Teacher Websites

1) Google sites is a really nice website that blends ease of use with a professional look. I really like how easy it is to both set up and maneuver around. The benefits are obvious. How great to have all the class information in one place that both the students and parents can easily access. I like how Google sites can be updated quickly and you can add in an almost unlimited number of pages and gadgets into the site. It would be wonderful to post all your assignments onto a page so no student can claim they lost their handout and didn’t know what to do. This is also a great way to get the students used to turning to the internet to get practical information, not just for entertainment.

2) The main drawback is the amount of time that it can take to make this and keep it updated. I currently have a UEN website and I have never been able to get students or parents to check it at all. I’ve put extra credit assignments and homework updates on it but with no results. It is required by the state, but it really is ignored by the students, so I don’t keep it current like I should. I think the fact that Googlesites looks so professional (while the UEN site doesn’t) could make a real difference. I have to think harder about how to make this a useful tool for the students, parents, and myself.

3) It is required for each teacher to have a UEN website for Utah Charter schools. Up to this point I created one just to meet the requirement, rather than every-day use. I’m excited to try creating a very basic page for each class on the UEN site and then linking it too a Google web page. I like all the individual pages we have been introduced so far. I definitely want to include all my handouts on my website, as well as important links, such as audio files of books we are reading, exact Amazon pages where parent can buy the books we are reading, and tutorials on the subjects we are studying. I’m still trying to figure out what the secret ingredient is to make this a useful tool.