Teacher Strategies User Manual
Table of Contents
1. Getting Started
2. Main Interface
3. Strategy Features
4. Managing Your Strategies
5. Premium Decks
6. Customization
7. Sharing and Export
8. Troubleshooting
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
First Launch
When you first open Teacher Strategies, you’ll see the main strategy card interface with the free Classroom Management deck already loaded. The app is ready to use immediately with no setup required.
Basic Navigation
The app uses a card-based interface where you can:
– Tap anywhere on the strategy card to generate a new random strategy
– Swipe left or right on the strategy card to navigate through strategies
– Use the toolbar buttons at the bottom to access different features
Main Interface
Strategy Card
The large card in the center displays your current teaching strategy. Each card shows:
– The strategy text (regular or amplified version)
– The deck name at the bottom
– Interactive elements for navigation
Bottom Toolbar
From left to right, the toolbar contains:
– Dark/Light Mode Toggle: Switch between light and dark appearance
– Theme Button: Access theme customization options
– Deck Selection: Choose which strategy decks to use
– Saved Strategies: View your bookmarked strategies
– Amplify Toggle: Switch between regular and enhanced strategy versions
Strategy Features
How to Use
Teacher Strategies works like a deck of professional development cards that provide instant inspiration when you need it most. Tap to generate a random strategy when you’re planning lessons, facing classroom challenges, or seeking fresh approaches to teaching problems.
Use the app to break through creative blocks during lesson planning, find new solutions to recurring classroom issues, or discover techniques you haven’t considered before. Save strategies that resonate with your teaching style to build a personalized toolkit, and revisit them when implementing new approaches.
The amplify feature lets you start with quick, actionable strategies and expand into detailed implementation when you’re ready to dive deeper. Perfect for busy educators who need both immediate solutions and comprehensive professional development.
Random Strategy Generation
– Swipe the strategy card to get a new random strategy from your active deck
– Swipe left or right to browse through strategies sequentially
– The app remembers strategies you’ve seen to avoid immediate repetition
Amplify Mode
Toggle between two versions of each strategy:
– Regular Mode: Concise, actionable strategies for quick reference
– Amplified Mode: Detailed versions with specific implementation guidance and advanced techniques
To toggle Amplify mode:
1. Tap the “Amplify” button in the bottom toolbar
2. The button will highlight when active
3. All future strategies will show in amplified format until toggled off
Strategy History
The app automatically tracks strategies you’ve viewed in your current session. Use swipe gestures to navigate back through recently seen strategies.
Managing Your Strategies
Saving Strategies
To save a strategy for later reference:
1. Display the strategy you want to save
2. The strategy will be automatically available in your Saved Strategies section
3. Both regular and amplified versions are saved together as a complete strategy card
Viewing Saved Strategies
1. Tap the “Saved Strategies” button (book icon) in the bottom toolbar
2. Browse through your saved strategies
3. Tap any saved strategy to view full details
4. Use the segmented control to switch between “Saved” and “Discarded” strategies
Adding Notes and Ratings
For each saved strategy, you can:
1. Tap on a saved strategy to open Strategy Notes
2. Add a rating using the 1-5 star system
3. Add personal notes about implementation, results, or modifications
4. Save your changes to keep them permanently
Organizing Strategies
– Saved Strategies: Strategies you want to keep and reference
– Discarded Strategies: Strategies you’ve tried but don’t want to use again
– Both sections support notes and ratings for complete tracking
Premium Decks
Available Premium Collections
– Curriculum & Instruction: Advanced instructional design and assessment strategies
– School Leadership: Professional growth and leadership development techniques
– Time Management: Workflow optimization and work-life balance strategies
– Social-Emotional Learning: Student wellbeing and emotional intelligence approaches
Purchasing Individual Decks
1. Tap the deck selection button (stack icon)
2. Browse available decks
3. Tap on a locked premium deck
4. Review the deck description
5. Tap “Purchase for $1.99” to buy individual decks
6. Complete the purchase through your device’s App Store account
Bundle Purchase Option
Save money by purchasing all premium decks together:
1. On any premium deck purchase screen
2. Tap “Purchase All Decks for $6.99”
3. This unlocks all four premium decks at once
4. Saves $1.00 compared to individual purchases
Restoring Purchases
If you’ve purchased decks on another device or need to restore access:
1. Go to any premium deck purchase screen
2. Tap “Restore Purchases”
3. Your previous purchases will be restored automatically
Customization
Themes
Choose from seven different visual themes:
1. Classic: Traditional black and white design
2. Ocean: Blue and teal color palette
3. Forest: Green and earth tones
4. Sunset: Warm oranges and reds
5. Modern: Contemporary design with purple accents
6. Dark: High contrast dark theme
7. Light: Minimal light theme
To change themes:
1. Tap the theme button (paintbrush icon)
2. Preview available themes
3. Tap on your preferred theme
4. The change applies immediately
Dark and Light Modes
Toggle between light and dark appearance:
1. Tap the sun/moon icon in the bottom toolbar
2. The entire app switches between light and dark modes
3. This works independently of your chosen theme
4. Your preference is saved automatically
Sharing and Export
Sharing Individual Strategies
Share strategies with colleagues or for personal reference:
1. Display the strategy you want to share
2. A share dialog will appear with two options:
– Share as Text: Send the strategy text via messaging, email, etc.
