School Web Pages

Classroom web sites can be a helpful resource not only for students but to their parents as well. It is a site designed and created by you, the teacher, where you can post announcements, homework, educational links, upload photos, add a reading list or books, and so much more!

You can be as creative as you want and really make the site as personal as you wish. Having a class web site is almost a requirement these days and making sure you are on top of constantly updating it can make or break the idea of having a resourceful class site.

As I searched around my districts school web pages, I noticed many of the teachers sites are very similar. Although I am unsure of how much access they truly have to adding certain things onto their pages, I would assume they would have more about their class and students added on to view. Again, this could be a security issue with posting pictures of children and their names. Safety first!

I think the websites in which the teachers create and build their pages through may not be the most recent sites and have the latest layouts, etc. could inhibit them from making a really fun and interactive site.

All in all, having a school web page is not only great for each teacher's classroom (for students and parents) but also great for the school to have the opportunity to present what they are all about.

Peanut FREE Schools

Below is a link for a news segment from Good Morning America as they visited Wallace Primary School in Hoboken, NJ, where my sister, Lea, is a kindergarten teacher. The Interview was based on Wallace becoming one of the schools taking a step forward to become a safer environment for children with peanut allergies. They are now a complete peanut free school, but many question is this a good step in the right direction or a step backwards in the wrong direction? I think schools in general try to do everything they could to make the school a safe haven for all the children attending it. I would love to hear feedback from everyone and see what you all think.

Please feel free to real the article and watch the video clip....enjoy!

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/story?id=7141066&page=1

Web Page Building

Creating a web page can be intimidating and make you want to run in the opposite direction, but there are many sites out there that provide step-by-step tools to help guide you in building your very own web page. Web pages can be used for multiple purposes, for example, school web pages. Educators and faculty members use school web pages to connect with students, parents, and other members of the school board to post updated news and activity announcements.

"Creating a web page can be as basic as typing information into a single online form." - Lauren Goldberg, "How to Build Your Own Web Page"

Through these sites you will be guided on how to enter text, add links, upload pictures, learn how to post homework assignments, update calendar dates, and highlight school activities.

There are many benefits to having a web page. For example, if you are using it for your classroom it can provide parents and students with information. Everybody today uses the computer for one reason or another, whether it may be to check your e-mail, write a paper, create a PowerPoint presentation, or to simply google something. It will forever be part of our lives and adding this form of technology to our classroom, where half the children know how to access and use a computer would be great.

Web page building can be a fun project to take on, plus you can learn something new and be that much more technology savvy because you have mastered how to create a web page with neat gadgets, links, educational information, photos, etc.

Creating a web page does take time, practice, and patience, but so do many things we try to accomplish and succeed at in life. Why not try it out, you never know what can come of it, but also remember to be wise of what you post and puiblish because it can only come back to haunt you if you allow it to.

How NOT to Use PowerPoint

Below is a funny youtube clip on the do's and don't's when creating a PowerPoint presentation. It you like comedy and enjoy learning something new then you will love this clip. I first saw this clip in my graduate class with Dr. Luongo and wanted to share it with everyone. Take some notes!

Saint Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I know I'm a few days early but I wanted to give teachers an opportunity to visit these sites to collect fun printables, learn the history, and gather other classroom crafts before the holiday is over. Enjoy!!!

Fun Sites:
http://familyfun.go.com/stpatricks/

http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/~greentown/stpat/stpat.htm

http://www.fvsd.ab.ca/stm/St%20Patricks%20Day.htm

http://arthur.k12.il.us/arthurgs/stpthunt.htm

Web-Based Educational Resources

Educational resources or "e-learning" is instruction delivered via a computer that is designed to build knowledge and skills. The Educational Technology Division (ETD)collaborates with teachers in the development of Interactive Resources (IRs) for teaching and learning in schools. Each web-based IR is a stand alone resource that can be reused and customized to meet the needs of teachers and pupils. The IRs developed with teachers are added to the pool of resources that can be shared and used in classroom teaching and learning.

Jose Fermosos, a writer for an online newspaper wrote a funny and interesting article about web-based educational resources. his opening paragraph was: "Want an education? Open up a browser. With the information available online, you could probably get a complete education without ever leaving your house" and how true it is. for many traditional teachers, students, and parents it is hard to find reliable, relevant, age-appropriate, and safe sources online that could be used for educational purposes.

He rated the top web-based educational resources:
1. Cosmeo- an online homework toolkit from the Discovery Channel for kids in grades K-12. It includes over 30,000 videos and math tutorials, close to 150,000 reference articles and entertaining, but always educational, interactive games.

2. Best Robotics - If your kids dream of electric sheep.... encourage their interest in robots, and you might help spur them on to a future in engineering or science. Best Robotics can help, with a robotics competition that attracts more than 10,000 students in grades 6-12 nationwide. It matches up tech pros with kids in a robot-building process that leads up to the competition, which includes oral presentations and sportsmanship evaluations.

