Baggetta_Ware Ramblings May
1, 2007
Volume II
Hi,
folks. Welcome to another edition of Baggetta_Ware Ramblings. I’ve got some
new ideas for you when it comes to using technology in your classes. I’ve also
got another no cost program for your Windows PC’s that you can download from
Baggetta_Ware. It is called Match-A-Rama, and I think it will be
useful for teachers who like to give matching quizzes. What would this
newsletter be without some
news about a new feature I am starting at Baggetta_Ware. Some users of our
programs are having difficulty maneuvering around Windows on their PC’s, so
I have posted some video lessons which will show you how to do some common
and not so common tasks on the Windows desktop and the
Internet. Read about it
below. We all like desk toys so here's a little gift for you that will
make movement around the keyboard easy to remember. I've included my handy
Reference Tent at the
bottom of this newsletter along with step-by-step instructions on how to make
it. You can cut it out and prop it up next to your computer to make
writing and surfing a breeze. As always you can write me with comments about the newsletter and the
software along with suggestions you might have for new programs that will help
making teaching a little bit easier. Send your emails to
abaggetta@comcast.net. Read on and see what this rambling is all about.
HEADLINE: Teacher Learns Another Lesson
As a retired teacher I like to once in a while reflect back upon
that other life I led in the classroom (I also like to split infinitives on
purpose) and amuse myself with some of the unsuccessful attempts I made at
educating my students. But I guess I learned a few things from these
errors, so it was not a total loss.
An article on Hal Holbrook
recently reminded me of a live performance I saw many years ago of his Mark
Twain Tonight. For those unfamiliar with it, Holbrook does a one-man show
as Mark Twain made up of numerous quips for which Twain has become known. As
attested by the thousands of people who have enjoyed this performance it is an
extremely hilarious evening of entertainment. Twain had just the talent for
putting the dig-in on just about any topic, and Holbrook captured this talent
nicely. It was a funny show.
It turns out that shortly
after this performance I was going to teach one of Twain’s most memorable books,
Huckleberry Finn, so my intelligent mind tapped my dull mind on the
shoulder and said something like this: “Hey! Why not get a recording of Hal
Holbrook’s Mark Twain Tonight and play it for your classes. This would
really set the stage for your literature study. And it's funny, too.”
If you are planning on using
this program as an introduction to the language and humor of Twain’s novels, I
recommend it highly – with a caveat I explained below.
Well, it seemed like a great
idea, so I went out and found a recording of that memorable night and brought it
into class. This was in the old days when we only had record players. I told
the kids they were in for a hilarious treat and some bladder busting laughs. (By
the way, if you want to get a response out of your students, show them an old
phonograph -- probably never saw one live.)
I was already starting to
chuckle at the thought of some of those lines as I put the disk on the
turntable. I could see the anticipation in the eyes of my students as well.
They needed...no, they wanted a good laugh. I
put the needle down on the platter and quickly scurried to the back of the room
so I could observe my students as they enjoyed the humor of Mark Twain.
Holbrook starts his
performance with a few subtle jokes that probably take some maturity and
experience to understand, so I wasn’t surprised that my students didn’t start
laughing immediately – wry humor and all that, you know.
Well, after about 10 minutes
into the recording I was rolling on the floor with fits of laughter. The rapier
wit of Twain was too much. He knew how to phrase comments about the human
circus that hit right home. Unfortunately I was the only one in the room at
the time who understood Holbrook’s rendition of Twain. Most of the kids sat
there politely, some of the girls found it an appropriate time to touch up their
make up, and some of the guys found it opportune to catch a few z’s, but some
students managed to muster up a courtesy laugh (out of respect for the old boy
in the back of the room).
We never did make it through
the complete recording. While I enjoyed listening to it, I couldn’t
stand the suffering of my students. When I took the needle off the recording
some of them looked at me as if to say, “Why are you stopping this now?” But I
could also detect a sigh of relief in the atmosphere.
Once again, as a teacher, I
had learned a lesson. Humor is not in words alone. Sometimes humor also needs
visibility. Today the results would probably be different, because instead of
an audio recording of Hal Holbrook playing Mark Twain, I could use the DVD
showing this performance. The stop and go look on Holbrook's face as he
timed the jokes was extremely important, and it became painfully clear to me
that day that an audio recording was not going to do the job.
So, if you
plan on using your iPod’s to play the audio recording of Mark Twain Tonight
– don’t. Opt for a video version of the program, and your students will see
what Mark Twain and Huckleberry Finn is all about.
By the way. If you want to see a short video from Mark Twain
Tonight you can find it at ETV1.
Take a look at this on your computer by clicking here. It’s also available
on
DVD.
