Progress+Book,+LAN,+and+Home+Page

__Homepage on Progress Book Reflection__:

I am using screenshots of my Progress Book Home Page to demonstrate how I communicate with students and parents for this competency. Since all students and parents have access to our online grade book, Progress Book, I use the Home Page feature to post due dates and descriptions of what students are learning for a given month or unit. At any time, a parent or student can log on to the Internet and view a due date for a major assignment, or just see what we are learning about for the month.

I thought more parents and students would be knowledgeable of plans and due dates once I started posting it on the Progress Book Home Page, but I learned that many parents and students do not even look at it. During parent/teacher conferences, I always ask parents if they look at the Home Page, and almost none of them do. I feel that there is a breakdown in communication or motivation somewhere that is preventing students and parents to want to stay on top of assignments and due dates.

 I intend on talking to my school about another method of communication with students and parents. Perhaps the teachers at my school could start making wikispaces and posting homework and due dates on there. Students could reciprocate the communication by commenting on discussions or submitting work through the wikispace.

 __Progress Book Reflection__:

 The screen shot of an assignment in Progress Book displays my comments on which students have completed test corrections and which ones need to re-take the test. I have learned that both parents and students appreciate the comments and it's a way for me to communicate to the parents how their child is doing. I intend on continuing with comments when necessary.

 __LAN Reflection__:

 The screen shots of the local area network demonstrate that I have been contributing to the network for the benefit of students and other teacher. The first few screen shots show my folder on the Student-Public drive where I have placed several worksheets and assignments. Students can stay organized by being able to access this folder from any computer in the school. For example, if a student needs to complete an assignment in study hall, instead of coming to my classroom to get the assignment, he can simply print it off the computer in study hall.

 The final two screen shots show my folder on the Public drive viewable by staff only. I have contributed, in this example, my I-Search/Google Doc lesson for other teachers to access. As you can see by the email, my colleagues appreciated and are interested in my contribution.

 I have learned that making files accessible to others is a great way to share information. I am currently in the process of helping two fellow English teachers plan lessons with Google Docs.

 I intend on becoming a technology leader in my department. I am interested in sharing new web tools with other English teachers so we can become a more technologically integrated department.