Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
Teacher Tech
Loehwing's Teacher Tech

[Gradebook][Teacher Web Sites][Tips]

The purpose of this web page is to promote the use of technology, particularly computers, by interested staff at Hauppauge High School. I hope this page will become a resource for those teachers who want ideas for using that computer in their classroom. If you want help using your computer, leave me a note in my mailbox and we'll arrange a time that's convenient for you.

Loehwing's Inservice Course Aug.28-31
The original purpose of this course was to teach you how to use Excel as a gradebook. However, once you see the Thinkwave Gradebook you will probably want to use it instead. We'll demo how to use it along with Excel. It's only for PC's, but you might want to download it if you have a PC at home.

Web Browser Favorites
Do you have a problem keeping track of your website bookmarks? You have one list on your computer at home and a second list (or maybe even a third) at school? Now you can store them all in a single place on the Internet, accessible from anywhere. Check it out at Blink.com.

Using a computer as a gradebook
Here are some reasons you should consider using Excel, the computer spreadsheet, as a gradebook.
1. You can avoid the end-of-quarter rush, since you will be entering grades throughout the quarter. Your grades are continually calculated.
2. You can use the grade range comments on progress reports, since your grades are always calculated.
3. You can tell students what their current average is at any point in the quarter.
4. You can use grading systems that would be too complicated to consider if you calculate grades manually.
5. You can attach electonic "notes" to individual grades.
6. You can easily store other information (book numbers, parent business phones, nurse info) in your computer grade book.
7. Your computer grade book will probably be a lot neater than that gradebook you currently write in.
8. You can easily print out class lists for field trips, checking off projects, etc.

Would you like to see an example of a computerized gradebook? When you are logged onto your computer, open "My Computer" (upper left), and click on the "Public" drive. Then open the "classes" folder, then "Second Language", then "Loehwing", then "Teachers", and click on "gradebook". Once you begin using Excel, check out these Excel Notes.
If you want to learn how to make a computerized gradebook using Excel, leave me a note in my mailbox and we'll arrange a time that's convenient for you.

Return to top

Teacher Web Sites
Here are some reasons you should consider establishing your own web site.
1. Students with internet access at home can find out your homework assignments even when they're absent.
2. Parents can also find out what the homework assignments are.
3. You can post grading policies, course requirements, project due dates, etc.
4. You can guide student Internet research by listing relevant Web sites (URL's) on your site.
5. You can motivate students with Internet search bonus questions.
6. With Quia you can create games for students to practice vocabulary or just about any information that can be paired.
If you want help setting up your own teacher website, leave me a note in my mailbox and we'll arrange a time that's convenient for you.

Here are some sample teacher web sites:
Loehwing's Angelfire Page.
This page is written in HTNL, the code for web browsers. But you will see how I post homework and bonus questions. For beginners Angelfire provides you a template that can get your website up and running in half an hour with no knowledge of HTML.

Loehwing's Quia Page
You provide the vocabulary, terms, questions, etc., and Quia turns it into flashcards, concentration games, word searches, hangman games, even online quizzes. I strongly recommend this site.

Doreen Gordon's Schoolnotes Page
Doreen's page shows how easy but effective Schoolnotes.com can be. Strongly recommended for the beginner.

James Emigh's Biology SA page
Mr. Emigh's site is truly amazing! He takes Extra Credit to a new level. Class notes, discussion boards, honored students and birthdays! Links to experts, homework help, projects. Mr. Emigh shows how to make a website an integral part of the course.
Mrs. Silverman's 2nd Grade
This web site will blow you away. You can spend hours getting ideas from Mrs. Silverman. A technological marvel!

If you want to establish your own web site, there are various options.

Free Teacher Web Site Options
Angelfire.com Angelfire is easy to begin; can use "advanced" mode with HTML. Very flexible. This is the one I use.
TeacherVision.com Click on "Class WebCreate". You can have your students create pages for your website. Their pages must have your approval to be published on site. Hierarcy of security permissions.
HighWired.com There is already a Hauppauge High School page, but no content yet. Click on "Sign up to get your classroom online."
SchoolNotes.Com Very easy to use. Mostly for posting homework and notes. Nothing fancy.
Quia.Com You can create your own flashcards, games and other activities, or you can use those created by other subject teachers. You can create quizzes for students to take online.
Schoollife.net This site allows you to set up a chat room and threaded discussion board that you control. For those who want to involve their students as participants in a web site.
thinkwave.com Thinkwave will send you a free CD ROM grade program that you can use to manage student grades and assignments. You can then upload grades and assignments to your own website, and students/parents can access their own grades through a password. I have no experience with this site.
Return to top


FlashQuiz
FlashQuiz is a utility you can download from PC Magazine (June 27, 2000). It creates both multiple choice and flashcard quizzes. It also has options for scoring and timing the tests. Click here to read more and download the file.

Internet Workshop
I recently attended a workshop on using the Internet by David Warlick. His ideas were very thought-provoking. Click here to see the Powerpoint presentation he delivered at the workshop.

Hauppauge E-Mail
All teachers have their own e-mail account, that you can access both from school and from home. Here's how. When you are on the Internet, type in this address: http://webmail.hauppauge.k12.ny.us/exchange/logon.asp In the box type in your username (the one you use to logon in school) and hit [enter], then when the dialog box comes up, type in your password (the same one you use at school.) and hit [enter] again. That's all there is to it!

Contacting Other Schools
Have you ever thought about contacting other schools? You might set up a joint project between your students and students in Australia or England, or another school in the US. Sometimes you can get ideas from the websites of other teachers. The largest list of school websites is at Web 66. Just click on the map or country.

Lock your computer for security
Your classroom computer is on, and you have to step away, but you don't want to shut down. To keep your computer secure, press Control+Alt+Delete (the same as when you go to log on). Click on "Lock computer". When you return to your computer, press Control+Alt+Delete again and enter your password.
Return to top

Copying pictures off the Internet
Did you know you can copy a picture off the Internet and put it into a Word document? Here's how:
1. Right click on the picture on the Internet.
2. If you want to save the picture on your H drive, left click on "Save picture as...", then navagate to your H drive in the dialog box and click OK.
3. If you just want to copy the picture into your Word document, left click on "Copy" in the pop-up menu.
4. Open your Word document. If you have copied the picture, just put your cursor where you want the picture, then click on "Paste" in the Edit menu.
5. If you have saved the picture on your H drive, you'll need to go to the "Insert" menu in Word, scroll down to "Picture", and across to "From File". From there, find your picture on your H drive in the dialog box and click "Insert." And as the French say, "Voilà!"

Your own online calendar
Did you know you can set up your own calendar, address book and task list on the Internet? Try Yahoo. When you come to the homepage, click on calendar and follow the directions. One neat feature is called "briefcase". You can upload files to it at school, then download those files to your computer at home.
Return to top