Standard5

Home / Standard1 / Standard2 / Standard3 / Standard4 / Standard5 Standard6 / Standard7 / Standard8 / Standard9 / Standard10 The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. ** Evidence 1: [|class website] My Class Website: ** **A way to communicate with students, family, the community, and the world.** Rationale 1: I created this website back in 2000 as a communication tool for my students, families, and others looking for information. This site has expanded and changed over the years to meet the needs of students and families. For a majority of my teaching career, I was in third grade and the materials on that site reflected that age and academic level. This site allows parents to download school forms for absences, class book report forms, Everyday Math unit letters, and other necessary documents that may be forgotten at home. For the students, websites from all areas of our learning are listed for them to brush up on skills, play safe games, use student friendly sites, and even chat with each other on our class chat line. I also offer live homework help through the chat line. Students can ask questions about assignments or parents can discuss issues with me on that chat line as well. The site is always evolving and it is in a transitional stage right now as well. Even though changes are being made, students can still access the site and use the materials posted on there. We even put on our podcasts, pictures of projects, and other exciting class news. This website allows for students to change and effect their own learning by using review sites that are linked and teachers also benefit from using shared links for their classroom and for their professional development.
 * Teachers know how to manage a classroom. **

Though the process and updating of this site over the years, I found that parents really rely on the homework portion of the site. Many check to make sure their child has all of his/her work completed. Also, the students enjoy our fun and educational page with games and websites of interest for their age level. As the teacher and webmaster, I find that a website, wiki, or blog is almost a must these days to communicate with parents and students as life becomes increasingly busy. By using this site, students, parents, teachers, and others can be impacted in learning and increasing their knowledge base overall.

KSD

5.K.5 The teacher recognizes factors and situations that are likely to promote or diminish intrinsic motivation, and knows how to help students become self motivated. In our busy lives, it is important to have school materials available 24 hours a day for students and parents. As we are constantly on the go, it is comforting to know that parents and students can access homework, links, school documents, or anything else needed to keep them on top of the game throughout the school year. The website allows access to what is needed from anywhere and helps promote organizational skills, responsibility, and accountability.

5.S.3 The teacher organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space, activities, and attention to provide active and equitable engagement of students in productive tasks. Class materials that are needed throughout the school year are placed on the website for students and parents to access as needed. With materials organized on one central website, it is easy to find what is needed and to be able to return time and time again to get was is needed saving students and even parents time with daily assignments and school related tasks. The website is updated daily for homework and as needed for new forms, pictures, projects, and podcasts. As updates are created, parents with email access are notified through either RSS feeds or a simple email from the webmaster.

5.D.2 The teacher understands how participation supports commitment, and is committed to the expression and use of democratic values in the classroom. Though this website is not true participation for the students in making the physical changes, they do help determine what materials should be placed on there by me. The students get to help decide which pictures, podcasts, or websites should be added. The pieces showcased always demonstrate student learning and an increase in knowledge. Although the website was my vision, it is important to allow the students to have a shared ownership in the process of maintaining it and keeping it as current as possible. We get to vote on what is added and I always have a deputy webmaster that assists me for a week at a time. We often do the updates during a recess, a free period, or during a time that the student has his/her work completed for the day. This is one small part of the classroom community of learning. When the students get to take ownership in the learning process there is more meaning and involvement.