Presented by Amanda Walkup

1. Organize Yourself!
Using Excel and Word to Keep
Yourself Sane
Amanda Walkup, M.A., NBCT
Resource, Hillcrest High School
awalkup@greenville.k12.sc.us

2. My Reasons:
1. I hate piles of paper.
2. I always forget which pile things are in.
3. I love the sound the shredder makes.
4. Since everything’s already on my computer, I
look like I’m on the ball when I can
automatically email my administrators back
with the information they need.
5. I like free stuff.

3. Reasons to Organize on a
Computer:
1. Easy access for you
2. Difficult access for others
3. “Filing” without filing
4. As long as it’s backed-up, you can’t lose it
5. Emailing/Scanning
6. Easy transfer to ActivInspire

4. Tips for Organizing on a Computer:
1. Create folders within folders
My Filing System
2. Name folders and files EXACTLY what they
are or what they are to be used for
Grades list 2012-13 IEPs folder
3. “File” once a week – drag files into the folder
they belong in
Example

5. Tips for Organizing on a Computer
continued:
4. Back-up your files once a week to your home
directory, home computer, portable drive,etc.
5. If there’s something extremely important, email it to
yourself and file it there as well.
6. Make use of your email filing system to keep
documentation on teachers, parents, administrators.
Cover your butt!
Email Folders
7. Lastly, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE clean out your email
every two weeks. Delete/File items from your “Sent
Items,” file items from your “Deleted Items,” then
permanently Delete items from your “Deleted Items.”

6. Excel:
• Use color to note important items
• Use bold print for headings
• Include headings for each column and row
• ALWAYS “view and show gridlines” under Page Layout
• Figure out where each page begins and ends, and re-
add the headings for the columns and rows
• Landscape orientation gives more room for headings;
Portrait gives more room for information
• Allow the cells to size themselves
• Make sure to highlight everything when sorting
• Save often Grades List

7. Word:
• For Word 10, click “No Spacing” at the top
first!
• Set custom margins in Page Layout if trying to
save paper
• Use highlighting to note important items
• Copy and paste is your friend
• Save often Project

8. Excel Examples
• Pretests
• Teacher
Accommodations
• IEP Info
• EOC Accoms
• Silent Reading
Checkoff
• PM Checkoff
• Rising IEPs Info
• Testing Accoms

9. Word/Publisher Examples
• Pacing Guide
• Lesson Plan
• Itinerant Students
• Student Info Sheet
• Career Powerpoints
• Career Research
• IEP Knowledge
• IEP Problems
• PR Comments
• IEP Directions
• Reeval Checklist
• IEP Accommodations

10. Questions?
• Door Prizes
• Access all of my templates on the following
LiveBinder:
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=784787