3. Education.com- The recently launched Education.com fills a need as a one-stop educational online resource for parents, and it has a strong community aspect too. It includes more than 4,000 reference articles from reliable sources such as education Ph.D.s and government agency studies. The site still has a way to go, but we can't wait for it to fully grow up.

4. Curriki.com- Teachers, do you need lesson plans or guidelines on how to teach a segment on Romeo & Juliet? Check out Curriki.org, a nonprofit site that aims to do for school curricula what Linux did for operating systems: Create a freely accessible, open-source alternative. The site is continually updated with input from educators and parents. Teachers have free access to add lesson plans and the more knowledgeable educators become involved, the more they improve each lesson plan.

5. Kiddix- If you want to protect your kids from online threats while giving them a hand up on the educational ladder, why not give them an operating system tailored to their needs? Kiddix is a good start. Its colorful, simplified interface is easier for kids to pick up on their own than Windows or OS X. The Linux-based OS is secure and it's got built-in parental monitoring tools too.

6. eNature- A crucial aspect of growing up is figuring out your place within the rest of the natural world, and this means more than just measuring up to bullies in the playground. Kids love animals and with the help of eNature.com, they'll get a close-up guide to enhance their curiosity. There's also a similar open-source project, the Tree of Life, covered recently on Wired Science.

7. Idealist.org- Many schools and colleges emphasize volunteering as part of the educational process. But how do you find the right place to volunteer? At Idealist.org, nonprofits post volunteer opportunities for kids (and adults too) in an easily searchable interface. There's a similar site at iEarn, which enables teachers and students to collaborate on volunteer projects.

8. Smithsonian Institution- The Smithsonian Institution is more than just a large cluster of crusty old buildings. It's also an incredible online resource for every child in America -- there are innumerable educational features on everything from sharks and grizzly bears to Presidents and musicians. Be sure to check out Smithsonian Education, a site-within-a-site made specifically for younger children, with engaging Flash-based presentations as well as the Smithsonian Research site, which features detailed cultural programs for kids of all ages.

As you can see there are a variety of resources online that could be helpful for all teachers, students, and parents. The web has become a world-wide resource for the "average Joe". everyone can use the computer to research different topics and learn something new every day. it is a a multi-dimensional useful tool.

Creating A Web Page

Creating a web page is something that is not always easy to accomplish but definitely rewarding in the end. It is very time consuming and may take a few days to even several weeks to complete but the finished product can and is so useful for so many things, whether it is for one's classroom, which can be beneficial for the students and parents; or if it is for a business, which can help consumers know exactly what you are selling.

I created a WebQuest and although it took awhile to finish I was so proud of the end result and would recommend it to anyone looking to improve their style of teaching, etc. especially if you are into technology. I am now building a school web page through the Scholastic website, and this website will allow students and parents to access the class's homepage for homework, news, announcements, photos, and events. It is very kid-friendly and geared toward a elementary school level with the bright, colorful layouts and fun animated pictures. It is something I would also recommend for educators to use in their classroom, only if you are going to update it daily, otherwise you know how parents can get...they will complain and trying to avoid that would be by taking charge and keeping on top of things.

Creating a web page is a learning experience because it gets you familiar with using the computer and different sites, researching the web, creating something for others to access and use as well as yourself, and becoming in tune with the changing times. Whether you've had a positive or negative experience creating a web page, you should never let that inhibit you from trying again. Turn it into a fun experience and see how creative you can be!

Teacher Expectations

Nearly all schools hold high expectations for all students. In reality, however, what is professed is not always practiced. Although some schools and teachers maintain uniformly high expectations for all students, others have "great expectations."

Below are educators/psychologists who express their idea and feelings in regard to expectations by the teacher:

The expectations teachers have for their students and the assumptions they make about their potential have a tangible effect on student achievement. Research "clearly establishes that teacher expectations do play a significant role in determining how well and how much students learn" - Jerry Bamberg

Students tend to internalize the beliefs teachers have about their ability. Generally, they "rise or fall to the level of expectation of their teachers.... When teachers believe in students, students believe in themselves. When those you respect think you can, YOU think you can" -James Raffini.

Conversely, when students are viewed as lacking in ability or motivation and are not expected to make significant progress, they tend to adopt this perception of themselves. Regrettably, some students, particularly those from certain social, economic, or ethnic groups, discover that their teachers consider them "incapable of handling demanding work" -Peggy Gonder.

Teachers' expectations for students-whether high or low-can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is, students tend to give to teachers as much or as little as teachers expect of them.
A characteristic shared by most highly effective teachers is their adherence to uniformly high expectations. They "refuse to alter their attitudes or expectations for their students-regardless of the students' race or ethnicity, life experiences and interests, and family wealth or stability"
-Barbara J. Omotani and Les Omotani.

