Using the iPad

I have been hearing different circles of teachers and music teachers talk about the app "iDoceo" for some time now.  For the past two years, I have used the Smart Seat app for managing my seating and daily attendance of my classes.  I made it a goal this year to give the acclaimed iDoceo a whirl.  Monday was the first day of school, so I decided to do a "baptism by fire" and jump right in using the app for this brand new school year.

Overview

iDoceo is like having your schedule, seating charts, calendar, and student information binders all in one neat little place.  You can set up your classes, then your schedule (assigning periods of the day to particular classes you've set up), take attendance, assign grades, and make annotations all in one easy-to-use interface.

Learning Curve

I am fairly quick to pick up on most things techy.  This app takes "on the fly" learning to a whole new level!  INCREDIBLY easy to use.  There were a few things here and there that caused me some confusion, but nothing that touching the "?" or doing a quick Google search didn't fix.  I would give this app for teachers an "A+" for user friendliness.

Importing

As music teachers, even if we work in a small rural school, we have a LOT of students.  After all, more often than not, we see every child in the entire school.  This makes keeping track of them all somewhat difficult.  Combine this with required parent contacts, grading policies, behavior monitoring, etc. and it can get out of control in a hurry. 

The first thing that blew me away with iDoceo was its incredible ability to import data ACCURATELY from our school district's online grading system.  We use Skyward, so getting my classes into iDoceo was as simple as doing the following:  open online grade book, click a class, click "reports," click "Roster," then click "export to Excel."  After opening the file in Excel, I did a quick highlight (click and drag) over extraneous information and hit the "Delete" key.  Then I saved the file (first, middle, and last names, and student ID numbers) in the older Excel format (xls for 2003) with a simple title - name of teacher, a dash, and the grade (i.e. Sands - 2).  I created a folder simply called "Rosters" in my Dropbox file (click here if you don't know about Dropbox) which is where I saved all of the rosters.

Using the Dropbox app on my iPad, I opened the "Rosters" folder.  I selected one of the roster files and then touched the "open in" icon (currently upper right) and then selected the iDoceo app.  BOOM!  Not only were all those names and ID numbers immediately imported (like in less than one second), but the class was appropriately named as well!  I cannot begin to explain the amount of time this little feature saved me.  800 students went into this app without a hitch.

Seating

After getting all those classes in, the next step is to get seating arranged.  This was SO easy.  On the first day each class showed up, I took their pictures to be associated with their names.  In the upper left of the iDoceo screen, there is a "seating chart" icon.  Tap it and you will see all those student names on rectangles that are reminiscent of Polaroid instant photographs.  You tap and hold a student's name.  Select "take picture,"  adjust the photo by "pinching" and just click "done."  Then, to arrange the students, simply tap and hold, then drag the student to the appropriate area on your desktop.  This is very handy especially for us music types as we don't ordinarily have the traditional row or table setup in our classes.  Here you can see one of my classes (with the faces and last names blocked).  I have four FlipForm® risers in my room, each with the capacity for three students on the top row and three students seated on the bottom.  The risers are in a concert formation.  The only thing I can't do in iDoceo is angle them in a semicircle.  You can see here how I have the students in four clusters, each representing a riser.

Scheduling

For years I had four things in front of me - my schedule (hard to remember, "Whose coming next?"), my lesson plans, my seating charts, and my iPod (or, lately, iPad).  Now with iDoceo, you need only have ONE thing in front of you.  After your classes have been created, it is very easy to set up your schedule.  If your time periods run similarly each day, I recommend setting them up once then copying them to the other days of the week.  Then all you have to do is change the class associated and you don't have to go through setting up the starting and ending times, picking a color, etc.  Once you have your schedule set up with classes associated, that's all you need - iDoceo will do the rest!  Simply have the schedule screen open.  Touch the class and BAM!  The roster and grades are in front of you.  Touch the seating chart icon and there you have your class.  Touch the icon in the upper left and then "+" and you can touch "Attend All" - double tap the check mark to mark a student absent, hold your finger down and touch "Text/Icons" and you can tap a symbol you'd like to add (like an hour glass for tardy, etc.).  Touch the icon with the "X" to exit attendance mode.  If you'd like to alter attendance later, when you are viewing the roster, simply double-tap the green check mark to change it to a red X (absent) or vice versa.

