Beneficial Websites for Teachers

There are a variety of organizations and online websites that are beneficial for teachers. Some of these organizations include:
National Council of Teachers of English: www.ncte.org
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: www.nctm.org
National Science Teachers Association: www.nsta.org
National Council for the Social Studies: www.ncss.org
Council for Exceptional Children: www.cec.sped.org
All of these websites offer a wide range of journals and publications that suggest methods of teaching and the effectiveness. Also, there are professional development opportunities such as regional conferences where teachers come together and attend workshops to improve their teaching. Membership to these organizations open even more doors that help teachers in their content areas. For example, they can view a greater variety of journals and resources as partake in template lesson plans and activities.

edHelper

www.edhelper.com is a great educational website for students of all ages. It features all academic curriculum such as reading and writing, mathematics, social studies, science, language, as well as foreign language and critical thinking. Activities and practice in each of these subjects foster students' skills and conceptual understanding. edHelper also caters to children as young as pre-kindergarten as well as special education. Students in higher education can take also advantage of this website's various test preparations such as the SATs. Teachers and parents can also help their students with this educational website by using the themed units and worksheets available.

SMART Boards

SMART boards, also known as interactive whiteboards, are large interactive displays. It is a combination of computer and projector with a touch-sensitive computer screen. They are useful in education, conferences, coaching, and studios. In the classroom, students can present multimedia projects, teachers can show streamed or downloaded video clips, and users can print and save written material. SMART boards encourage critical thinking and is beneficial for students with special needs. They encourage skills such as computer and keyboarding skills, editing skills, how to navigate the Internet, brainstorming, math skills, and vocabulary. SMART boards is a good tool for visual learning as well as hands-on (interactive) learning. Despite the benefits and advantages of SMART boards, the cost of them outweigh the necessity in several schools. The cost is between $1000 and $10,000 depending on the series and features. Nevertheless, technology is progressively more integrated in education.

Internet Safety

Students in this generation are born into the world of technology. Young students are exposed to Internet use, but children of all ages should be aware of the dangerous aspects of the Internet. Several websites seek out the mission to promote Internet safety. i-SAFE Inc. is the worldwide leader in Internet safety education. It reaches out to all ages, such as kids and teens, educators, parents, and law enforcers. More information about i-SAFE Inc. is available at their website http://www.isafe.org/. Other websites that are devoted to teaching children about Internet safety are http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/safety.htm and http://www.netsmartz.org/. These sites include reminders about copy rights and how to report a suspicious website. They also give advice to parents and teachers about teaching Internet safety to children

Google Docs

Google Docs is another collaborative tool. Teachers can make lesson plans on Google docs and share them with partners or professors for their input. Google docs includes spreadsheets as well, which teachers can input students' grades. Google docs is convenient because it can be viewed on any computer without flash drives. Students can also use Google docs for group projects. Students can work together on the project without actually meeting. It is easy to use and all created items can be organized and easily accessible.

Skype

Skype.com is an online collaboration tool. It is free to download but requires a small microphone and optional webcam. Skype allows people to communicate worldwide (28 countries). It is useful for travel, business, and even education. There are many features including a visual phone call and the ability to talk with multiple people. Students and teachers have used Skype in editing papers and projects, where one would need to explain the corrections. Skype acts similar to a phone call, in that it allows people to contact others whether they pick up or not. You can send messages or forward the call to their office or cell phone. It is easy to use and easily accessible.

Online Educational Games

There are several websites that are educational for kids. Children in this generation are brought up with technology, and they should take advantage of it. Websites such as www.funbrain.com and http://funschool.kaboose.com/ provide interactive games that enhance skills in the academic curriculum. They have a variety of links for students, parents, and teachers. These games include word puzzles, arcade games for mathematics and science, and activities to help reading skills. Some benefits of online educational games compared to educational video games, are availability, it's free, and help students learn how to navigate the internet and computer at the same time. These games are challenging but not impossible, which attracts students to keep playing.