2-4 Tuesday Linky Party: Two Things I Could NOT Teach Without

Alright, I'm joining another Party!  Lindsay hosts one every Monday and Steph, over at Stay Tuned, hosts one on Tuesdays.  We'll see how well I keep up with these beginning of the week parties! :)

The idea with this party is to post 2-4 ideas that you are using in your classroom this week.  Ummm. . . seeing as how we haven't had school since last Wednesday and we don't get to go back to school until Thursday we're continuing with last week's lessons.  So, I thought I would share two things that I use EVERYDAY in my teaching.

1.  MUSIC ED FONT

I love this product.  I swear up and down by it and it's $25 of the best money that I have ever spent.  EVER.  I use it in all of my PowerPoints, Flashcards, etc.  Once you start using it you just "know" where all the keys are and can type with it on auto-pilot!  Check it out: MusicEd Font.

2.  My Remote Control for my Laptop.

Okay, I got an iPad mini and I love the options of controlling my laptop via the iPad.  I also use a remote app from which I can have all my accompaniment music in my iTunes play via my computer but controlled with my phone for my choir rehearsals.  (Long story told in 4 sentences- my mom taught piano. My mom tried to teach me piano.  My mom and I fought.  I never learned to play piano).  But to control my PowerPoints, I use this:

I love that it has a "black out" function, so it basically doesn't display anything (light, image, etc) from my laptop.  This way I can have a PowerPoint up and ready but it's hidden from the students' view until we go to use it in the lesson.  It forwards and advances slides easily, controls my computer volume and has a laser pointer for easy function.  It also has a built in mouse so I can use my PowerPoints with hyperlinks from where ever I am in the classroom.  I bought mine at Amazon.  Well, technically my mother-in-law bought it for me, it was my Christmas present a few years ago.  I'm sure they have updated and newer models with more bells and whistles, but this reformed my teaching- my pacing is so much quicker not being a slave to turning on/off the LCD Projector, waiting for it to come on or having it on all the time and be a distraction.

Just a reminder that the 3-day sale at my Teachers Pay Teachers store started today!  Now through Thursday everything is 15% off.  I just uploaded some new Halloween files that I will blog about later this week and I'm working on a Halloween bundle- I LOVE Halloween!  

Make sure to check out the dollar section in your local Target- there are some great finds!  Hannah and I went to three different Targets between last night and this morning, buying erasers!  This will be next Monday's Manipulative Linky Party, hosted by Lindsay and next Tuesday I'll share some ideas for the 2-4 Tuesday Linky Party, hosted by Steph, for Autumn!

Now, head on over to Stay Tuned to see some other great blogs!