Subscriber Special, Post high school military options, Tech tips

Published: Sat, 10/18/25

Updated: Sat, 10/18/25

One of the most popular applications of math is through spreadsheets (like Excel) that make numbers relevant to everyday life. Many think this is too complicated, too cerebral, someone can do it but not them--they'd be wrong. I start my students in 1st grade with spreadsheets (though they don't call it that).

Over the next few months, we'll provide a series of lessons on spreadsheet basics you can use in your K-8 classroom. Here are some of the topics we'll cover:

#74: Mastering Excel (for Beginners)
#71: Beginning Graphs in MS Excel
#70: Create a Timecard in Excel for Grade Two and Up
#73: How to Graph in Excel
#12: Create Simple Shapes in Excel
#75: Tessellations in Excel
#72: How to Check Your Math in Excel
How to Use Excel to Teach Math Arrays
#62: Email from Word (Or PowerPoint or Excel)
#79: Excel Turns Data Into Information

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Today's tip: My screen is upside down

Q: My screen is sideways 90 degrees. How do I fix that?

A: If you ever needed this, you're going to be blessing me. If you've never faced that off-kilter screen, you're going to wonder why I'd post this tip.

Of course, I've faced it--I run a tech lab and there are always those pesky prodigies who want to outsmart me. They know if they push Ctrl+Alt+(down arrow), it'll turn the screen upside down. The first time it happened, I was at a loss. That's when a different pesky prodigy told me how to fix it:

Ctrl+Alt+(up arrow)

I used it at least once a month when I was in the classroom.

Your Daughter is Going to USNA (or another Military Academy). What’s Ahead of her?

If you are one of the 1,000+ who got an offer, and you accepted, you’re wondering what to do with yourself until I-Day at the end of June. This webpage on USNA.edu will provide black and white details, but there’s so much more. A question I often get from women concerns women in a male world. How’s that work?

I asked my daughter to help me with this. She graduated in 2008, served on the USS Bunker Hill and the newly-commissioned USS San Diego for her two sea tours, then assigned to Washington DC for her stateside tours. Along the way, she was promoted from Ensign to Commander and is on track to become Captain. She has a responsible position, lots of decision making, makes a difference in the lives of those around her and the future of the nation. When she retires, it will be with a solid pension, continuing health care, the feeling that she did something good for twenty years, and still young enough to start a second career.

Click here for her advice to women preparing to attend USNA or another Military Academy:

This series delves into making the military part of college-career choices:

5 Must-do Skills to Accomplish During High School
5 Popular Excuses for Not Going to USNA
9 Secrets for Getting into a Service Academy
11 Ways to Become a Navy Officer and a Gentleman
Apply for a Military Academy
Average USNA Candidate
ASVAB or a Service Academy? You Decide.
College Bound: Take Inventory
Didn't get into a Military Academy? Try NAPS
Goal Setting for a Fourteen-year-old
Is a Military Academy Right for You?
Leadership Traits Found in USNA Midshipmen
Preparing for the College Interview
OCS--an option
STEM at USNA
Successful USNA Graduates
What Happens After USNA Graduation
Why the USNA?
You're a Freshman and Interest in USNA
You're a Sophomore and Interested in USNA
You're a Junior and Interested in USNA
You're a Senior and Interested in USNA
You Know You're a Plebe if...

Education is changing as the world does, too. It's not just undergrad and then grad or trade school. Here are more ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team of what's available:

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Questions? Go ahead and ask! I love tech ed questions. You can either reply to this newsletter or contact me via email.

27062 Lost Colt
Laguna Hills CA 92653
USA

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