Education Short List

As I wrote about in an earlier note, I have a friend who is entering into a graduate school program for teachers. And, it causes me to ponder and reflect. One thing that she asks about are some of the sites and resources online that she can/should use. Although I have a list of the usual sites, I put more thought into some of the more creative and unlikely resources.

This list is by no means the only sites you can use, but they are ones I use for creating lessons. My criteria for making this list is that it isn’t education based, yet it has lessons and/or curriculum tools that can easily be integrated into a classroom. Plus, it has materials that are able to be connected to the National Framework for Educational Standards. Actually, I would really like to hear about other ones that you’ve discovered and that are useful for you. In fact, I am sure by the time I am done posting this, I will have found more that I wish I would have added.

http://www.ourcourts.org/default.php

This site is one created by Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor. Although it may seem like Mrs. O’Connor would be an unlikely teacher, she isn’t. The site deals with Civics and understanding it through modern contexts. It also provides teachers with lessons (which we all love) and ways to take what a complex subject – such as Civics and our American government system – and make it relatable.

http://www.billnye.com

Bill Nye loves Science – and yes, this site is education based; but really it is based on making Science and all that is related to Science interesting. For an educator, there are a variety of ways to integrated this format – videos, experiments, lessons, projects. I really like that part. Plus, for lower grades there might be as much time to develop an entire curriculum for Science – this allows for ways to stick to the standards while still giving your students the chance to do something more with it.

http://www.pbs.org

PBS has long been a resource for families looking for creative education based television programs for their children. It’s also a great place to find information for educators. In fact, when you click on the homepage you can see various headings that are for children, students, and educators. One of my favorite parts is that PBS can be used at all grade levels and for all subject areas. Need high school art? No problem, Middle School history of Oregon? Got it. Kindergartners who are learning about American Symbols – right here. Plus with pictures and bios of people of different backgrounds it allows for an expansion on what is being taught in the classroom.

http://scholar.google.com/

Google Scholar is one that is mainly for the Grad Students; but it can also be useful as a reference source for high-schoolers. This is a site that was introduced to me during my time in graduate school. The beautiful aspect to this site is that it lists literary information and is researched by other scholars – as to enhance the validity to the resources that you will find there.

Lastly – check with your local libraries, cities, and states

Each library, city site, and state website will have plenty of valuable resources and lessons available. It’s very refreshing, and surprising, to learn about the plethora of information that you are able to get from your local government departments. Several will have lessons already prepared to give out, and on occasion you can find people willing to bring the field trip to your classroom! It’s definitely worth checking out.

Recently a friend of mine enrolled in a local university to become a teacher. By talking with her, it automatically made me think of my time in graduate school – first to obtain a teacher’s credential and then my Master’s degree. I gained a great deal of knowledge from the classes that I went through. However, there were some important things I wish I would have known, learned, or done before completing those programs.

Substitute Teach

a. You may really think that teaching 1st grade is the bee’s knees and the greatest thing ever – but once you’re in your room with 30 five and six year olds it could become a completely different story.
b. By taking the time to substitute, you will gain experience and knowledge about what grades you would like to teach, what your specialty could be, meet experienced teachers and administrators, and learn information that can assist you better in your graduate program.

Start buying books

a. Everyone knows if you can’t read, you can’t do anything. Even though you may not know exactly what classroom you will end up in, it’s always a smart move to start collecting books for your future school.
b. Having an array of diverse books for your students to read will encourage them to become diverse readers in turn. Make sure to include authors and stories of different races, cultures, professions, and genders.
c. The books don’t need to be brand new or all in hardback; used books, ones bought at sales or auctions, newer stories or old classics are all greatly appreciated by your students – even your high school kiddos.

Pick your Master Teacher

a. Look for a school, grade, and teacher exactly like what you think you want for one session of student teaching; then choose one the exact opposite. By going to the two extremes you will discover more about yourself and what sort of classroom environment you are rightly chosen for.
b. One of the very best things I could have done was to know and pick my Master Teacher prior to the actual start of my student teaching program. I knew when I met my Master Teacher that I was going to learn a great deal from her; she taught me about developing lessons, scheduling, working with colleagues, and being patient. By allowing my graduate school decide for me, this probably wouldn’t of happen. Not to say that my university would have done a bad job – it’s just that they don’t know me as well as I do. Not only was she a great Master Teacher, she is now a dear friend.

Find your local school supply stores

a. This frustrated me throughout my entire time in grad school. My professors would talk and teach us about what types of lessons plans to make, but we never knew what we needed in the classroom. By starting now to find the right flashcards, name tags, notebooks, wall décor – you are not only learning more about the type of teacher you want to be and you are discovering the valuable resources in your neighborhood. But probably the best part about looking now for those supply stores – is you can save yourself some money.
b. Also realize too that you don’t necessarily need to buy everything from one place – the Dollar Tree, Target, office supply and art/craft stores will give you a lot of creative and inexpensive ways to prepare.