Rosanna's Website

https://sites.google.com/site/msmangonessecondgradeclass/

I will preface that I would get permission from administration and parents when included photos or video to the website.  I would have administration sign off on the use of this website.

A few notes about my website:

1.  My website is for a second grade class.  The children are only 7 or 8 and I feel it is appropriate for its focus to be on communication with the parents.  Our school North Cliffs in Englewood Cliffs has a very good website but it is not personal.  I would love to have a teacher website for my children's classes.  I almost always have questions pertaining to homework or about class management.  It would be great to have a website to keep in touch with what is happening in the class, especially for a full time working mom that does not get to spend time at the school.

2. I like the homework assignments spelled out for a few weeks in advance. I added a homework link with a sampling of second grade homework.  I think the children still need to have an assignment pad and must write down their homework and be responsible for bringing the work home.  Having this link will enable me to see if my children have forgotten to bring something home.  I personally would not use this to have them try to do the missing homework.  My kids forget things all the time and I work with them and teachers for strategies to help them remember.  I let them suffer the natural consequences for a forgotten assignment even though his twin brother may have the book or worksheet that I can easily copy. Sometimes the kids tell me one thing and the pad tells me something else.  It would be reassuring to compare the pad to the website if needed.

3.  It is neat to have an extra credit assignment.  The teacher can relay to the class what the assignment entails and include it on the website for the parents.  I feel the extra credit assignments should mostly expand on lessons form the class.  Once in awhile to broaden the children's horizons it would be nice to throw a completely different extra credit assignment in the mix and it would keep things interesting.

4. I really liked the meet your teacher section on the example template so I left it on my website.  You really get a feel for the teacher when a video is included.  I am not a teacher so I used a video I found on the internet and added it on.  Please excuse that it is not me on the video but I like the way this teacher covered her schedule and her classroom management.  It is important to understand how the teacher rewards and punishes the class so that parents and the teacher can be on the same page. I like seeing the routine and the feel of the classroom.  I miss my kids and it is nice to see where they are for 6 to 7 hours per day.

5.  As a full time working mom I like the class announcements sections.  I sometimes forget things and many times my kids misplace flyers and I don't know what is happening.  A classroom website would help me stay organized and connected.

6.  I added some books my kids really liked to the reading list link.  I am always looking to introduce different reading selections.  This is harder than you would think.  My boys really like the chapter books from Goosebumps and Weird School etc.  These collections have so many books they just keep reading those books and don't venture away to other genres.  If the teachers along with their classmates recommend different books regularly children may be enticed to try something different and possibly more challenging.

7.  Ok I am very excited about this part of my website.  I downloaded and added a permission slip to the forms and documents section of my website.  This is an accomplishment for me!!  This is great to have on the website.  It is so easy for forms to get lost or forgotten.  All forms that need to be addressed, signed and returned should be in the section. 

8.  OK.  I think I am really sort of getting the hang of things.  I have added my family's private field trip onto my website.  I placed it in the class photos section.  Of course this section should be used for the class photos. and video's.  It would be wonderful if teachers take pictures of the kids when special things are happening (birthday's, plays etc.).  I would love to have seen show and tell and when my children presented projects had competitions or celebrated their birthdays. 

9.  The useful links can be helpful. I always help my kids with math and homework etc.  Any links that can help me to help children would be appreciated. It is amazing how many great sites we can easily use.  With a little time and discipline most parents can tutor their own children using these sites.  It is certainly a lot cheaper than Sylvan learning.  I used the links I recommended in our last blog.   I added a link to the school supplies that children need to start out the year.  I always get supplies way before the first day of school usually before our August vacation. I also take advantage of sales through out the year. It makes Sept madness a little easier

I also added a link to the PTA.

10. I also added a link to the PTA as a separate link.  I thought it is good to access from a few locations.  I added it as a sidebar.

11.  I included a daily schedule to the website.  This is really neat.  I never remember what days my kids have what classes.  This would have been helpful the few times I brought my kids in late or pulled them out early for Dr. appointments.  I would rather they miss gym then math etc.

12.  Finally I added my picture to the front page of the website.  This was very tricky and I am not entirely sure I can do it again. LOL!!!!!

Rosanna