Resources for Teachers (and interested students!)

Teachers require a strong community in order to work together as teams, share stories, and share resources.  There are several wonderful online communities available for teachers to collaborate and get inspiration for their classrooms.  

The first I encountered was an online community called We Are Teachers.  We Are Teachers provides several different teacher blogs, lessons and resources for all different subjects, grants and contests for teachers to win money for their classrooms, and articles on "hot topics" in education.  The interface is very approachable and it does well in providing resources and opportunities to learn from other teachers across the US. 

Another is Teachers Pay Teachers. Teachers Pay Teachers is "an open marketplace for educators," providing an Amazon-like interface directed towards those in the education field. The items up for sale (and some are free!) include things like Reading Comprehension packets, Math activities, and books. The products can be organized by subject, grade level, price, and resource type. I think this is a great way for teachers to connect and collaborate on projects, and also is an excellent outlet for teachers to make a little extra money on the side!

Finally, EduBlogs can be used by teachers to communicate with students and parents about the goings-on in their classrooms. They can be instructional resources, and allow for students and teachers to collaborate outside of the school hours, and encourage technological literacy. It also allows students to post their work on a publicly accessible forum.

These great resources allow teachers to connect with one another in order to improve their classroom experiences, whether it is finding new lessons for their class, winning money to provide resources for their classroom, and new ways to connect with their students through blogging.