All of these thoughts are true and can be found in schools from different districts. I personally agree with James Raffini's quote: "When teachers believe in students, students believe in themselves"....how true! as educators we need to be aware of how we come across to our students and keep in mind they have feelings too and people who love them, like their parents, so being demanding or harsh is never good.

Homework

Teachers often give assignments consisting of reading, problem solving or writing that the students must do after class--typically at home. Ideally, the purpose of homework is to help reinforce what was taught in class. Sometimes it is gathering extra information beyond what was taught in class. Unfortunately, there are some teachers that don't understand the meaning of homework and give it as something to keep the students busy.

Reinforce Knowledge: The teacher can provide information and explain the subject in class. The problem is that you typically will only remember 50% of the information you get by seeing and hearing explanations. Also, you may not completely understand the principles or facts involved. You need to apply that knowledge to really learn the subject.
For example, the teacher may explain how to solve a certain type of math problem in class. But unless you go home and solve a couple of problems yourself, you probably won't really learn or understand the method involved. By the next day, you may have already forgotten what was taught. Likewise, your teacher may explain the reasons for the action of people in an historical event. When you read about the event, you will then pick up on what really happened and why.

Beyond Classwork: Sometimes teachers will only give an overview of material and assign reading to get the major part of the information. Then the next day, the teacher may answer any questions students may have or perhaps verbally quiz them on the material. History, English Literature and Sociology are examples of classes that require extensive reading outside of class.
The advantage of this is that much more material can be covered than what could be covered in class. The disadvantage to the student is that often questions aren't answered and there is no reinforcement to enhance remembering what was read. If the homework includes writing essays or answering questions in the book on what was read, there is a degree of reinforcement. You need to apply what you have just read, and often that will help you remember and understand the material. Unfortunately, the only way to find out if you understood the material is if your homework is graded. But that doesn't explain it to you.

Meaningless Homework: The worst type of homework is the type that is meaningless or just "busy-work". It is common for a teacher assign students to look up some subject on the Internet and put together an essay on it. Many will find a number of resources and copy and paste the material without really reading or understanding it. All this amounts to is an exercise in using Google to find things. Another type of homework is doing repetitive problems or solving puzzles that really don't add to your knowledge. Unfortunately, you may have to do this sort of nonsense to get a good grade in the class.

The purpose of homework is to help you learn what was taught in class or to gain information by reading and answering questions. One type is reinforcing what was taught in class, another type is studying beyond what was explained in class, and the third type is primarily meant to keep the students busy. In any case, it is necessary to do your homework--and do it well--to get a good grade in the class.

Rubistar Website

RubiStar is a website designed for teachers to help create a well-organized, neat, and precise rubric based on any subject you desire. There is a step-by-step process to help guide you in creating your own web rubric for your personal use or for all to view and use.

"If you want to make exemplary rubrics in a short amount of time, then try RubiStar. Registered users can save and edit rubrics online. You can access them from home, school, or on the road." And the best part.....registration and use of this tool is free!!!! It is safe, reliable, and very useful. It is as easy as 1-2-3.

Any educator can create a rubric for subjects like: a class debate, a puppet show, making a game, a web site design, lab report, math- problem solving, persuassive essay writing, art history reports, and music compositions...the sky is the limit! RubiStar is also availabe in spanish, so it is ideal for all PC users.

Visit the website and try it out for free: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Inspiration

Inspiration is the essential visual thinking and learning tools students rely on to plan, research and complete projects successfully. With the integrated diagram and outline views, learners create graphic organizers and expand topics into writing. This powerful combination encourages learning in multiple modes. as a result, students gain and retain a better understanding of concepts and demonstrate knowledge, improving their performance across the curriculum. This website is ideal for children and teens in grades 6-12.

Students use Inspiration to:

1. Plan and organize
2. Research and Evaluate and
3. Comprehend and communicate.

Like Kidspiration, Inspiration has the same layout and goals. With over 120 cross curriculum templates, Inspiration is easily accessible for all students. With enhanced features, students in grades 6-12 can create projects, papers, and everything they need with the appropriate tools needed to guide them through the process. Using the same idea as Kidspiration by beginning with a main idea focual point, Inspiration builds upon brain storming techniques to create the ultimate outline and web design to organize and create a end product....a paper/web design. With Inspiration, students can add videos and URLs to their pages to show demonstrations or educational information that may go along with their topics being dicussed. Studenst can easily transfer their work into a word processor and link their documents to other sites to create their very own webpage/site. Like kidspiration, Inspiration offers: examples and lesson plans, videos, success stories, resources, inspired learning community, and a help center. This site like the kidspiration site are great helpful programs that should be used at home and if possible in the classroom when needed. There are so many benefical benfits to using this program, especially if the student is a visual learner.......GET INSPIRED!!!