Saturday 22 October 2011

My First Website

I'm very excited to have finally completed my first website - a Google Site that can be found here - https://sites.google.com/site/shailjaguelph.

I have never made a website before and have always thought that this was a job for "professionals". I was quite amazed when I was introduced to Google Sites and how easy it is to set a Google site up.

If you navigate to my site, you will see that I have been able to use a variety of different resources. I have a tab labelled "About me" and this links to my about.me page. As well, I have a tab that navigates to this blog of mine.

I will begin teaching at my practicum school (in Burlington, ON) on Monday and I have geared my Google site to the class I am teaching - Grade 11 Chemistry. On my site there are a variety of general chemistry resources as well as resources specific to the unit which I will be teaching. I was able to organize the wealth of resources I found on the internet via LiveBinders (www.livebinders.com) and have found this to be an invaluable resource! I have created 2 different binders of e-resources, organized with tabs and sub-tabs (like a real binder!)

I have also discovered Google Calendar and have linked my practicum teaching schedule to my Google site.

When I start teaching on Monday morning, the first thing I will do is introduce myself to my students and tell them about me. The next thing I will do is direct them to my Google site. I hope they take advantage of the variety of resources that I have compiled for their use!

I am still figuring out the Google site and would love to hear any tips you may have. I would like to have a forum for my students to post questions but I am not sure that I am able to do this with my Google site. It would be nice if I could share a certain part of the site (question/answer page) - similar to a wiki - but leave the rest of the site "locked" so it cannot be modified. If anyone knows how to do this with Google sites, please let me know.

I look forward to my students using my site and will be posting their views on it.

6 comments:

  1. The sites looking great so far. And I'm in the same boat as you ... hoping that the students will use the site I created for the class.

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing this Shailja. Not only have you embarked on a blended learning model of teaching, but also begun to teach, and learn in a transparent way. You are giving to the world of education so generously. Along with this amazing resource, it is that that I hope your students see.
    Congratulations and welcome to my PLN. I wish you the best of luck in your placement in the next four weeks.
    Zoe

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  3. I think you've put together some wonderful resources here, and I'm sure that your students will appreciate them! I love how you're taking a risk and trying something new. It's easier for students of all ages to take risks when they see teachers doing this as well.

    Great job!
    Aviva

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  4. In beginning this while you are still in your practicum will truly help you when you are no longer a practicing teacher. You are laying a solid foundation not only for yourself but for those you teach.
    Best wishes!
    JoAnn

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  5. Shaija - Great job! I'm including a link to a @followmolly. Here Google site resources are top notch!

    https://sites.google.com/a/apps.edina.k12.mn.us/techresourcesforteachers/edina-apps--creating-a-google-site

    Have fun and be creative!

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  6. WOW! Thank you everyone! Your encouragement is much appreciated!!

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