1. Why are teacher websites important? The Classroom Webpage

2. A website expands your time. A website is open for business 24-7. A website is open for business 24-7. People can go to your website any day, at any time of day. It is convenient. People can go to your website any day, at any time of day. It is convenient. Parents can read the homework assignments or the information about that upcoming field trip. Parents can read the homework assignments or the information about that upcoming field trip. The website will be working for you even when you are asleep! It saves you time and expense. The website will be working for you even when you are asleep! It saves you time and expense. There is no way that you could schedule conferences around the clock like that. There is no way that you could schedule conferences around the clock like that. A website can take the place of meetings, parent pages, newspapers, brochures, and announcements. A website can take the place of meetings, parent pages, newspapers, brochures, and announcements.

3. A website expands your range. A website gives you unlimited exposure. People in your community and even from half way around the world can visit your website. A website gives you unlimited exposure. People in your community and even from half way around the world can visit your website. Parents can give your website address to relatives who live out of town. Parents can give your website address to relatives who live out of town.

4. A website expands your resources. Students gain access to many more curriculum resources. Students gain access to many more curriculum resources. By placing those hyperlinks to relevant resources on the classroom Web page, teachers not only can speed up access to materials, but can also increase all students' access to high- quality curriculum materials that directly support content. By placing those hyperlinks to relevant resources on the classroom Web page, teachers not only can speed up access to materials, but can also increase all students' access to high- quality curriculum materials that directly support content. Though placing resources one click away is no guarantee that students will use them independently, it goes a long way toward doing all that can be done to support all learners. Though placing resources one click away is no guarantee that students will use them independently, it goes a long way toward doing all that can be done to support all learners. Your website will enable you to connect with other educators who share your interests. Your website will enable you to connect with other educators who share your interests.

5. A website can challenge your students to become more interested in their school work. Students will come to see the Internet as a personally relevant extension of school. Students will come to see the Internet as a personally relevant extension of school. Because the Internet is already an extension of so much of their non-school life, failing to establish a classroom component on the Web can reduce the perception of the importance of school. Because the Internet is already an extension of so much of their non-school life, failing to establish a classroom component on the Web can reduce the perception of the importance of school. Since the great majority of students are really interested in the Internet, a website can captivate their attention and challenge them to become more interested in their school work. In their eyes, a website is "totally cool.” Since the great majority of students are really interested in the Internet, a website can captivate their attention and challenge them to become more interested in their school work. In their eyes, a website is "totally cool.”

6. Connection: Students come to see their teachers as connected. Students come to see their teachers as connected. In American culture today, if you're not online, you're not relevant. Just ask any business or entertainment effort. In American culture today, if you're not online, you're not relevant. Just ask any business or entertainment effort. PBS now creates Web content concurrently with television content. Website: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/ PBS now creates Web content concurrently with television content. Website: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/ http://www.pbs.org/teachers/

7. Access: Through the inclusion of an email address, a contact form, or another communication tool, students and their families gain extended access to you. Through the inclusion of an email address, a contact form, or another communication tool, students and their families gain extended access to you. The teacher is the most valuable resource in the classroom, so it only makes sense to provide greater access. The teacher is the most valuable resource in the classroom, so it only makes sense to provide greater access. AND, it can cut down on all those phone calls! AND, it can cut down on all those phone calls!

8. Experience: Students will gain experience using digital resources in direct support of learning. Students will gain experience using digital resources in direct support of learning. This will be a twenty-first-century life skill, as virtually all professions now use online learning tools to provide services to employees, and colleges and universities are constantly ramping up their use of digital tools to support their students in different ways. This will be a twenty-first-century life skill, as virtually all professions now use online learning tools to provide services to employees, and colleges and universities are constantly ramping up their use of digital tools to support their students in different ways.

9. What should a teacher website include?

10. HOW TO CONTACT YOU:

11. IMPORTANT INFO:

12. EVENTS & NOTIFICATIONS:

13. LINKS:

14. STUDENT PROJECTS:

15. MAINTAIN YOUR SITE!  Keep Your Web Site Current!  Pages should be checked regularly to ensure that links are working and meet district standards.  Check to make sure all internal and external links work properly.  Remove expired date-related items.  Maintain your files, remove unneeded files.  Test all pages thoroughly.

16. GRAMMAR & SPELLING! All pages should be grammatically correct. All pages should be grammatically correct. All words should be spelled correctly. All words should be spelled correctly. When acronyms are used, the meaning must be spelled out the first time it is used. When acronyms are used, the meaning must be spelled out the first time it is used. Do not assume the reader knows any acronyms (AR, ESE, etc.). Do not assume the reader knows any acronyms (AR, ESE, etc.).

17. Linking to other sites:  All pages and links, including non-DCS links, shall be curriculum related, instructional or school- oriented and appropriate to educational purposes.  Some inappropriate link examples may include, but are not limited to:  References and/or links to commercial (unless related to your topic), political or religious sites.  Meaningful terms should be used for all hyperlinks.  No links to student or staff social networking/ personal web sites outside of DCS servers are allowed on a school's web site. Links to your CLASSROOM/SCHOOL social feeds are permitted.

18. IMPORTANT! Use PDF format when posting attachments. This will ensure that the content of your documents cannot be altered and can be opened by most users. Use PDF format when posting attachments. This will ensure that the content of your documents cannot be altered and can be opened by most users.

19. Image Resources: Pics4learning.comPics4learning.com – Royalty free educational photos for download Pics4learning.com

20. Image resources cont. Picmonkey.com – Free image-resizer that does not require downloading the software OR registration! Picmonkey.com – Free image-resizer that does not require downloading the software OR registration! Picmonkey.com