Tips,+Tricks,+and+Management+Tools


 * Do you have any tips for others on classroom managment, iPod syncing/organization, procedures that you can share?**

I really wish I knew how this happens to avoid it in the future but I'm not sure. The best thing I've found to do is to 1) Plug the iPod in question into the syncing computer 2) Make sure iTunes is open 3) Locate and select the iPod in the left hand sidebar in iTunes 4) Click "Sync" and allow the iPod to fully backup and sync (it'll do that automatically) 5) After the sync is complete, select "RESTORE" 6) This will restore your iPod to factory settings. Let it do this. 7) Upon completion of the restore, iTunes will offer to set the iPod up as a new device or set it up from the previously restored iPod. Select this option and make sure you are restoring to the original device's backup (example: Restore to device backup "Mobile Lab 1") 8) let it set up the iPod and it should be set to go.
 * App Icons Turning White?**



Since last year I've been using Office Depot's: Cleaning Wipes for Electronics to clean the screens on the iPods. They're $5 for a pack of 80 wipes and I just ordered about 6 more packs. The screens on these guys get really nasty - especially during the winter if you catch my drift. The store in Surfside Beach does not carry them anymore but you can order them online at the link above. In the meantime, if your iPods/iPads are really gross, rub a little bit of hand sanitizer onto a tissue and wipe the screen down. (Be careful not to use too much as you don't want to get liquid into any open port on the device.)
 * Clean Screens:**

I'm kindof particular when it comes to organizing the iPods. I like each iPod in the set to look identical so students know exactly where to go on the device. For example, Stack the States and Google Earth are in the Social Studies folder, Match-Up and Math Fight are in the Math folder, etc... There wasn't really an easy way to do it but here's the best way I've found: 1)Sync 1 iPod with the computer it normally syncs with. 2) Organize that iPod the way you want the entire set to look (hold down on an app until it wiggles. Move one app on top of another to create a folder. Name that folder and hit the home button or create new folders) 3) Plug it back into the computer and allow it to backup and sync. 4) Unplug that iPod and plug in the remaining iPods (if you have access to a charging cart/case use that - if not, you'll have to repeat steps 5-8 for each additional iPod) 5) Right-Click (two finger tap on Mac) on the next iPod in the iTunes sidebar. Select Restore from Backup. 6) From the selection panel, find and select the last backup of the iPod you used in steps 1-3. 7) Click restore. 8) When iTunes completes its restore process, rename that iPod in the iTunes sidebar to its original name (click once on the iPod to select, then click a second time to rename). The iPod will now have its unique name but look just like iPod 1. 9) Repeat this process for each iPod.
 * i(dentical)Pods** //(creating an identical folder structure on each iPod)//

That may look like a foreign language if you've not worked extensively with iTunes in the past. It took me a good amount of time when I first did it, but ever since its made management (especially with the little kids) a lot easier.