I've been making use of the OS X Finder's labels, or ability to color code icons, as shown above, particularly with the younger students. The Kindergarteners and first grade students oftentimes have a difficult time reading the file names. I tend to pre-stage the students' work in their folders on the server. This simplifies saving the students' work because the document is already in their folder on the server and the student (or I) do not need to drill down through the file system to get the work saved to the correct location.
Now when I go into a class I can have the students use their paper laptops to follow along as I explain that we are going to go into the Kindergarten Group folder, then their class folder, then their folder. Instead of telling them that we will be opening a file by its name, I just tell them the color of the file. This increases the students' independence and makes instruction easier, too.
Comments