Mr. B's Blog

Hi Everyone, I purchased the Samsung Google Chromebook for $250.00 from Best Buy back in October.  I think it is important to share my reviews about this technology.  A lot of schools right now are in a state of flux.  Do we buy iPads, Kindle Fires, new Windows laptops, or Chromebooks?  Everyone I talk to that has purchased a tablet has ended up buying an iPad.  So if you are going to use a device just for apps, by all means get an iPad!  Last year I worked in the Lowell Public Schools and they spent at least a million dollars on all new MacBook and iPad carts in every school.  I was in charge of the carts for two of the schools I worked in.  I can sum up the iPad up in this fashion: it is great for looking up information and online text books.  Apps, unless in special ed or foreign language, are really difficult to utilize in a normal lesson.  I am proud to say I don't own an iPad...I'm pretty content with my iPhone.  My biggest issue with the iPad is that it does not includ

With the new teacher evaluation system engulfing our school systems in  Massachusetts, music teachers are looking for creative ways to provide  evidence of formative assessment. Many ensemble directors require students to meet with them individually after  school to perform scales, solos, sight-reading, and repertoire.  Over the  last decade, new software has come out which makes it possible for students  to perform assignments online at home.  However, such software is often rising in costs each year and some students do not have a home computer with internet access.   What if there was a way for students to perform selections at home for free?  There is an answer and it is called Google Voice.  It is pretty simple as Google will offer a new phone number for each Google account which will  forward calls, voicemails, and text messages to any number of your choosing.  The voicemails in particular are saved as mp3's and can even be embedded  onto a website (weebly for example). Here