Why are teacher Why are teacher websites important?websites important?

The Classroom WebpageThe Classroom Webpage

A website expands your A website expands your time.time.

A website is open for business 24-7. A website is open for business 24-7. People can go to your website any day, at any time People can go to your website any day, at any time

of day. It is convenient. of day. It is convenient. Parents can read the homework assignments or the Parents can read the homework assignments or the

information about that upcoming field trip.information about that upcoming field trip. The website will be working for you even when you The website will be working for you even when you

are asleep! It saves you time and expense.are asleep! It saves you time and expense. There is no way that you could schedule There is no way that you could schedule

conferences around the clock like that. conferences around the clock like that. A website can take the place of meetings, parent A website can take the place of meetings, parent

pages, newspapers, brochures, and announcements.pages, newspapers, brochures, and announcements.

A website expands your A website expands your range.range.

A website gives you unlimited exposure. A website gives you unlimited exposure. People in your community and even from half People in your community and even from half way around the world can visit your website. way around the world can visit your website.

Parents can give your website address to Parents can give your website address to relatives who live out of town.relatives who live out of town.

A website expands your resources.A website expands your resources.

Students gain access to many more curriculum resources. Students gain access to many more curriculum resources.

By placing those hyperlinks to relevant resources on the By placing those hyperlinks to relevant resources on the classroom Web page, teachers not only can speed up classroom Web page, teachers not only can speed up access to materials, but can also increase all students' access to materials, but can also increase all students' access to high-quality curriculum materials that directly access to high-quality curriculum materials that directly support content.support content.

Though placing resources one click away is no guarantee Though placing resources one click away is no guarantee that students will use them independently, it goes a long that students will use them independently, it goes a long way toward doing all that can be done to support all way toward doing all that can be done to support all learners.learners.

Your website will enable you to connect with other Your website will enable you to connect with other educators who share your interests.educators who share your interests.

A website can challenge your students to A website can challenge your students to become more interested in their school become more interested in their school

work.work.

Students will come to see the Internet as a Students will come to see the Internet as a personally relevant extension of school. personally relevant extension of school.

Because the Internet is already an extension Because the Internet is already an extension of so much of their non-school life, failing to of so much of their non-school life, failing to establish a classroom component on the Web establish a classroom component on the Web can can reduce the perception of the importance reduce the perception of the importance of school.of school.

Since the great majority of students are really Since the great majority of students are really interested in the Internet, a website can interested in the Internet, a website can captivate their attention and challenge them captivate their attention and challenge them to become more interested in their school to become more interested in their school work. In their eyes, a website is work. In their eyes, a website is "totally cool.”"totally cool.”

Connection:Connection:

Students come to see their teachers as Students come to see their teachers as connected. connected.

In American culture today, if you're not In American culture today, if you're not online, you're not relevant. Just ask any online, you're not relevant. Just ask any business or entertainment effort.business or entertainment effort.

PBS now creates Web content concurrently PBS now creates Web content concurrently with television content. Website: with television content. Website: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/

Access:Access:

Through the inclusion of an email address, a Through the inclusion of an email address, a contact form, or another communication tool, contact form, or another communication tool, students and their families gain extended students and their families gain extended access to you.access to you.

The teacher is the most valuable resource in The teacher is the most valuable resource in the classroom, so it only makes sense to the classroom, so it only makes sense to provide greater access.provide greater access.

AND, it can cut down on all those phone calls! AND, it can cut down on all those phone calls!

Experience:Experience:

Students will gain experience using digital Students will gain experience using digital resources in direct support of learning.resources in direct support of learning.

This will be a twenty-first-century life skill, as This will be a twenty-first-century life skill, as virtually all professions now use online virtually all professions now use online learning tools to provide services to learning tools to provide services to employees, and colleges and universities are employees, and colleges and universities are constantly ramping up their use of digital constantly ramping up their use of digital tools to support their students in different tools to support their students in different ways.ways.

What should a teacher What should a teacher website include?website include?

HOW TO CONTACT YOU:HOW TO CONTACT YOU:

IMPORTANT INFO:IMPORTANT INFO:

EVENTS & EVENTS & NOTIFICATIONS:NOTIFICATIONS:

LINKS:LINKS:

STUDENT PROJECTS:STUDENT PROJECTS:

MAINTAIN YOUR SITE!MAINTAIN YOUR SITE!

Keep Your Web Site Current!Keep Your Web Site Current! Pages should be checked regularly to ensure Pages should be checked regularly to ensure

that links are working and meet district that links are working and meet district standards. standards.

Check to make sure all internal and Check to make sure all internal and external links work properly.external links work properly.

Remove expired date-related items.Remove expired date-related items. Maintain your files, remove unneeded Maintain your files, remove unneeded

files.files. Test all pages thoroughly.Test all pages thoroughly.

GRAMMAR & SPELLING!GRAMMAR & SPELLING!

All pages should be grammatically All pages should be grammatically correct.correct.

All words should be spelled correctly.All words should be spelled correctly.

When acronyms are used, the meaning When acronyms are used, the meaning must be spelled out the first time it is must be spelled out the first time it is used.used.

Do not assume the reader knows any Do not assume the reader knows any acronyms (AR, ESE, etc.).acronyms (AR, ESE, etc.).

Linking to other sites:Linking to other sites:

All pages and links, including non-DCS links, All pages and links, including non-DCS links, shall be curriculum related, instructional or shall be curriculum related, instructional or school-oriented and appropriate to educational school-oriented and appropriate to educational purposes. purposes.

Some inappropriate link examples may include, but Some inappropriate link examples may include, but are not limited to:are not limited to:

References and/or links to commercial (unless References and/or links to commercial (unless related to your topic), political or religious sitesrelated to your topic), political or religious sites..

Meaningful terms should be used for all Meaningful terms should be used for all hyperlinks.hyperlinks.

No links to student or staff social networking/ No links to student or staff social networking/ personal web sites outside of DCS servers are personal web sites outside of DCS servers are allowed on a school's web site. Links to your allowed on a school's web site. Links to your CLASSROOM/SCHOOL social feeds are permitted.CLASSROOM/SCHOOL social feeds are permitted.

IMPORTANT!IMPORTANT!

Use PDF format when posting Use PDF format when posting attachments. This will ensure that the attachments. This will ensure that the content of your documents cannot be content of your documents cannot be altered and can be opened by most altered and can be opened by most users.users.

Image Resources:Image Resources:Pics4learning.com – Royalty free educational – Royalty free educational

photos for downloadphotos for download

Image resources cont.Image resources cont.Picmonkey.com – Free image-resizer – Free image-resizer

that does not require downloading that does not require downloading the software OR registration!the software OR registration!