Jazzing Up Your Webpage

Build it, and they will come.

Sharon Dishner

The problem…

I was putting assignments and news on my webpage, but the students didn’t seem to notice-or care.

My website was a technological ghost down.

I wanted things to change

I decided to add a Voki, a cartoon that was animated and would speak to the students.

I started out by giving a “shout out” to our spelling bee winner, and our students having birthdays that month.

Feedback-

Feedback was positive. Things were turning around. Students liked the redheaded Voki with the Scottish accent who was wishing them a happy birthday.

Keeping Track-

To see if it was really helping, I added a visitor counter on my webpage.

Numbers were indeed growing!

Moving on…

I liked how things were changing, so I decided to add a few more “draws” for my students.

What they liked

I added a link to dictionary.com because my students use it every week to complete word study homework.

I also added a link to my collaborize classroom site where we have discussions about different topics

Fun add ons-

I put a countdown on my webpage which I use to countdown to Spring break Assignments like book reports Holidays SOLs

More were added.

I put a direct link for parents to email me.

I added a link to my portaportal account.

And just for fun, I added a cartoon through Xtranormal.

In conclusion-

By getting students to stop by for the fun stuff, I was also able to get them to check out homework assignments, book report information, test dates, etc.

Sites you may be interested in:

voki.comcollaborizeclassroom.comdictionary.comxtranormal.commycountdown.orgportaportal.com

Stop in, and check it out!

Don’t forget to check out my webpage to see myVoki in action.

Just go to http://tinyurl.com/74ererv Some other teachers at MMS have added Vokis. Be sure to check

them out too. Ms. Kristie Myers, Ms. Emily Peake, Ms. Keela Smith, and (Mr. Mike Briscoe(. They’d love for you to drop by their webpages and check them out.