My Favorite Programs for Creating Resource {Q&A Monday}

What program(s) do you use to create your materials?

I was always a word / powerpoint user. I'll never forget the day I tried using Powerpoint to create a classroom worksheet and discovered I could move things around without everything shifting like it did in Word.

And then I bought a Macbook (pause to insert bright lights and angelic singing over the joy known as converting from a PC to a Mac).

So I needed new software.

I went into the Apple Store and asked for the Office Software for my new computer. The guy who looked younger than my 3rd grade students assured me that I instead wanted iWork. He told be that it was compatible with Word and Powerpoint, but could do much more and would be much more user-friendly. I liked the sound of that. Plus they call these guys "Geniuses" and who am I to argue with a "Genius?"

I'll be honest. I cursed out that man for almost a year. I often thought about going back and paying him a not-so-friendly visit. While I am a fan of learning new things in general that doesn't apply to technology. When it comes to techy stuff I prefer to live in my comfort zone.

But alas, with time and trial and error I grew to love both Pages and Keynote. In fact, I just bought the newest version of Word and Powerpoint and am currently hating on them both so I think I stick with iWork.

So to answer the question...I use both of those with a healthy dose of Photoshop to spice things up.

I really don't think they are hard to use or learn at all if you are open them. I keep discovering new aspects to them that make me love them more. So I suppose the Genius was spot on...he just didn't account for my learning curve.

Here are a couple of links to give you some more info on the programs if you are interested (and don't forget to use your educator discount):

Keynote info  and Pages info

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