If you plan on having your students read Huckleberry Finn in
your classes, you might be interested in Baggetta_Ware’s
Huckleberry Finn Test Generator. As your students read this long work by
Twain you will want to test them regularly to see if they are doing the reading,
and our test generator will allow you to quickly manufacture hundreds of
worksheets and tests organized by chapters.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important News:
Baggetta_Ware now supports instant downloads when
you order programs using Pay Pal or your credit card via Pay Pal. Now you
don't have to wait to get your programs. Click "RETURN TO MERCHANT OR RETURN TO BAGGETTA_WARE" and you will
be delivered to a page from which you can download your purchase immediately.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Twain Dabbles In Technology
Here's Twain's comment on the latest technology of his day.
Hartford, March 19, 1875
Gentlemen:
Please do not use my name in any way. Please do not even divulge the fact that I
own a machine. I have entirely stopped using the Type-Writer, for the reason
that I never could write a letter with it to anybody without receiving a request
by return mail that I would not only describe the machine but state what
progress I had made in the use of it, etc., etc. I don't like to write letters,
and so I don't want people to know that I own this curiosity-breeding little
joker.
Yours truly,
Saml. L. Clemens
The first typed manuscript ever submitted to
a publisher was one of Mark Twain's masterpieces.
(If you want to stun your kids again, show them an old typewriter. It
will give them some insight to what writer's had to go through before the word
processor.)
A New Way of Using Recordings In the
Classroom: The iPod
Did you know that teachers are coming up with all kinds of ideas for
using the iPod for educational purposes? No kidding. The instrument that has
commandeered the eardrums of millions of teens throughout the world can also be
used to capture the minds of your students.
Some of the newer iPods can
be used to record sound with a bit of manipulation, but it is easier to record
our sounds using the Sound Recorder built into Windows. (I’m not that familiar
with Apple computers, but I’m sure they have facilities that make recording very
easy.)
Use these recording devices on your computer to record your
information and then save it as a .wav file. Then use iTunes to convert this to
a file that can be played on the iPod. This is a lot like recording to a
cassette tape (seems like so many years ago) that can then be played on portable
cassette players. You might want to make recordings of actors performing
dramatic lines your students can listen to. You could even record a focused
lesson for students that need extra help and let them put the recording on their
iPods to play when they get bored listening to heavy metal – you might have to
monitor this, however.
If you have an attachment to
use the iPod to play through a stereo system, you can use the recordings in
class just as we mature teachers did in the old days, when we use to take out
the record player or tape player and thrill the class. But the real power of
the iPod is its portability and its popularity, and this is what you’ll want to
exploit.
Okay, Baggetta, get to the
point. How can I use these wonder machines to captivate my students?
Many teachers have already
come up with some interesting ideas. One
iPod Website gives you a bunch of Adobe Reader files (.pdf) covering the use
of the iPod for Music, Math, History, and Language. Take a look at how one
teacher uses this device to teach math and music. Others use the iPod as a
listening device, a travelogue maker, student reporter, oral history log, etc.
Lots of interesting ideas. You might find some
ways of using the little iPod to your advantage.
Foreign language teachers might even want to record some dialog that
would help their students learn important phrases – might even make a good
project to have students create some recordings that do this, also. If your
school is willing to foot the bill you can even purchase language programs that
play on the iPod, like
iLingo that can help when learning Japanese. You might also want to take a
look at the
AIT English Study Project if you are planning on using your iPod as a tool
for language study.
Finally, take a look at
iPods In the Classroom for a good overview of what might be the future of
audio and video in the classroom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important News:
Baggetta_Ware never charges for shipping on CD orders. Also, Teachers who
belong to
a teacher association can take 20% off any CD order -- simply identify your
organization and your member
ID on your order and deduct 20%. How cool is that?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Successful Writing
English teachers often think in analogies. Did you ever think of
writing the same way you think of dressing or your appearance? It makes a lot
of sense. If you dress well and your appearance is attractive you will probably
get attention when you apply for a job or try to strike up a relationship.
These same principles can apply when you are trying to garner an audience for
your writing. Here’s part of an article by Darlene Bishop (an internet writer)
on the subject. This was intended for business writing on the web, but you
might want to use some of the ideas when presenting writing concepts to your
classes.
…the purpose in writing is always to
elicit a response from your audience.
………………………………………
Get them to read your writing and do
what you want them to do.
That's why, when I came across a
website with information on dressing for success while surfing the web recently,
it occurred to me how much of this information can be applied to writing. That
phrase—Dress for Success—has been around for so many years that it's become
almost a cliché. Yet, the principles of dressing professionally still apply….
