Take the Shortcut

by recesstec classroom management tips

Sunday Sit, Sip, and “Sync” ~ 8-26-2012

While helping as a “Tech Volunteer” in one of our local school districts,
the teachers sign up for a time slot, and I show up.

Their requests vary from SMARTBoard support to loading CD games onto their computers.

The biggest surprise was how many teachers wanted a desktop shortcut for a site, such as their district web-mail.
Sometimes we just don’t know what our teachers don’t know.

It occurred to me that this should be a tip,
and a way for many to save time and steps.
They have many of their management sites linked from their school website,
but a shortcut icon saves them time that they would have to spend going through links or their “favorites” to get to those sites.

So, below is a video to help you with that process.

We hope your year has begun on a positive note, and that your weekend has given you some time to stop, look, listen, and if you have any time at all, 

the “shortcut” you find today looks like this… 

 

Eyes Relax

by recesstec Special Needs tips writing

Sunday Sit, Sip, and “Sync” ~ 3-18-2012

Hours of staring at a computer monitor has its downfall.

“Eyes Relax” is a free download that can help solve our tendency to “hyper-focus”. It was developed by “Mech” out of Portland, Oregon as a personal utility tool. He is a software programmer and felt the need for a tool that would remind (force) him to take the breaks he knew were necessary. The comments, both on the homepage, and on his blog, will validate the usefulness of this download, as well as its security.

I have downloaded and tried other programs, and this one, by far, is the easiest and least intrusive.

Another application, in addition to the benefits to our personal health, would be its use with children. An option to generate a “Password-Protected Parent Mode” allows an adult to schedule breaks while children are using the computer. During these breaks, the computer is “locked”. This is a “time out” that is seriously necessary for the health and well-being of our children.

Take a minute, head over to http://themech.net/eyesrelax/ and schedule some breaks.

I have about 15 seconds before MY screen will go black,
and I plan on refilling my coffee cup,
and taking a break.
You deserve the same…