Tips and Tricks of the Tips and Tricks of the TAMTAM

Hickory Public SchoolsHickory Public Schools

June 16, 2009June 16, 2009

Where are we now?Where are we now?

► Grades K-12 are using the spreadsheet for Grades K-12 are using the spreadsheet for marks and grades. marks and grades.

► Grades K-12 are using NCWISE to complete Grades K-12 are using NCWISE to complete attendance.attendance.

► Data managers have taken on more Data managers have taken on more responsibility.responsibility.

► Administrators and teachers have student Administrators and teachers have student information at their fingertips.information at their fingertips.

► Everyone feels more comfortable than we did Everyone feels more comfortable than we did a year ago.a year ago.

TAM – What Is It?TAM – What Is It?

►The TAM (Teacher Assistant Module) is The TAM (Teacher Assistant Module) is the NCWISE portal used to:the NCWISE portal used to:

►Gather attendanceGather attendance►Collect grades for assignmentsCollect grades for assignments►Post grades to report cardsPost grades to report cards►View academic progressView academic progress►Provide contact information to Provide contact information to

teachersteachers►Generate useful reports for teachersGenerate useful reports for teachers

Teachers – It’s Designed For Teachers – It’s Designed For YouYou

► Despite its name, the TAM is primarily Despite its name, the TAM is primarily designed for teachersdesigned for teachers

► Principals can be given rights to navigate to Principals can be given rights to navigate to the TAM for any of their teachersthe TAM for any of their teachers

► Data managers can navigate to the TAM for Data managers can navigate to the TAM for any teacher in the school; however, they any teacher in the school; however, they should not be entering grades/making should not be entering grades/making changes in a teacher’s TAMchanges in a teacher’s TAM

► No one can view a teacher’s prep except the No one can view a teacher’s prep except the teacher who set it upteacher who set it up

Instructional Benefits of the Instructional Benefits of the TAMTAM

► Teachers have Teachers have immediate access to immediate access to their student’s datatheir student’s data DemographicsDemographics GradesGrades AttendanceAttendance Test scores, if Test scores, if

approp.approp. Grades from previous Grades from previous

schools, if they were schools, if they were in a WISE schoolin a WISE school

Demographic DataDemographic Data► The Old Way The Old Way •The NCWISE Way

•Basic information

•Parent/Guardian contact information

•Medical information and alerts

•Schedule of classes and location during the day

Classes = Courses assigned to the teacherClasses = Courses assigned to the teacherHomerooms = For second semester, you must click second Homerooms = For second semester, you must click second

semestersemesterTeam = Coaches, EC, LEP, etc.Team = Coaches, EC, LEP, etc.

Current = Only currently enrolled & active students show upCurrent = Only currently enrolled & active students show upAll = All the students who have been enrolled during the year All = All the students who have been enrolled during the year

show upshow upToday’s Classes = Displays only the classes the teacher has on Today’s Classes = Displays only the classes the teacher has on

that day. When it is unchecked, all the teachers classes are that day. When it is unchecked, all the teachers classes are displayed.displayed.

S = Semester

D = Day

T = Term

P = Period

- Names do not appear on the right until you physically click on the class

Main TAM Screen

Common Attendance ErrorCommon Attendance Error

►Teachers who take attendance by Teachers who take attendance by homeroom forget to click on the homeroom forget to click on the

correct semestercorrect semester

TeamsTeams

Data managers set up and grant access to teams. Examples of teams - JV Football, Beta Club, ESL students, and EC caseload

Basic Demographic ScreenBasic Demographic Screen

Basic Info.

Data manager has to enter this information

Parent/Emergency ContactsParent/Emergency Contacts

Scroll here to see all

the contacts

Student ScheduleStudent Schedule

The current homeroom is

in yellow

School-Based DecisionSchool-Based Decision

Teachers Can Monitor Student Teachers Can Monitor Student Achievement Across the BoardAchievement Across the Board

►Teachers have access to see student Teachers have access to see student progress in other classes as well as progress in other classes as well as their owntheir own

►This access would be for the students This access would be for the students assigned to a teacher through class, assigned to a teacher through class, homeroom, or a teamhomeroom, or a team

Academic ProgressAcademic ProgressMust have a

student selected before clicking on

Academic Progress

A “D in this first space indicates a dropped

course

From Progress Reports

This screen shows all the classes in the student’s schedule plus any that have been dropped. This is particularly useful if a student transfers from one NCWISE school to another because the receiving teacher can view grades if the teacher has chosen to share the gradebook.

