Suggestions+from+the+Trenches

Suggestions from the Trenches! High School & Middle School
If you have tried something in your classroom that worked well, let us know about it. Click on the Edit link on this page and share what technology you used, in what subject and level you used it,and how it might work for others.

Tutorial websites, teacher/student tools: Visit the Online Resourcespage!

Want to create a wiki for your class? Suggestions: 1**. Start small! (Here are some ideas!)**
 * English: Post a picture/image on your wiki for a writing prompt.
 * Math: Post your problem of the week.
 * Science: Provide a list of links/websites for your students to visit...for a lab, scavenger hunt, or web-quest.

2. **You do not have to make your wiki interactive!**
 * Simply create your wiki.
 * Provide your students with the web address and have them access the wiki just as they would any other website.
 * No screen names or password is needed, just the web address.
 * Your wiki can be a great way to communicate class news/dates with parents at home.

3. **Don't overwhelm yourself!**
 * You do not have to update your wiki every day.
 * Once a week in the beginning, let your students (and more importantly you) get used to logging in.
 * Your students WILL know more than you, so take it slow for yourself in the beginning if you are not confident!

4. **Go paperless!** Need Help? Just ask! :o) Best of Luck! Bernadette Fash (NAHS-Math)
 * If you start to feel comfortable, let your wiki become interactive!
 * Students can log in and complete assignments/projects through a discussion board or private internal email.
 * Students can submit writing assignments electronically!
 * You can provide feedback and even a grade through the private email system.
 * There is an electronic record of who completed, where, and when projects/assignments were done.
 * No handouts for students to lose, and no papers for YOU to carry!

From Ellen Bratowicz:
I used a wikispaces to create a **portfolio** for a graduate level course that I took in Educational Administration. Great for links to files that you create in school. You can imbed the files very easily and also link to web sites that are your favorites. No need for a paper portfolio that can be volumes of paper for a professor to look through. this can be shared with the whole class or just the teacher and you can give update capability to whomever you wish. I would encourage this for an English writing portfolio for any grade level. Easy to show on smartboard too. Good Luck!