Teacher'sFirst - A Terrific Resource for Teachers

I can't remember when and how I first came across TeachersFirst, but I wish I had found the time to share it sooner! Personally, I am always skeptical about teacher resource sites because I find them to be so broad that they require way too much searching for a teacher to find what he/she needs. However, I have been able to use this site to search for classroom resources, particularly for interactive websites that would make great centers/stations for students, quickly with ease.

Of course, as I go to write this post, TeachersFirst has recently renovated their website. (There is a webinar about navigating it on July 19th that would be great to attend, but I think I can still show you a few things!) The home page appears to be a collection of widgets. I have found three widgets that are really working for me.

Search: Use this to search for a specific topic or phrase. You can also search by grade level and/or subject.

TeachersFirst Edge: Here TeachersFirst has reviewed Web 2.0 tools and given specific ideas for ways to use each one in the classroom safely. You can also filter by type of tool. Go to the Edge and select one of the filters. For example, I selected Animation. The list of animation tools will display, complete with grade level recommendations, a brief description of the tool, and a rating feature! I'm thinking this will be where I spend most of my time!

Classroom Planning Calendar: Here you can easily see the upcoming ok2ask webinars. I definitely plan to attend some of these! Again, the one I attended this spring was one of the best quality webinars I have ever attended.

Well, those are just a few tips to help you as you delve into TeachersFirst.org! You can also find lessons and units here as well!  I hope you find it as helpful a tool as I do!