Outlook Express Email Support Made Easier

No more need to call the help desk to reset your Department of Education Outlook email. Now you can simply click on the “Forgot your UserID or Password? Click here” link on the log-in page and get access to your email immediately. The link is outlined below.

Free, Web-based Text-to-Speech Services

ReadTheWords.com is a free, web-based service that allows you to quickly create an audio version of many types of electronic print on your Macintosh computer. After you create a free account, you can upload text files (Word, etc), website addresses, or PDF files and receive a clear audio file within minutes. You and your students can then download the audio file and listen to it on a computer or iPod. For example, I uploaded the text from a CNN.com article and had an excellent audio file within 5 minutes. Using this, my students had visual and audio access to age-appropriate current events.

ReadPlease is a similar program for classrooms that use Windows.

RubiStar

If the rubrics available on teAchnology do not meet your needs, you can create your own rubrics for free at RubiStar. There is a basic free membership that entitles you to create your own rubrics or view rubrics created by other teachers and modify them for your specific use. This is another resources that will save you time and make it easier to track your students’ projects and progress.

teAchnology

teAchnology is a free online resource that provides teachers with quick and easy access to 1000’s of lesson plans, webquests, worksheets, and rubrics. I think the pre-formatted rubrics are priceless. Within minutes, you can have a rubric with your customized project name ready to go. Your students’ progress will be much easier for you to track and the data will be easier for you to organize.

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

 The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM) is a library of  interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives  for mathematics instruction (K-12 emphasis).  The website is organized by grade level and concepts.  The activities are not only fun, but require student participation.   The website is also available in Spanish. Click here to go the National Library of Virtual Mainpulatives.

District 75 Professional Development …

District 75 Professional Development Management System

District 75 is no longer using ProTraxx to manage Professional Development.
The new website is: http://district75pd.org

How to register:
You must have an active DOE email to use this system. If you do not know your username or password, call the Help Desk at 718.935.5100.

• Go to http://district75pd.org/
• Click “Participants”
• Click “Register”
  • Enter your DOE email
  • Create a password. This password DOES NOT need to be the same as your DOE email.
• Click “Register”

How to sign up for a Professional Development Course:

• Go to http://district75pd.org/
• Click “Participants”
• Click “Log in”
  • Enter your full DOE email address
  • Enter the password you created during registration, NOT your DOE email password.
• Click “Add Course”
• Find the PD and click on the name
• Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click “Register for Course”
• You will be asked to verify
  • Click “Yes, I want to register for this course”
• The instructor, the principal and you will receive an email. You will need to be approved by both the instructor and the principal.

How to drop a course

• Log in
• Locate the course you wish to drop on your home page
• Click “Drop” (located in the left-hand column)
• Confirm that you wish to drop course by clicking “Yes I want to drop this course”

ArtRage 2.5

ArtRage is a free, easy to use, paint package that you download to your computer and be painting in minutes! Students can experiment with oil paints, glitter, markers, pencils and other very cool tools. The skills learned and practiced with ArtRage 2 are not only fun but also give your students practice with tools they will see in other computer applications. Click here to go to the website and download the program.