NJEA Convention in Atlantic City, NJ, November 6 & 7, 2008

06 November 2008

Don, Sandy, Carole and I enjoyed speaking with you at the NJEA. It is inspiring to see your dedication to your students and to hear how you are striving to bring out their best.

As I spoke with many educators, we discussed the differences between the expectations of the classroom and that of the real world. When students work on a homework assignment, they know that they have a captive audience with their teachers and parents. From that perspective, appearance of the page doesn't matter to them because it gets read anyway. That isn't the case after graduation.In this image-rich world, everyone is vying for our attention.Those who can make their work eye-catching and effective will win. It is important that we teach our children that appearance is as important as the content.Submitting an assignment typed in Times New Roman on a plain white sheet of paper doesn't cut it in the real world.Graphics-Toolbox has the easy-to-learn and use tools that teachers and students need to create effective presentations and raise the quality of their work. Kids love technology and students who use Graphics-Toolbox create better presentations, get better grades and are more proud of their final projects. The thought process that goes into creating effective presentations stimulates kids to learn more in the process too.

Your school is being evaluated on the achievement level of the entire school population. Incorporating Graphics-Toolbox into your curriculum will raise the academic performance and comprehension level of every student in the school. Because of its hands-on visual interface, this program engages all students: ESL, special ed, mainstream and accelerated. To quote Dr. John J. Medina, the author of Brain Rules:"We are incredible at remembering pictures. Hear a piece of information, and three days later you'll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you'll remember 65%."When students can add and customize graphics in their assignments and when teachers can use dynamic visuals to stimulate their students, the entire school population thrives.

All grade levels can benefit from Graphics-Toolbox. Students can begin using it for simple graphic/ mechanical skills in first grade, and develop their skills to make more meaningful and interesting reports in 3rd - 5th grade. By middle and high school, they will have the ability to create professional-looking projects. Graphics-Toolbox is not just academic software, so the tools they learn in school will continue to be applied in their adult lives and professional careers.