Assignments will not transfer into the receiving teacher’s gradebook, but the assignments can be viewed.

History ButtonHistory ButtonAny assignments that have been in an NCWISE gradebook are archived for that student. Teachers can view and sort this data.

Teachers can only print information for their own classes.

*If it is a late transfer and the student comes in with a 75, put a 75 in every assignment up until that point.

Caution: Please use in a professional manner. Please do not share any

information with a parent for a course for which you have not taught the

child.

View Attendance HistoryView Attendance History

View School Mark ScaleView School Mark Scale

First

Second

Third

School Mark Scale will be displayed

Allows teacher to re-alphabetize spreadsheet

Allows you to select

another attendance

date

Set-Up Options

Allows you to connect to another gradebook if you serve more than one school

Features of the GradebookFeatures of the Gradebook

►The gradebook is color-codedThe gradebook is color-coded►Teachers can view grades by all at Teachers can view grades by all at

once or by assignment typeonce or by assignment type►Teachers can very quickly see any Teachers can very quickly see any

missing assignmentsmissing assignments

Pink = Failing Grade

Green = Exempt

Click here to see the color coding legend

Grades can be entered directly on this screen or under Enter Marks/Comments or Condensed Mark Entry.

We do not use the TAV..

column

Can filter assignments to see only certain reporting terms,

categories, and/or assignment types

Time Saver For Entering Assignments Into Spreadsheet

If you teach the same class to more than one group of students, this will save you time. After adding an assignment, such as a journal entry, click save, and then just click on this button to add the same assignment to

another class. This is probably more helpful at the middle and high school level.

Mark Entry ScreenComments entered here only show up on progress reports

This button allows you to enter a mark for the first

student on the list and copy it

to all other students with

one click.

In order to use this you must have selected an assignment on the previous screen or it

will be blank like the screen below.

If you use exempt for an assignment it will not be counted in the average.

Reports Reports

►Teachers have access to a variety of Teachers have access to a variety of reports at the class level, homeroom reports at the class level, homeroom level, and at the team level.level, and at the team level.

►The best way to learn about the The best way to learn about the reports and how they can be useful for reports and how they can be useful for you is to experiment with them.you is to experiment with them.

►This is one of the biggest advantages This is one of the biggest advantages to using NCWISE – having this to using NCWISE – having this reporting feature at your fingertips.reporting feature at your fingertips.

Great to use for substitute list and for

keeping up with all the forms at the beginning

of the year.

Report will show allergies, etc.

Reports shows students who have missing assignments if they were left blank in the spreadsheet.

The ability to print mailing labels can be a wonderful thing. The best way to learn how to use it is to experiment on regular paper. Your data managers will know what kinds of labels to use and the settings for the labels. You may have to adjust the Adobe settings to get the labels lined up correctly (print as image, shrink to fit, page scaling are all areas you can adjust to make it work.

View of Class List ReportView of Class List Report

Student names and NCWISE numbers are also displayed, but have been removed for confidentiality reasons.

Class Record ViewClass Record ViewStudent Names and NCWISE numbers will also be displayed on your report. You may have up to eleven column headings. When you click on the Class Record Button you will be prompted to enter the headings you want to create.

Failures Report ViewFailures Report View

When you select the Failures Report Button, you will be prompted to select the class, students, and date range for which you want the report. This report displays the assignment name and the student name.

Sequencing Students In the Sequencing Students In the TAMTAM

The spreadsheet automatically orders first by sequence number (everyone by default it zero) and then alphabetically. This teacher has assigned a number, beginning with one, to each student based on the order she wants the names displayed in the TAM. Once you have assigned the numbers you must click on Save Sequence.

Individual Student ReportsIndividual Student Reports

► Step One: Highlight a student’s name on the main TAM screenStep One: Highlight a student’s name on the main TAM screen► Step Two: Click on the Print ButtonStep Two: Click on the Print Button► Step Three: Select the report you want from the list that is Step Three: Select the report you want from the list that is

displayeddisplayed

Please do not select the Student Transcript report or the Report Card report. They are unavailable at this time.

A teacher can run an individual progress report, attendance summary report, failed assignments report, and a missing assignment report for the selected student.

View of Individual Student View of Individual Student Report: Attendance SummaryReport: Attendance Summary

Questions?Questions?