July 9, 2015
If you work with computers and computer files on a regular basis, the most important thing you can do is backup your files. The odds are that at some point you will experience a hard drive crash or a virus/malware infection that could possibly destroy all of your files.
This tip is unique in that, we are not going to talk about how to backup your files, instead we will be discussing how to prepare for a successful backup. These tips will make your backup thorough, complete, and trouble free.
David's 5 Tips for Preparing for a Successful Backup
1. Before you start a backup, you need to clean up your file folders.
2. Make a backup of all of your Browser Bookmarks.
3. make sure all of your files are located in a specific location.
4. Determine the size of your files.
5. Determine your backup medium.
Important stuff:
- If you don't know how to backup files, find a youtube video, instructional web page, ask a friend or pay someone to set up and show you how. It's that important!
- Even if you work in an environment that does backups, make your own! Remember, it is your data, you are responsible for it, and you will be the one crying if everything is lost!
- Test your backups. A backup isn't any good if you can't use it.
- Periodically review your backup policies. You might need/want to tweak them. Update your bookmark backups, etc. You might have old files that can be archived on CD/DVD and deleted from the hard drive.
Great advice to take to heart!
So what are you waiting for?
Time to prepare for that backup!
Length: 16:00
June 11, 2014
Mrs. Tonya Hair teaches first grade at Pulaski County
Elementary School located in Hawkinsville, Georgia. This is her 11th
year of teaching. Mrs. Hair grew up in Hawkinsville and is now a teacher at
Pulaski County Elementary School where she attended as a child. She is working
with some colleagues who were teachers when she was a student. How cool is
that?!
Mrs. Hair has some amazing routines and practices. Her kids
know them and it is obvious. They transition between activities and different
locations in the classroom with no down time or disruption to the learning. I
asked Mrs. Hair to explain how she is able to accomplish this. She commented, “Practicing routines. If you
set it up in the beginning then it is not that hard as the year goes on.” Tonya
also noted, “Organization and planning are keys to being successful, as well as
learning from your mistakes.”
Tonya uses groups quite successfully. She says that she is
looking to find the best fit for the child. She uses these groups to help her
address the individual needs of her students.
As you listen to us talk teaching and learning you will hear
us touch on…
·
reading and math stations
·
problem solving
·
showing numbers in different ways
·
starting class with an activity
·
formative assessments
·
charts that she uses to make notes on student
progress (she uses this information to adjust her instruction)
·
using mini-white boards
·
engaging kids
·
organizational skills
Her favorite resource for her classes is her SMART board and
if she could have anything for her classroom where money wasn't an option it
would be a parapro and a set of laptops.
If she had a chance to give advice to 30 brand new
elementary teachers she would tell them, “Always be prepared and forward
thinking. Be flexible.”
At the very end you will hear Tonya express her thoughts
about a teacher who made a difference in her life… She says that she was like…
Wonder Woman.
Mrs. Hair has much to share!
Enjoy!
Length 31:24
May 9, 2014
Kristie is a former special education teacher who eventually
became a Special Education Director for a school system. She now is a Georgia
Account Executive for Classworks.
Classworks is a web-based tool for assisting students in
achieving more during their education. It has tools for assessment and
instruction that are used to personalize learning and to support teachers as
they help students achieve academic goals.
Kristie and I explore the following questions and many more…
·
How can software programs go beyond the “computer
lab” to impact classroom teaching and student engagement?
·
How does Classworks use student data to form
individualized plans? How can a teacher use this tool to help with
differentiation?
·
What do you think is the greatest challenge for
teachers working with kids? How can Classworks assist with these challenges?
Hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Spend some time at their website or contact Kristie if you have any questions.
For more information go to…
www.classworks.com
or contact Kristie at
KBrooks@classworks.com
Length 26:32
April 9, 2014
Carl has been working at The ACT now for the last eight
years and is assigned to both secondary and post-secondary schools.
He helps secondary schools understand what their data is
telling them and how to respond.
With post-secondary schools he assists them in looking at the student
data with a focus on what admissions and scholarship decisions could be made
from that data.
We discuss everything from understanding about the organization
known as ACT, what the organization offers besides the college entrance test,
what the ACT test scores mean, and what the fundamental differences are between
the ACT and the SAT.
Carl states, “The ACT is focused on college and career
readiness but also work preparedness.”
He explains the ACT standards and benchmarks and what they
mean to an educator, parent, and a student taking the test. As Carl recalls, These
components help “you understand what the scores on the ACT tell you about what
you are ready to do.”
He also shared that there are ACT apps that students can use
with their Smart phones and tablets.
We had an awesome conversation!
I think that you will learn so much whether a teacher,
administrator, student, or parent you will want to listen again and then share
this podcast with others. You will also want to take time to explore the ACT on the
web.
www.act.org
March 16, 2014
The State of Georgia has a Statewide Longitudinal Data System. What's that? You don't know what that means?
One aspect of it puts student information at the finger tips of the classroom teacher. This information was previously only available, that is if the information in the school was up-to-date, in the files in a school information vault often located in the school's counseling office. This meant that it really was not accessible to most teachers. After all, the files could not be removed from the vault and it meant staying in there looking up every student's information at one time...which could have meant an overnight stay in the vault.
Mr. Robert Swiggum is the Chief Information Officer for the Georgia Department of Education. He became enamored with technology, became a programmer, and "has held just about every job there is with technology." He has watched "technology transform the business world and knows that it can have the same impact on education."
This interview took place just prior to the holiday break in December 2013.
Hope that you enjoy the conversation!
You can find more information about the Statewide Longitudinal Data System and what Georgia is doing at the following link:
Length: 20:03