My 2013-2014 schedule.  I touch a class and can immediately see rosters, grades, and seating.

Making Notes

This is perhaps the most AMAZING feature of this app (although, the other stuff is way cool in and of itself).  In the roster view, tap and hold a student's name.  Select "Edit student" (or just double-tap the student's name).  A screen will appear with five options at the bottom.  Touch "Resources" (far right) and then touch the paper clip icon in the upper left corner of the screen.  Here you have SIX choices of ways to add data to a particular student.  Take picture (maybe of a project), Add photo (maybe you took a whole class worth of pictures and you want to assign a particular one to a particular student - this will access your camera roll on your iPad), Add file (maybe a word document of a report the student wrote - you must first upload the file to Dropbox if you're going to use this option), Record video (how cool for us music types, right?), Audio recording ("Trevor left class without permission" - the recording is date stamped, or maybe "So-mi pitch match" for grading later), and Add URL (I'm guessing this is for older students who may have a Wiki or other site for assignments).

The "resources" screen for "Joe Student."

Of course, if you just want to do standard text notations, you can do that too - just tap "Annotations" at the bottom and type away!

Transferring Students

If your classes are like mine, they are an ever evolving, ever changing, living entity.  I am challenged to have one week to the next where I don't have a student enter, withdraw, change to another class, etc.  With Smart Seat, I was out of luck - if a student changed classes, I had to re-enter their data, take a new picture, etc.  iDoceo has magically solved this.  When viewing the roster view, tap the settings icon in the upper left (looks like a screw driver and wrench), tap "students," touch the circle next to the student you would like to move.  Touch "copy" in the upper left, then a list of your classes will appear.  Simply tap the class you'd like him/her moved to - VOILA!  You'll find that student there with all their data (grades will not transfer).  Once copied, you can simply delete the student from the current class.

The "copy" student screen.

Conclusion

I am an app fan.  There are so many that are so useful in our personal and professional lives.  Rarely do I get THAT excited about an app, but after spending just one week with iDoceo, I can tell you it is the best $5.99 I've spent in quite some time.

Until next time...

Here it Comes!

I started teaching elementary music in 1985.  From the first day in the classroom to this week before school begins again for me, there has been a constant fear among music educators - that our programs will be cut or eliminated.  You've heard the arguments, "Why don't they cut the football team?  Music is important!  How could they do this to our children who are expected to be creative thinkers!"  Yes, it is true that music instruction in schools is important.  I fear, however, that sometimes "music people" can be their own worst enemies.  They do their work effectively, quietly plodding along, then WHAM!  What happened to my program?

As we approach this new school year, keep these three things in mind and they MIGHT help keep the fear of being on the chopping block at bay:

1.  Get Involved

Outside of your regular classes or program preparation, how involved are you with the goings on at your school?  Your community?  Your state?  Do you stick to music-alone activities (preparing school programs, writing music curriculum, assisting classroom teachers with finding songs about this or songs about that)?  Or do you immerse yourself in your school?  Do you serve on non-music committees?  Do you keep abreast on the latest trends in education?  Are you viewed as an instructional leader in your school?  Or do you plod along, continuing to do things the same way because your methods have been tried and true and you have no desire to change or take up your time?  Do you find reasons to not be involved?  "I have a family!"  or "I have a life!"  Yes, we all have lives, but that doesn't mean we abdicate the work that needs to be done to "somebody else."  We are, after all, professionals, and with that title comes some sacrifice.

It is important for colleagues, students, and community members to see that you have many capabilities.  Yes, you are knowledgeable about music and you should be the "go-to" person when matters that concern music and music education are at hand.  But do you really want to be known only for that one thing?  Do you want to be a "one-trick pony"?  I am certain that anyone reading this blog right now has many, many talents and skills that so many may not be aware of.  Let others see your value as a member of the faculty at your school and in your school district.  Be known not only as "the music teacher" but also as "an educator."