Some of those principles can be applied to writing, as well.
The goal in dressing for success is
to "put your best foot forward"... to leave people with the right impression of
you, and to instill in them the confidence that you are able to do what you say,
when you say, and to the best of your abilities. The idea is to get people to
respond favorably toward you.
Isn't your goal in writing the same?
You write because you want people to trust you, to have confidence in you and to
respond favorably toward you. Whatever you write, you want to leave your reader
with the right impression. Whether you write for pay, to educate your audience,
or to get someone to buy what you have to sell, the goal is to be perceived as
successful, professional and trustworthy.
So, how can you accomplish this?
1. Start with the basics.
Just as a good wardrobe starts with
basic pieces such as a wool blazer, skirt and slacks, good writing starts with
the basics of good grammar, punctuation and spelling. These are the foundation
of your writing skills.
2. Make sure your pieces fit well and
are the best quality you can afford.
Poor-fitting clothes leave an
impression of sloppiness, laziness, and a lack of professionalism. Poorly-chosen
words leave the same impression. Take the time to select the right words for the
job and to get your message across in the most readable manner possible. Make
your writing the best it can be. Your readers will notice the difference.
3. Expand your wardrobe over time.
Just as you continue to add pieces to
your wardrobe, continue to add to your writing skills. Read a book on writing
well. Take a course. Start a journal. Continue to improve your skills.
4. Add quality accessories.
A colorful scarf or a well-made
brooch can dress up a plain suit, making it more lively and attractive. Quality
sentences and well-written phrases make your writing more pleasing and
enjoyable, as well.
5. As your wardrobe grows, add more
original, quality pieces.
When you begin to create a successful
wardrobe, you start by acquiring the basic, necessary pieces to look mature and
successful. Unless you're independently wealthy, you don't start out with a
fully complete wardrobe. You build it over time, adding a little here, a little
there, until you have created a good foundation that will serve you well in most
every situation.
Beginning to write is much the same.
Unless you're a "born" writer—and few of us are!—you don't start out as a
professional. You develop your writing wardrobe over time by increasing your
knowledge, improving your vocabulary, and learning to apply new skills, until
you realize one day that people have begun to perceive you as a professional who
has the ability to handle most any writing situation.
Dressing for success gives you
confidence in yourself—when you look professional and confident, people respond
favorably to you.
The same is true of writing for
success….
(End of article content)
An interesting piece on appearance and writing. I might add that
computer technology can help the writer carry off a good appearance. Word
processors today check for spelling and grammar, and accuracy in these areas are
signs off concern in appearance. In addition computer software for writing
allows the writer to use fonts and other formatting discreetly to make documents
shine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important News:
Baggetta_Ware NEVER charges for UPGRADES. If we fix or improve a program
you can
download it for free with proof of purchase. Most companies thrive on the
money they make from upgrades,
but we feel you should
have the security of a well running program from the start, so we offer upgrades
and
fixes at no charge.
Hey! We make mistakes like everyone else, but we also make amends.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F_ree Software For the Month Of May
I know it’s getting that
time of year when teachers and students start to wind down (the end of the year
is coming). Often you are looking for some kinds of activities that will keep
the kids on track and yet keep them reading and working on curriculum material.
Quizzing is often a part of learning in the classroom and one of the most fun
types of quizzes is the matching quiz. Hey! – we play these quiz games in
magazines and have been raised on them since childhood, so it makes sense to
bring this ploy into the learning experience.
I liked giving matching
quizzes in class because they entice the students into competition with the
teacher. The teacher sets up a list of items the students have studied in a
certain order and dares his charges to sort out the list. It’s fun to try,
and
it’s easy to correct.
The fly in the ointment for
the teacher, of course, is to come up with all kinds of matching quizzes –
especially if you are going to offer the same content to several classes at a
time. You could dig around in workbooks (they love to offer matching quizzes)
and copy them for use with your classes, but you always end up with the same
patterns.
So, Baggetta, is there a
software solution to generating short matching quizzes on any topic that won’t
take a lot of work…and is easy to correct? Of course there is! I’ve just
created a simple program I unabashedly call Match-A-Rama (alright – stop
snickering at me), and I offer it to you as this month’s complimentary download
from Baggetta_Ware.
With Match-A-Rama you type up a list of items (words,
authors, titles, formulas, terms, etc) – only 12 are allowed to make it a quick
matching quiz – and a corresponding list of answers. Save as a .txt file and
then run Match-A-Rama on your Windows PC to generate dozens of
variations on that list. You even get answer keys that make correcting a snap.
If you don’t plan on giving any matching quizzes at this time of the
year, you might want to download this and save it to our hard drive, since it
will only be up on the website for one month.
