Questions Answered

September 3, 2012

I thought I’d take the time today to answer some questions I get asked frequently. Maybe these answers will help some of you out.

1. What program do you use to create your units? 
I am a Mac girl so I use Pages and sometimes Keynote. Pages and Keynote are both very user friendly. Believe me, if you try them, you won’t go back to Office.

2. How do you organize your games and activities?
This is always a work in progress for me. At this point in the year, we do most of the games whole group. After we have finished playing the games, I place them in a folder or envelope and put them in a basket where the kids can play them again when their work is done. When there are quite a few games in the baskets, I take out the old ones. I bought tubs for each unit but I haven’t begun to organize these yet. Moving classrooms put me behind this year.

My room still doesn’t look like in the picture. This was right after I moved.

3. I can’t open something that I purchased from you. What do I do?
Most often, this is because you don’t have an unzipping program on your computer. Many of my files are in a zip format. You need an unzipping program to open the file. You can download a free one for a Mac or PC with Winzip.
http://www.winzip.com/win/en/downwz.htm
This will unzip the file and open the PDF.

4. My PDF has black bars through it. How can I get rid of them?
You need to update Adobe Reader. They release updates quite often so this usually causes the bars. After you update, the bars should be gone.

5. I bought a unit from you. Can I share it with my grade level?
One purchase is good for one classroom. Most sellers on TPT and Teacher’s Notebook have the same policy. I don’t feel like many buyers are aware of this because they don’t read the Terms of Use. If you share with your team, you are violating copyright. You can share with your grade level by contacting the seller and asking for a multi-user license. 
If you appreciate someone’s work, show them by not sharing with others. It really hurts our stores when you do. I know personally that I spend hours creating each resource and when people share, it doesn’t value the time and effort spent creating resources. I’ve had one person email my Common Core Standards to their entire district. That’s just not cool!

Okay, that’s all for now. I’m off to a cookout in the rain. Have a happy Labor day friends!

11 Comments on “Questions Answered

  1. Just yesterday at our district media center (where we laminate, print, use punch outs etc) I saw someone laminating your standards. Of course I told the teacher how much I love your stuff and she told me her principal bought it and gave it to all 9 sections! I was so upset and told her it was wrong. Is there anything you can do? It's so not fair to you.
    Mandy

    1. Honestly there's not much I can do. With the district issue, a follower got the pack in her email and notified her district that they were using it without permission and could be sued. I thought teachers and principals would follow the rules but I have been proven wrong over and over again. Thanks for your help Mandy!

  2. This a great post! I knew a few of the answers, but not all of them. I have a shop on TpT as well and it is always good to know what to do to fix these problems that pop up. I just found your blog and I'm now following you! I would love for you to stop by my blog when you get a chance!
    Patti 🙂

  3. Thanks for sharing this post! I feel the same way you do about TPT sharing! As a TPT seller as well, I know the hours of hard work that go into each product and for someone to mass produce it for their entire district!!! That blows my mind! I am so sorry to hear that, I love your blog as well as your products on TPT! You also have amazing freebies!
    Jodi
    Southern Sweetie in Second

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