Wednesday, July 8, 2009

It Got Better!

Yes, the Apple thing is getting better. Madden figured out all my mistakes the other day, and now I'm happily back to reading blogs and exploring the new features of this computer.

The one, really sad, harsh realization is that I am no longer able to use my beloved, dependable Homeschool Tracker! (ha! look! I managed to copy and paste a hyperlink today! :-) ) They don't have a program for Macintosh, and while some people are willing to download other programs to enable them to use the Tracker, we're not. Because, after all, we got the Mac to get away from Windows.

So, after a fair amount of panic, and wondering how the heck I would manage to homeschool and stay on track, I found an alternative.

It remains to be seen how good an alternative it is, but I'm hopeful. This one is Homeschool Skedtrack. It's free (I'm worried that I'll get what I pay for!), and is all online, so I can access it anywhere and I don't have to worry about losing my data if the hard drive crashes.

Thus far, I think the data entry is much simpler---unless I'm missing something because I haven't watched all the tutorial videos yet. I just dove in as I usually do. I think it's beauty, if that's the right word, lies in changing the activity after the fact and putting in the grade if someone took a test. In other words, I don't have to schedule out every single page to read and exercise to do.

Unfortunately, I still have to go down to the basement and finish wrapping up all of last year on the old computer while it still has a printer and still works. I'll be printing out all the old reports---transcripts and anything else I might need---before the computer self-destructs.

And before the State comes knocking at my door to see how I'm educating my children!

5 comments:

  1. I LOVE my Mac. Once you adjust, you'll feel more secure because you won't have to fear the viruses and bugs that PC users must guard against. I use a PC at work, but I'll never give up my Mac at home!

    BTW, Sara, thanks for posting on my blog about why you blog! Your response was GREAT: just what I need! :-)

    Blessings your way today! I've got 5 at my house and don't know how you do it with 6!

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  2. ummm, call me silly.....but....wouldn't an oldfashioned ledger style gradebook do just as well?

    (yeah, I know...cavemom am I)

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  3. You are very silly indeed, MightyMom. Did you read this? http://ashowerofroses.blogspot.com/2009/01/homeschool-tracker.html

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  4. I'm very silly and use an old fashioned paper grade book, but then, I'm not scheduling at all. I'll have to check out skedtrack any way.

    I'm glad you're enjoying your Mac. They really are better. I just don't know why more people don't know. I like being in the minority, though. A renegade, a maverick! ;-)

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  5. All I can say is... what took you so long? We love our Macs at the Nielsen household! Let me know of you need any help with anything.

    Jeff

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Thanks for dropping by! I would love to hear from you. Have a beautiful day! :-)

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