type, please let me know and give me an idea of the time. Otherwise, I'll make the rounds and do a little observation. So if you are covering anything that doesn't use technology and would like me to sit in and see if there are some technology resources we could add to enhance it, let me know.
Again, unless you have something that would require a group lesson, I only need you for about ten minutes during your prep time. I think I worked out all of the bugs surrounding the beaming of material from AlphaSmarts to Palms.
Those of you who got your Palms yesterday might want to bring them in along with your cradle and laptops. We can practice beaming from an AlphaSmart to the Palm and then HotSyncing it to your laptop. Of course those of you who have had your Palms "forever" are welcomed to do the same. ;->
IMPORTANT:
Technical problems can't get fixed unless that technicians know the problem exists. Now that there are two new techs in the district and one starts out in MLK, if Claudette knows you have a problem and exactly what it is, she can collar him and get the problem solved.
To help in that effort, I just set up a technical problem reporting form on the StartW site. http://www.starw.org/techproblem.html (You might want to bookmark that little puppy right now.)
When you fill it out, it will sent an email to Claudette and I. I'm only on there for information purposes. Claudette should be your first link in the repair chain.
When you fill out the form, the more specific you are about the nature of your needs, the better they can serve you. The idea is that if the tech shows up when you are not in the room, he should be able to make the repair. Let them know which computer has the problem and exactly what it's doing. If there are error message, let them know exactly what they are.
I'm going to test the form right after sending this message. Claudette, please watch for the e-mail. If you don't get it, let me know. If you would like it sent to a different address, let me know.
That's it for now, ladies. Does anyone have anything for the good of the order? ;->
See you Thursday,
Art
We had a busy day with Kid Pix. We've covered a lot of territory already this year. Unless someone discovers something new lurking on a computer near them, I think we have plenty to carry us through to the winter break.
Next week I'll be available for individual work and help. If you are planning something with your student or want me to be in your room for and activity of some type, please let me know and give me an idea of the time. Otherwise, I'll make the rounds and do a little observation. So if you are covering anything that doesn't use technology and would like me to sit in and see if there are some technology resources we could add to enhance it, let me know.
Again, unless you have something that would require a group lesson, I only need you for about ten minutes during your prep time. I think I worked out all of the bugs surrounding the beaming of material from AlphaSmarts to Palms.
Those of you who got your Palms yesterday might want to bring them in along with your cradle and laptops. We can practice beaming from an AlphaSmart to the Palm and then HotSyncing it to your laptop. Of course those of you who have had your Palms "forever" are welcomed to do the same. ;->
IMPORTANT:
Technical problems can't get fixed unless that technicians know the problem exists. Now that there are two new techs in the district and one starts out in MLK, if Claudette knows you have a problem and exactly what it is, she can collar him and get the problem solved.
To help in that effort, I just set up a technical problem reporting form on the StartW site. http://www.starw.org/techproblem.html (You might want to bookmark that little puppy right now.)
When you fill it out, it will sent an email to Claudette and I. I'm only on there for information purposes. Claudette should be your first link in the repair chain.
When you fill out the form, the more specific you are about the nature of your needs, the better they can serve you. The idea is that if the tech shows up when you are not in the room, he should be able to make the repair. Let them know which computer has the problem and exactly what it's doing. If there are error message, let them know exactly what they are.
I'm going to test the form right after sending this message. Claudette, please watch for the e-mail. If you don't get it, let me know. If you would like it sent to a different address, let me know.
That's it for now, ladies. Does anyone have anything for the good of the order? ;->
See you Thursday,
Art
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Hi Ladies,
What does it look like for Thursday? Do you have any building level activities? Will we be able to meet during preps? If so, let's clear the decks for some Kid Pix action. I've been working with it all this weekend and have had a ball!
I'd like to give you and the students an introduction using the projector and doubling up classes. I can do two in the morning and two in the afternoon. We can spend the prep time having you work and get comfortable with the program. There are LOADS of features, but if we focus on the basics, that will give you what you need to get started and the rest will come as you "play".
I have a fairly open calendar between now and winter break. If you want to do a simple activity with the students to get them familiar with the program, we should coordinate it so that I can help you out. I would suggest and activity composed of two pictures that will be turned into a slide show. It will be just enough to give them a start.
If you want to get a head start, I would suggest firing up the program and simply getting familiar with the backgrounds and stickers (pictures). Don't worry about all of the "fun" tools. Background, pictures, slide show, and text is the heart and soul of the program that will make the curriculum connections.
I've attached a Word document (KidPixPossibilities.doc)that will make more sense after we meet, but if you want to get the head start, it will give you what you need to explore the backgrounds and pictures.
For the curve busters among you (you know who you are), you can print out the Kid Pix manual. It's on every machine that has the program installed. Just go to My Computer > C: > Program Files > Borderbund > Kid Pix Deluxe 3 > KdpxManual.pdf and print it out. It's long. You may just want to use it the computer.
Now hold on to your hats, or more specifically, you Cat in the Hat. Go to http://www.starw.org/cat and look at the two composite pictures I have there. They represent the collection of picture in the two folders you see there. Any one of more can be used by you to create activities or by the kids to make things under your direction. You can start small with simple one or two frame writing activities and then over time build up to kids creating their original Dr. Seuss book that could be viewed online as a slide show or printed out in comic book form with six slides per page.
Using Kid Pix between now and break will give you a fun way to keep the kids on the curriculum track right up to the dismissal bell on the day before vacation.
Ok, enough of this. I'm beginning to sound like a commercial!
Take care,
Art
What does it look like for Thursday? Do you have any building level activities? Will we be able to meet during preps? If so, let's clear the decks for some Kid Pix action. I've been working with it all this weekend and have had a ball!
I'd like to give you and the students an introduction using the projector and doubling up classes. I can do two in the morning and two in the afternoon. We can spend the prep time having you work and get comfortable with the program. There are LOADS of features, but if we focus on the basics, that will give you what you need to get started and the rest will come as you "play".
I have a fairly open calendar between now and winter break. If you want to do a simple activity with the students to get them familiar with the program, we should coordinate it so that I can help you out. I would suggest and activity composed of two pictures that will be turned into a slide show. It will be just enough to give them a start.
If you want to get a head start, I would suggest firing up the program and simply getting familiar with the backgrounds and stickers (pictures). Don't worry about all of the "fun" tools. Background, pictures, slide show, and text is the heart and soul of the program that will make the curriculum connections.
I've attached a Word document (KidPixPossibilities.doc)that will make more sense after we meet, but if you want to get the head start, it will give you what you need to explore the backgrounds and pictures.
For the curve busters among you (you know who you are), you can print out the Kid Pix manual. It's on every machine that has the program installed. Just go to My Computer > C: > Program Files > Borderbund > Kid Pix Deluxe 3 > KdpxManual.pdf and print it out. It's long. You may just want to use it the computer.
Now hold on to your hats, or more specifically, you Cat in the Hat. Go to http://www.starw.org/cat and look at the two composite pictures I have there. They represent the collection of picture in the two folders you see there. Any one of more can be used by you to create activities or by the kids to make things under your direction. You can start small with simple one or two frame writing activities and then over time build up to kids creating their original Dr. Seuss book that could be viewed online as a slide show or printed out in comic book form with six slides per page.
Using Kid Pix between now and break will give you a fun way to keep the kids on the curriculum track right up to the dismissal bell on the day before vacation.
Ok, enough of this. I'm beginning to sound like a commercial!
Take care,
Art