– Share as Image: Create a formatted image with the strategy and deck name
CSV Export
Export all your saved strategies for external use:
1. Go to Saved Strategies
2. Look for export options in the interface
3. The CSV file includes:
– Deck name
– Regular strategy text
– Amplified strategy text
– Date saved
– Your rating
– Your personal notes
Image Sharing Format
Shared images include:
– The strategy text with proper formatting
– “Teacher Strategies • [Deck Name]” in the header
– Color coding for amplified text (blue)
– Professional layout suitable for presentations or documentation
Troubleshooting
Purchase Issues
Problem: Purchase button doesn’t respond
Solutions:
– Ensure you have a valid payment method in your App Store account
– Check your internet connection
– Try logging out and back into your Apple ID in Settings
– Restart the app and try again
Problem: Purchase appears to fail but money was charged
Solutions:
– Wait 24 hours for App Store processing
– Use “Restore Purchases” to check for completed transactions
– Contact Apple Support if charges appear without access being granted
Problem: Previously purchased decks show as locked
Solutions:
– Tap “Restore Purchases” on any premium deck screen
– Ensure you’re using the same Apple ID used for the original purchase
– Check that you’re connected to the internet
App Performance Issues
Problem: App runs slowly or freezes
Solutions:
– Force close the app and reopen it
– Restart your device
– Ensure you have adequate storage space
– Update to the latest iOS version
Problem: Strategies not loading or appearing blank
Solutions:
– Check your internet connection
– Force close and reopen the app
– Try switching to a different deck and back
– Restart your device if the issue persists
Theme and Display Issues
Problem: Text is hard to read in certain themes
Solutions:
– Try switching to a different theme using the paintbrush icon
– Toggle between light and dark modes using the sun/moon icon
– Use the Classic theme for maximum readability
Problem: Interface elements appear incorrectly
Solutions:
– Force close and reopen the app
– Try rotating your device and rotating back
– Switch themes and switch back to refresh the interface
Data and Sync Issues
Problem: Saved strategies disappeared
Solutions:
– Check the “Discarded Strategies” section (they may have been moved)
– Force close and reopen the app
– Saved strategies are stored locally on your device
Problem: Settings not saving
Solutions:
– Ensure the app has permission to write to device storage
– Force close and reopen the app
– Check available device storage space
Frequently Asked Questions
General Usage
Q: How many strategies are included with the free version?
A: The free version includes the complete Classroom Management deck with dozens of strategies, plus access to all app features including themes, amplify mode, saving, and export.
Q: What’s the difference between regular and amplified strategies?
A: Regular strategies provide quick, actionable techniques. Amplified strategies offer the same technique with detailed implementation guidance, specific examples, and advanced approaches.
Q: Can I use this app offline?
A: Yes, once strategies are loaded, the app works completely offline. Only purchasing and restoring purchases require internet access.
Premium Features
Q: What do I get with premium decks?
A: Each premium deck contains 100 specialized strategies in both regular and amplified formats. All other app features (themes, export, amplify mode) remain free.
Q: Can I share premium strategies with colleagues?
A: Yes, once purchased, you can share individual strategies via text or image with anyone.
Q: Do purchases work across multiple devices?
A: Yes, purchases are tied to your Apple ID and can be restored on any device using “Restore Purchases.”
Technical Support
Q: The app crashes on startup
A: Try force closing the app, restarting your device, and ensuring you have the latest iOS version. If problems persist, reinstall the app.
Q: I can’t find the export feature
A: CSV export is available in the Saved Strategies section. You need to have saved at least one strategy to access export options.
Q: How do I contact support?
A: For technical issues or questions not covered in this manual, contact the development team through the App Store listing or check for updates that may address your issue.
Privacy and Data
Q: What data does the app collect?
A: Teacher Strategies stores your preferences, saved strategies, and purchase history locally on your device. No personal teaching content is transmitted or stored externally.
Q: Can I backup my saved strategies?
A: Use the CSV export feature to create backups of your saved strategies with all associated notes and ratings.
Q: What happens if I delete the app?
A: Your saved strategies and settings will be lost unless you’ve exported them. Premium purchases can be restored using your Apple ID.