Waffle Bytes

Often when I go to a conference, I'm locked in to where (and even what) I'm eating as it's dictated by the groups I'm a part of or duties I'm trying to complete.  However, this year I had to opportunity to be the organizer of several of our meals - so planned meals at some unique eateries.  I have to say, all of the places we went to were delicious!! Here are the three place that were brand new to me: Small Plates : described to me as a "tapas" type place, 16 of us descended on Small Plates to check it out.  We had two tables, allowing us to eat there in two different ways (below).  The service was great, food was fantastic, and prices really reasonable! (If you are looking for a truly decadent dessert, I highly recommend the Bumpy Cake...) Table 1: as a group we ordered a bunch of menu items and shared among the table; I believe we tried 10 different menu items, and yes all of the plates were completely clean!! Table 2: (our "high needs"

(This is the final  tip sheet  in the series of 4 to help you prepare for one of MACUL’s largest conferences ever!)  I’m guessing you will be arriving at the conference sometime within the next 48 hours. Here are some other tidbits that might help you out as you arrive at the conference: COBO Layout : COBO is basically a big “L” with sessions dispersed over 3 or 4 levels of both sides of the L; the shorter side faces the river.  If you are moving from a session on one side to a session on another side AND changing floors, know that traffic at the elbow can get a little crowded so plan accordingly with your time.  Sometimes escalators can back up for several minutes between sessions. Getting Around Town : There are three ways most people attending the conference use to get around town - Walking: Many people walk between their hotels and COBO.  If you are attending by yourself, you should easily be able to find a group to join between popular locations - jus

The  MACUL  Conference is 5 days away!  This is the third  tip sheet  in a series of 4 to help you get ready for Michigan’s largest education conference. Today I'm sharing some general tips for getting the most out of the conference. Checking In : Checking in on Thursday morning can be overwhelming!  Here are some bits of advice to avoid missing the opening keynote session (you don’t want to miss Kevin Honeycutt - he will truly inspire you!): If you come into Detroit Wednesday prior to 5pm, go to registration then instead of waiting until Thursday If you come into Detroit Thursday morning, registration opens at 7 am Thursday - plan to get there around that time to avoid long lines Getting Help:  There are over 100 volunteers (including myself!) available to help you if you have questions during the conference.  If you are unsure of anything, please ask!  Ways you can identify people that can help: People carrying around “Ask Me” signs People wearing shirts t

Did someone share this with you?   If you'd like the newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, please register here: http://eepurl.com/q4LYz Create a Group Calendar Google not only gives the ability to create multiple calendars, but through the sharing you can actually create a calendar that is contributed to by a group of people.  This gives some great flexibility in the use of the calendar as it can both be VIEWED and EDITED, as established by the owner of the calendar. Some uses of a Group Calendar: some teachers have a class calendar that either the teacher OR students log upcoming events and due dates on a professional group (such as a PLC, building staff, curriculum team) may maintain a shared calendar where all the organizers have the ability to edit events, and other participants can view the calendar a student group may maintain a calendar of events pertinent to the group If you would like some help, here's a qu

The 2013 MACUL Conference is now just 8 days away!  (This is the second in a series of 4 to help you get ready and excited about going to the conference.) The conference sessions are all locked and loaded...meaning you can peruse the list at your leisure.  Here are some suggestions that may help you better organize for the conference- Know What You Want : have some idea(s) of what you want to walk away from the conference with.  Use these ideas to help you plan your time so you meet those goals.  For example, you are looking for new uses of Google Apps in your classroom, look for sessions about that.  Or, if you are involved in looking for new school projectors make sure to block out some time to spend in the exhibit hall.  Conference App : http://www.conferencebeat.com/ macul / This year’s conference app will let you view sessions and mark your “favorites” so that you can quickly find them again - on any device as it is web-based.  To use the app, click on t

(This is 1  in a series of 4 to help you get ready and excited about going to the conference.) Yes, we are attending the conference for all the great learning and networking.  However, eating is still a necessity and it is important to know where to find food while at Detroit...especially food that you can get quickly, without waiting in long lines!  Here are some tips & hints for dealing with that while at Cobo, along with some events you should know about: Staying Hydrated : make sure you stay hydrated! there are several fountains and coolers to get water - bring along a refillable cup and keep filling it all day Food at Cobo : there are several food vendors right in COBO; some tips about these: there will be nearly 4000 people at the venue, and everyone will be taking about the same meal breaks - either pick up food at odd times or plan on waiting in a line if you eat at common break times these same vendors are those that serve other events at COB

I've create a series of videos to help users starting out with Apple Configurator.  These can be found in two locations: via a YouTube playlist via a series in Michigan's MI Learning on iTunes U Perhaps these can help others avoid some of the pitfalls I've experienced in helping schools set this up locally!