The most important app that every teacher should master

Not many teachers that I know use it. But I think it’s probably the best program that microsoft have ever released. It’s far from perfect – very far, but it’s ubiqutious, functional and extremely powerful.

Excel.

How do  use it?

I use it as a database. Maybe I should learn to use a proper database, but I’m not allowed to install anything on my school laptop.

So: I import a list of students from my school’s SMS (student management system, MUSAC). I teach 3 year 9 music classes for 10 weeks at a time. That’s 90 students every 10 weeks.  I have their name, IDnumber and tutor group. Then each column is an assessment result, a grouping (students do work in groups) or another note for reports.

This is all really boring. There are two main features I use that set excel apart are the filter function and fill.

I won’t tell you how to do it. This isn’t intended as a ‘how to’ tech blog. There are plenty of those around. This is a place for reflection and opinion.

But I urge you, especially if you’re a beginning teacher, to have a good long look at excel.

9 Comments to “The most important app that every teacher should master”

  1. Kelly Faulkner (@kiwispouse) 11 November 2011 at 5:37 pm #

    i had to have a wee giggle. i, too, export my student data from our SMS (kamar) into excel. one of the first things i do with it is print out 15 copies and paste them to the 15 different checklists i get during the first 2-3 weeks of school where the office expects me to *handwrite* every class over and over again! insanity!

  2. Kelly Faulkner (@kiwispouse) 11 November 2011 at 5:37 pm #

    i had to have a wee giggle. i, too, export my student data from our SMS (kamar) into excel. one of the first things i do with it is print out 15 copies and paste them to the 15 different checklists i get during the first 2-3 weeks of school where the office expects me to *handwrite* every class over and over again! insanity!

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