Special Notes to Visiting Teachers
So far as I know, absolutely nothing on these pages is copyrighted, certainly not by me. The whole basis of education is sharing knowledge and the tools for doing so. So if you find something useful here, feel free. Of course, I'd love to hear that you did find something worth while.
Thinking of building your own website? Go ahead. If you don't know HTML (and I don't) you might want to visit Homestead. Their address is www.Homestead.com Sorry, I'd link you directly, but they host this site so I can't. (It's sort of like looking in your own ear.) They have a program called Homestead Preview which is a free (at present) 8mgs, more than enough space for a beginner to practice. (This whole site uses less than 10.) Larger programs cost about $10.00 per month. (It's tax deductible.) There are other programs such as myschoolonline, but they usually require at least some HTML knowledge. Otherwise, however, they are good and connect to a lot of other teacher sites you can visit for more ideas. Other links you may find of value are www.about.com and webrings such as the one on our home page. (Click on the school house near the bottom of the page.)
Comments for Those Who Care
I started with both IE and Netscape installed on my computer. Reason: If one fails the other often works. My motto in all things is "have a back-up."
If you want to put photos on you page (get permission first!) the free program Irfanview can help you reduce the size for faster loading, an important consideration if parents use dial up. Hotshot also offer easy clean up and cropping.
One of my objections to myschoolonline is the limited number of options in building pages. They have some great pages but too many look just alike
despite weird backgrounds and falling whatnots.
Finally, there's a partial list of websites for teachers toward the bottom of this page.
Special To Beginning Teachers.
I know you want to be the greatest teacher on the planet, but trust me, it can wait till next year. And if it's past your third week of teaching you're probably feeling overwhelmed. Believe me, it will get easier. Next year, when you've developed all the lesson plans and tried them out, when you've learned about how long it really takes to teach each unit, when you've survived your first conference with a truly obnoxious parent, when you've learned what this district really wants, when you've abandoned all the rubbish someone who hasn't been in public education since 4 B.C. has told you, it will be easier. In the meantime your primary mission can be summed up in just one word...SURVIVE. To that end, I have two suggestion. One: Don't lose your sense of humor. Two: There are many sites that will provide you all kinds of help with lesson plans and lesson plan ideas. Again, the myschoolonline site mentioned above is a good starting point. A word of caution, there are so many good sites out there you can go nuts looking for the best one. Don't worry, nearly any will do. It has been my experience that most of your colleagues will also be happy to help. (And no, they want think you're a wimp for asking.) They were first year teachers once, too. If you find, as is often the case, that it's not the material but the parents, kids or administrators that have you tearing your hair, this site may prove useful. teacher.scholastic.com www.teachers.net Don't get overwhelmed. And if I can help, drop me an e-mail. No promises, but I'll try.
Danger Signals
As teachers, you will often spend more time with a child than the parents do. It's sad, but it's a reality of today's society. Since this is the case, you will often find that you may be the first person to see signs of illness in a child, and since we should all be concerned about the whole child, it becomes part of your job to be alert to more than just how well s/he is doing in math.
Symptoms
Put away your stethoscope, no one expects you to distinguish between measles and chickenpox, and you don't need an M.D. or an R.N. to know that the kid who is feverish, nauseous, bleeding, or exhibiting any of the other signs of physical illness or injury needs to see the nurse. But there are symptoms of of other illness that you need to be alert to as well.
I am referring to symptoms of emotional distress. Before we go any further, I would remind you of an old dictum of medicine, "when you hear hoofbeats think horses, not zebras". It means quite simply to avoid being an alarmist. Just because a child exhibits one or more of the symptoms listed doesn't mean they are at risk. Nevertheless, children who exhibit several of the symptoms listed should be brought to the attention of the school nurse or counselor. It's their job to determine if there is a problem. It's your job to help them spot potential problems before they become major problems. Below are a few of the signals that may warrant closer examination of a child's mental health.
Signs of Grief
1. Loss of appetite
2. Inability to sleep
3. Nightmares & other fears
4. Withdrawal from friends
5. No interest in daily activities
6. Regression to younger behavior
7. Drop in school performance
Signs of Depression
1. Loss of interest & pleasure in normal activities
2. Expressions of hopelessness
3. Irritability
4. Anxiety
5. Anger
6. Significant weight gain or loss
7. Change in sleeping patterns
8. Agitation or lethargy
Signs of Sexual Abuse
1. Depression
2. Problems sleeping
3. Unusual interest in or avoidance of sexual areas
4. Withdrawal from family or friends
5. Seductive behavior
6. Refusal to go to school
7. Secretiveness
8. Unusually strong desire to leave home
9. Sexual drawings
10. Aggressiveness
11. Suicidal signals
12. Radical changes from previous behavior