Instructional Step-By-Step Videos Now
Available for Download from Baggetta_Ware – No Charge.
As I
mentioned in the header to this Ramblings I have added some instructional
video files to the Baggetta_Ware Teacher Tech site. Many more teachers are
using Windows PC in their classrooms and a lot of them are having this operating
system (OS) thrust upon them without any formal training. This can be fun and
adventurous, of course, for those who like their lives peppered with the
unknown, but many teachers would like to be able to master some of the rudiments
of the Windows desktop, at least.
I had many of my customers
write emails to me, confused and technically paralyzed because they do not know
how to perform some simple functions on the Windows desktop and on the Internet
as well. I try to clarify the tasks in an email, by adding information to the
website, and by making phone calls, but often this is not enough. There is
nothing like a live demonstration to clear up a problem. And none of these
tasks are really difficult. Actually they are very easy, but if you are
unfamiliar with the steps to the procedures, they might as well be….uh… Rocket
Science.
Since I can not come and sit next to each of you and step you
through these processes, I have done the next best thing and started a series of
Video/Audio demonstrations which you can view right from the site, and you will
need Windows media player already installed on your machines to view these –
this is
available free from Microsoft – Version 10 is now available, and it is a
beauty (they are so generous).
The lessons are fairly easy
to follow, but just in case you are one of those learners who has to have
printed material in front of you, I’ve also accompanied each video lesson with a
printed version. Now you can look at the video and then take the steps slowly,
one at a time, on paper. I’ve used this step-by-step method in my English
classes and computer training classes, and the response to this
kind of instruction has been very positive.
The first lesson is entitled
Making A New Folder on the Windows Desktop. One of my program users sent an
email one time saying that she knew how to Save a program being downloaded from
the internet, but she wasn’t sure of where she should save it. My usual answer
is to first create a New Folder on your Windows desktop and then save all
downloads there. This was all fine with her, but she had no idea how to create
one of these folders. This simple video lesson will take you through the few
steps in this process and soon you will be creating folders for all occasions.
Keep checking our
Computer
Video Lessons page as we plan on offering other videos that will help you learn
more about using your computer in your classroom. If you are having difficulty
understanding something about your computer, Windows, or the Internet, drop me a
line. It might make a good topic for a video lesson.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important News:
Baggetta_Ware offers a catalog which you can request directly from our site.
Just type
in your mailing information in an email and send it along to us, and we'll send
our catalog off to you. Go to
Baggetta_Ware to get our
latest catalog.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortcut
Reference Tent (Exclusive Offer For Newsletter Recipients)
Here's a handy little Shortcut Reference Tent I keep on my
desk. Let's face it, there are a lot of terms and keyboard moves, and if
you don't use them often enough you forget them. This is especially true
as software gets more complicated. But, thank goodness, some keyboard
moves have been standardized in a lot of software and with this Reference Tent,
I've got you covered (pun intended). Here's the steps to making your own
handy Reference Tent:
Step 1: Right click
with your mouse on the image below.
Step 2: Move the mouse
down the pop out menu to Print Picture...
Step 3: Set the
printer you want to use and under Preferences in the printer dialog
set the printer to Landscape printing.
Step 4: Print the
image.
Step 5: Cut the image
out of the sheet of paper (we suggest the heaviest paper you can find).
Leaving about 1/2" at the top and bottom to tape as a base.
Step 6: Fold the tent
at the center line and at the bottom of each card half. Tape at the
bottom.
Stand this up on your desk next to your
computer, and you will be able to work at your computer
with new confidence.
Shameless Plug for Baggetta_Ware
Well. This brings us to another conclusion of my Ramblings. Hope you
enjoyed this issue, and please send me your comments and ideas for future
issues. Remember to come and visit us at Baggetta_Ware. We have lots
of interesting Windows software for student reading and teacher
Classroom Management.
Also be sure to check out our
Literary Test
Generators -- the programs that will allow you to quickly generate hundreds
of tests or worksheets and variations as well. We also have
Social Studies,
Grammar,
and the versatile
Anything Academic Test Generator, for teachers of any subject. For
those who need ready-made tests, take a look at our newest section called
Literary Exams with
dozens of tests ready to go.
We also have another
software gift for you if you recommend our site to one of your colleagues or
friends.
Have a happy month of May.
Best,
Al Baggetta
Baggetta_Ware
Teacher Tech
On the Web:
www.baggetta.com
Tel:
413-786-8241
eMail:
abaggetta@comcast.net
baggetta@baggetta.com
abaggetta@yahoo.com
Baggetta_Ware
177 Adams Street
Agawam, MA 01001
U. S. A.