Computer+Basics

=Computer Basics= Please feel free to contact me at anytime with questions, problems, or concerns regarding technology. However, I realize that sometimes you need immediate answers to your questions and due to the nature of the teaching profession, I may not be available. These tutorials have been created to try to meet that need. //Do you have an idea for a tutorial you think would be beneficial to the entire staff? Send me an email and let me know...I'll do my best to create and post one right here on the tutorials site.//

Creating a Class Roster on TAC
Please click on the link below to access the directions for creating a class roster on TAC. This information can be stored to your hard drive and used to quickly and easily create your own lists and mailing labels. [|Creating a Personalized Class Roster on TAC.doc]

What Is Google Docs?
GoogleDocs is THE collaborative work place. You can store and edit documents, view documents from anywhere and from any computer and allow others access to your documents - all in Google Docs. Google Docs is free, if you already have a G-Mail account, you already have access to Google Docs. If you don't, you'll just need to follow the steps below to register to get started.

Go to the [|Google Docs] website Click on "Don't have a Google account? Get Started" button on the lower right corner You'll be asked a few basic questions before getting started and will need to give them a valid email address and create a user name and password for yourself. Please be sure to select a user name and password that will be easy for you to remember.

Creating a Powerpoint Presentation
[|Creating Powerpoints] is a great website for teachers and students to use to guide themselves through the steps of creating a multimedia presentation.

Saving MS Word files to the H drive
Did you know that you can set up MS Word so that it automatically saves documents to your H drive? Please click on the attachment below for quick and easy directions for setting this up on your school computer. Please note these are directions for saving WORD documents only. All other files you will need to manually select the H drive as the destination to save the file.

Create a Folder
Whether you are using a removable disk drive, the computer's hard drive or the district H drive, organizing your files is extremely important. Try thinking of your storage drive as a file cabinet. If you were storing this information in paper form, how would you divide it into categories? Perhaps for math you may have a folder for each unit or skill, while in science you categorize based on the topic being taught. //Identiyfying a method that works for you// will help you to locate files more efficiently down the road, saving time and frustration! Creating a folder is simple - once you practice it a few times. The following site gives directions on creating a new folder on your desktop, as well as within the Windows Explorer window when you are saving a document.
 * Desktop or Document Folders**

[|The Elder Geek] - help with creating folders

Did you know you could also create folders in your Outlook Mail server? It's a great way to organize those emails that you need to hold onto so that you can reference them when needed (I know you aren't printing them out and putting them in a file cabinet ;) To create a new folder in your inbox, simply RIGHT CLICK on the inbox. Select NEW FOLDER and another window will pop up. Type in the name of the new folder that you want to create and click OK. Your folders are organized alphabetically and you will find that your new folder is now listed under the INBOX. Some ideas for folders include - //Reading Specialist, Gifted, Principal correspondence, Language Arts committee//...whatever best fits the mail that you receive.
 * Outlook Mail Folders**

One of my most used folders is titled //Student Information//. In it, I store emails from reading specialists, parents, and principals regarding certain students. Not all of your students need their own folder, but it's helpful to create a specific student folder within the Student Information folder. This way you can quickly and easily reference information as needed. You can also set up rules for email to be automatically sent to this folder...let me know if you're ready to learn that one and we'll set up a time to get together.

School districts are required to archive email for a number of years in the event that anyone would need to gain access to this communication. Any email that you delete from your Trash folder is actually still stored, just not on your computer. This actually works to a teachers advantage as he/she can quickly and easily gain access to deleted emails.
 * Mail Archive Program**

TAC: The Morning Bulletin
//ALL TEACHERS// should be able to access the Morning Bulletin of absences through the TAC. Simply log in from CDNET Applications using your CD user name and password. On the left hand menu, select //Morning Bulletin//. The screen defaults to ONLY MY CLASSROOM. If you need to see a listing for the entire school (helpful for special teachers, LS, Reading Specialists...) Click on the drop down menu labeled SHOW. Choose ALL STUDENTS and then click on REFRESH BULLETIN. A listing of all school absences will be displayed for today's date. You can also go back to a previous date to check on a student absence, if needed.

Creating a Lesson Plan Template
[|Creating Templates Using Microsoft Word.doc] Handout from training

Examples: [|08-09 Gr 1 Template.doc] [|08-09 Gr 3 Template.doc] [|template.doc]