No Time for Boredom
Web site name: Mrs. Lowe's Class
Web site creator: Pam Lowe, O'Neal Elementary School, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Web site URL: http://schoolweb.missouri.edu/poplarbluff.k12.mo.us/lowe
"Teachers want to be armed with educational tools that will help their students become lifelong learners, as well as encourage parent participation in their children's education," says Pam Lowe. "A classroom Web site is a powerful medium, a weapon against -- student and teacher -- boredom, complacency, wasted class time, and communication barriers."
A Grade 4 eMINTS (enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies) teacher and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) senior leader, Lowe integrates multimedia tools, technology, and inquiry-based learning in her classroom to foster a love of knowledge.
"Even before I became involved with the eMINTS program -- and with just one computer in my classroom -- I got my feet wet by creating a classroom Web site from a free site," Lowe told Education World. "I quickly realized how invaluable a classroom Web site can be to teachers, students, parents, and the community."
The main purpose of Mrs. Lowe's Class is to cultivate the love of learning in students and to encourage them to be independent learners and thinkers; to think and reason for themselves.
Lowe has her students access the class Web site when they finish their assignments, to work independently practicing and extending their learning. Sections students can work on include the Math Practice page, which is full of Math-related tutorials, and the Get On the MO Train page, containing information about the state of Missouri.
The Teacher Techno Tools page is a particular favorite among other teachers. That section of the site provides links to other sites Lowe finds helpful for busy, innovative educators.
"We use our classroom Web site as our home base," Lowe said. "I place links to sites pertaining to lessons and assignments on our Web site, and with a click of a mouse, students are learning. They might be collecting data for research, participating in a class project, taking a quiz, or practicing a new skill. Our classroom Web site provides non-stop learning opportunities"
Article by Cara Bafile
Education World®
Copyright © 2003 Education World
02/03/2003
