ED 7720 My Idol

Our assignment this week was to search online for some exemplars of a Learning Hub.  We were to identify an exemplar and indicate why we selected the site.

I looked at a variety of websites for teachers and by teachers this week.
I googled "exemplary teacher websites." It found sites FOR teachers.
I googled "Google teacher website examples." In the Google Sites Examples link, there were two sites that were somewhat acceptable. I'm somewhat picky.
Under "teacher website examples," one of the links took me to some HS teacher sites. I don't want music to play when someone opens my site!

I don't like busy sites. A color theme is good, but not too many colors.
I like tabs at the top and links that are easy and descriptive.
I like a navigation bar down the side.
I like select graphics, none too overwhelming. A big background picture might work.

I am drawn to Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. Kathy is a former Library Media Specialist who, after many years of being a technology leader in her school, district, and the library profession, has become an "Educational Technologist." She consults. Her website includes:
- Blog
- A link to her consulting business
- iPads for Teaching, resources for iPads in education
- PD offerings
- At the bottom (bottom half, actually) of the page main , there is an ALPHABETICAL listing of links to great pages/resources Kathy has compiled about technology use in schools. There are also password protected links to her workshop materials.
The site is easy to navigate. Even though some links are redundant, it is easy to find what you are looking for quickly, be it a resource or a reason to hire her.

Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

I could learn a lot from just this site. It was the first thing I put in Pearltees.  I saw her sites when she was a (mere) school librarian, and they were a bit busier... and cartoon-y.