4/16/2011-Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports website (www.pbis.org)

What I learned?

The PBIS website offers administrators, teachers, and staff a variety of impressive resources that can assist in developing positive and effective behavior interventions in the classroom as well as in the school. It accredits the US department of Education and the office of Special Education Programs for establishing it and allowing it to share information regarding this matter. It also defines and answers common questions about what school wide positive behavioral interventions and supports are. Within the website a training manual developed for school personnel in both pdf and power point formats can be accessed. A pdf downloadable version for elementary and middle school of Bully Prevention is also available; this focuses on bullying reduction and addresses a school wide positive support. A section on seclusion and restraints along with considerations is also accessible through this portal. The link throughout contains videos, a search guide that helps you find information and product resources. Additionally it provides a state link for support and implementation of school wide positive behavioral implementation support.

What else I would like to know?

I would like to know the impact that these stratagies have had once they have been implemented. Any reviews from teachers and administrators would be useful.

4/9/2011- Museum of the City of San Francisco

What's New? What did I learn?
This website is a virtual museum for the city of San Francisco that highlights events and historical figures from California thorughout history. I liked how this website is a great resource for social studies as it highlights important events that took place in California that made significant changes in history. This website also offeres suggestions on activities that can be experienced when in San Francisco.

What else I would like to learn?
I really enjoyed that this website was virtual however, it only focuses on the state of California, which is understandable because of the name, but I would've liked to see links to other historical events that were important in US history.

4/2/2011- StoryPlace.Org

What's New? What did I learn?
I chose to review an awesome website called Storyplace.org. What I like about this website is that it's a bilingual organization that promotes and reinforces reading in both English and Spanish. This website serves as a children's digital library and is part of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and its affiliate websites. Storyplace is an interactive website that includes Spanish and English versions of preschool and elementary libraries with many themes. Some examples of these are: mammals, riddles, critters & dinos for elementary and colors, animals, bath time, gorillas,shapes & trains for preschool. The preschool library allows children to engage in an interactive online story and other extensions of that story like online activities, take home activity, and offers a suggested reading list. The elementary library also includes interactive stories and its extensions include print out activities as well as a suggested reading list. Storyplace also provides a link to its sister website Bookhive. Bookhive provides books online and offers children author opportunities.

What else I would like to learn?
This website also includes a Storyplace Newsletter. I would like to know what this newsletter covers. I am sure it will give parents and teachers ideas of how to reinforce reading amongst children.

3/26/2011- American School Counselor Association

What's New?
I decided to visit this online organization because of my personal interest in educational psychology. I believe that students develop best when they are better understood and we as educators provide them with the appropriate tools needed to succeed. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is an organization that highlights the influence of professional school counselors through advocacy, leadership and collaboration. ASCA empowers professional school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community and the world. Their mission is to represent professional counselors and promote ethical practices. The online portal offers publications that can be accessed through membership, professional development though several state educational departments, legal and ethical advice, training, certification and continuing education training, as well as an online book store.

What I would want to know?
This website was extremely informative but very extensive. As I did not finish exploring it all, I would like to go back and browse it again. The topic that most interested me was continuing education as it is something I would like to do.

3/12/2011- Education World- The Educator's Best Friend- Online Organization

What's New? What did I learn?
I really enjoyed navigating through this page. I liked all of the services and links that reinforce teaching. This website offers many ideas in teaching through their lesson planning section. It offers a professional development channel that provides articles, books, bulletin board ideas, homework tips, a reading room, stress reliever kit, teacher diary, and web wizard to keep the educator sane, productive and using innovative teaching techniques. Technology integration offers ideas and templates that will modernize and revolutionize older concepts into new ways to be carried out without compromising its effectives. The section I most enjoyed was the Early Childhood Channel- Early Childhood Center  where you could find activities, poems and even sign up for a newsletter. The subjects center gave ideas on activities and other specialties regarding subjects such as the arts, foreign languages, history, language and literature, math, PE and health, science and social studies. Suprisingly this section also offered links to teaching specialties such as counseling, early childhood, higher education, preservice education, special education and vocational education.

What I would like to learn?
There is a link within this portal that is still under construction called "Community" that seemed rather interesting. I am assuming that it will be some sort of blog or chat portal that will provide support to educators.

3/5/2011- Primary & Secondary Education- k12connection.org- Online organization

What I learned?
I visited this website thinking that it would offer reinforcers or resources that would help support materials presented throughout primary and secondary education but its content consisted more of a series of blog posts. Its posts offered information through a variety of categories such as career, disabilities, education, news, school, school board, students, subjects, teachers, and testing. Although the information on these posts was interesting it leaned more towards suggestions and personal opinion entries, sort of like this one.

What I else I want to learn?
This website offers suggestions on how to develop professionally and help students develop academically. An additional feature I would like to see would be external links that would help assist in the development of the given area.

2/26/2011- Starfall.com- Online Organization

What's New?What I learned?
I decided to visit this website because I had heard alot of great things about it and I had seen many students using it. I liked it very much because it promotes phonological awareness and reading readiness. This is a a great resource and a fun alternative to entertainment choices. This website provides 4 areas that help develop phonological awareness into reading readiness. The first area is called ABC's; this section teaches letter sound relationships. The second section is called Learn to Read which allows children to review initial, medial, ending sounds, blending and books that build an interactive story. The third section is called It's Fun to Read. This section allows children to read on their own but still offers help on command when needed. Wh?, categories, alliteration and riddles are also covered in this section. The fourth section is called I'm Reading! This is a fun section in which children can act (characterization) out one of three plays and build words and sentences. This website also offers a download center that provides printable pdf files that reinforce the four areas mentioned above.

What else I want to learn?
As I navigated through this page I continuously stumbled upon an icon that navigated into the kindergarten curriculum offered by Starfall. I would like to view posts of how successful this curriculum is in the classroom or in homeschooling. As well as how it is implemented and its success rate.