2.  Be Relevant

I saw an Internet meme that was passed my way by my niece.  It was certainly meant to be humorous and I understood that.  But there was something deeper under the surface.  "There is many a true word spoken in jest."  The meme was simply a picture of a recorder with the text "How did THIS help further my education?"  OUCH!

Frequently as artists, we tend to think, "Well!  The importance of my art is OBVIOUS!  I shouldn't have to EXPLAIN its importance!"  I have news for you:  yes, you do have to explain it.  Over, and over, and over again - in social situations, in your classroom, with administrators, with parents, ALL THE TIME!  Take every opportunity to show the cultural relevance of musical knowledge.  Cite studies that show how the study of music is beneficial in oh so many ways.  Always be on the lookout for data that will help build your case.  Do not assume everyone will just "know" how important your program is.

When you complete a lesson, what do you think your students would say about it when asked by an adult?  Would they be able to relay some valuable musical knowledge they learned solely because they were in your class?  Or will they simply relay a song name or a dance?  Will they say they played instruments?  Or worse will they simply say, "We watched a video..."  Every word spoken in your class needs to be spoken with a purpose:  for children to learn.  I am not saying that learning songs and dances are not valuable experiences - they are.  But how are you connecting those experiences to musical learning and then to life learning?

3.  Be Kind

Teaching is stressful - very stressful.  And it seems to become more and more stressful with each passing year.  I'm still not sure if "things have changed so much" that's causing the stress or if I'm just getting old.  Regardless, it is your JOB to always be "the better person." Are you or your students best served by getting upset?  How will carrying gossip around your school help your students in the end?  How does confrontation help?  How does bottling up a perceived injustice and then venting it off to someone who has little or no power to change it help?  These things will rob you of your joy, they will rob your students of a positive musical experience, and they certainly won't further the importance of your music program.  When it comes to thinking of "the first people to eliminate" how do you want others to perceive you?

Students are professional button-pushers.  Don't let them.  Remain calm.  Address the situation the best way you can (and I know, in today's classroom, this can be an awesome challenge).  Getting upset can backfire in oh so many ways.  Don't become a victim to "reaction."  Always, always "respond" rather than "react."

Colleagues can get under your skin.  When something happens, did they really act any way other than what they normally do?  Probably not.  Do not allow them to get to you.  Smile, be kind, don't get caught up in the drama of others, and carry on.  If it's something serious, address it calmly and head-on.  Do not go around talking about the colleague, approach them (kindly) face to face in a private setting.

When it comes to education as well as life - change will happen.  This is a given.  So what will you do about it?  Freak out and complain to anyone who will listen?  How did that help?  Did you feel better?  My guess is that you probably didn't feel better and, in fact, you probably ended up even more upset than when you started to relay the situation.  Instead of railing against change, find a way to make the imposed changes fit with procedures and routines that you already find comfortable.  Why are changes being made?  For the sake of change?  I know, sometimes this happens; but when it is that kind of change is it worth implementing to the best of your ability?  Usually changes are being brought about for a reason.  Look beyond the change itself, find the reasoning behind it, and then see how you can address the problem by either implementing the change or integrating it into your current methods, routines, and structures.

Be kind to yourself.  Pick at least one day of the week where "I will leave the building on time."  Get enough rest.  Exercise.  Smile.  Eat well and eat sensibly.  Instead of "How on earth do they expect me to...." think "I can do this, I'll adjust.  What an opportunity to broaden my experience..."

As the school year begins, remember YOU control your reaction to things.  You can't control the things others say and do, but you can control your reaction to what they say and do.

When you find yourself being involved, relevant, and kind, you may be amazed at how little effort you have to put forth to justify your program, and that will be one less stressful thing in your teaching life.  It's gonna be a long year (I still haven't experienced a short one).  Hopefully you can keep these three tips in mind and it will help you sail through it with flying colors.

Until next time...