Blog 7: School Websites

The school district that I went through as a child was amazing. Although I may be a little biased, they ensured that not only the students, but parents as well knew what to expect. Each teacher was required to have a page specific for their classes. The teachers' pages gave parents and students access to class information, guidelines for the school year, any important forms, and a grade portal. Some teachers put more effort in their pages, however, they all met the basic requirements. Some of the teachers who provided more effort included an About Me Page to their website, tips for improving skills such as reading and writing, and links to classroom blogs. These websites are extremely helpful and beneficial to the classroom. Here are a few examples of the websites provided by teachers in my previous school district as well as a link to their website. 

Wilson Elementary School

As a future educator, I plan on using technology necessary as possible. I have always been the one to learn better using pen and paper, however, I do think that technology has its advantages. For one, I will have a class webpage. My webpage will include all necessary information and answers to all possible questions. I will upload many resources for students and parents and keep it updated. I also plan on using interactive websites that can provide students experiences that are not practical in a classroom. For instance, PhET Interactive Simulations enables students to put their knowledge into practice with online simulations. I will also use technology to show the class videos. TedEd is a great source of credible videos that can serve the classroom in a positive way. These are just a few ways I plan on implemented technology in my classroom while reserving the traditional way of learning. 

This past week, I had the opportunity to use PB Works. Being completely honest, I did not like this platform at all. It was not very easy to use and was very limited with what it was capable of. I also had a hard time ensuring that the settings that I saved were actually saved. There were multiple times that I could not find the page that I created and times when I would open a link that it would direct me to a different page. However, the idea behind the platform is great. Wikis could be extremely helpful for K-12 students. Teachers can use wikis to upload information that may be helpful to students. Wikis can also serve as a pool of references that students can use when working on research or other educational tasks.  Overall, my experience with PB Works was not great and I do not think I would use the platform again unless required to, yet it does have its purpose.