Another Teacher Resource

I love this website: http://www.wmtps.org/techini/bestsite/bestsite.html

It is a great site that links teachers all over the web to resources in all different categories. One example is you can search for art projects or lesson plans according to topic or time of year. It is a great way to join teachers together for anyone to access what is already put out there on the web. An example of a link on the page is titled "GAMES". You can literally search for any game or activity according to language, topic, subject, or holiday you want. Sometimes these sites are a good way to start your brain and come up with something on your own based on other ideas.

Podcasts

This is a great tool for teachers to not only incorporate technology into their lesson plans, but also an alternative way for students to learn. Podcasts can be created by students for a project or used to learn a lesson and write at the same time. Podcasts can be searched through iTunes and not only are the easily accessed, but they are also FREE. That is a great way to use resources at no expense. They can be accessed in the classroom and I don't know any child over the age of eight now-a-days that doesn't have iTunes installed on a computer at home.

Inside Mathematics- A teacher resource website

http://www.insidemathematics.org/

http://www.insidemathematics.org/index.php/classroom-video-visits/public-lesson-number-operations/172-multiplication-a-divison-introduction-part-a?phpMyAdmin=NqJS1x3gaJqDM-1-8LXtX3WJ4e8

This site is great for perhaps teachers that are not comfortable with a certain topic in mathematics. Sometimes, even though we as teachers are supposed to be masters in our subjects, there are just some topics we cannot get comfortable enough to teach on our own. This site is a way to engage the students and guiding them if you simply cannot do it on your own. For example, the link above shows different teaching styles on multiplication and division. Here, teachers can get ideas about how to go about teaching a topic.

Wikis/Wikipedia

This is a great way to gather information in a classroom and create a website on the knowledge learned or gained. The students are the ones who can decide what information is important and needed in order to help others understand a certain subject. They can think back to how they learned the topic at hand and see what helped them understand best. The information can then not only be accessed by the school and other students in the community, but by anyone on the web. Others can then put their input into the site and and add other information that maybe the students left out.

Freerice.com

Freerice.com is a great challenge website.  Students can use this site to practice at home, in the library, or in class when there is free time.  It is an engaging site for vocabulary and not only is it great for students, but it also donates rice to children who do not have enough food.  This is a great way for students to understand how to help the community and do their part in a small way.

The Traveler IQ challenge ranks geographic knowledge of cities such as: Anaheim, Palm Springs or Honolulu by comparing results against 6,197,149 other travelers. Brought to you by TravelPod, a TripAdvisor Media Network partner

Students can go to this website via my blog when finished with another website to keep busy and learn at the same time!  I like this website because it gives the students choices to choose from on the globe.  They can either focus in on the area in the world in which they are studying at the time or give it a try on maybe an area they aren't necessarily as familiar with.  It is also a good study tool that they can access at home.

Wordle.net

The wordle website is useful because you can literally take any material and turn it into something educational and fun for the students.  For example, a teacher can post this on the board and ask a student to explain what a word means whether they actually know it or not and they can receive clarification from the teacher.  When the students are done filtering through the words and explaining what they mean, you can say, "and this is what the Bill of Rights is made up of".  It is an engaging activity for the students to learn and for the teacher to monitor learning at the same time.

Teacher, [parent, and student] Resource Website

http://math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/index.html

This is a good website for teachers, parents, and students to use for math and reading help.  The games are good for students to practice and exercise their brains.  The games seem somewhat elementary only because, for example, the words in the hangman game are rather easy and not much of a challenge.  The "whack the difference" game was interesting because it could be for anyone, but I don't see the relevence to math or reading.  This would be a good resource for parents to look for places or ideas on how to help their children at home.  Often parents are stuck in a dilemma when instructions or steps for homework are difficult to understand and are not helpful to their child.  Another way that this website is helpful is for teachers because it links to articles from all over the country that suggest formats for assignments and tests.  It is also useful for current events in the educational world.

First Blog!

This will be an experience for me and all that decide to follow! Welcome and we will see where the experiences take us.  I am excited to learn about technology and myself as this blog is created.  This is the first blog I have ever created.  I enjoy talking out loud so we will see if the same is for my fingertips.  So here is a little about myself, I am an aspiring teacher and can't wait for what the future holds.  This is my last year of college before I will move on to earning my credentials. Wish me luck and I look forward to see what is created from this blog! :] Until next time!