Try Google's Educator Social Network for Fresh Ideas in Your Classroom

Google has recently created the Google for Educators discussion group at their Google For Educators website. You can read Google's K-12 Program Manager Cristin Frodella's blog post about the newly added discussion group here. Cristin's written some good information about this new service. The new discussion group is a great place for teachers to share feedback with Google about the discussion group, but more importantly build relationships within the education community. Teachers are able to use the discussion group as a social web portal to share ideas, classroom activities, or just reach out and meet fellow educators. And you thought Google was just about search!

Google is promoting this new discussion group as a tool to help build a social network for teachers, allowing everyone involved to share ideas in order to give students the best education possible. Google has added tools, activities, classroom posters, and a new RSS feed to the Infinite Thinking Machine - a Google-sponsored blog written for teachers by teachers. Google appears to be working hard to support teachers and their efforts to empower students, something that may seem unusual coming from the world's most popular search engine. But Google is dedicated to giving people access to all the information on the web, including educational tools, so after a closer look - this isn't that big of a stretch for the global search leader.

A quarterly newsletter is available as well as access to information on Google's K-12 Education initiatives. Information and links to the Infinite Thinking Machine Blog are also readily available. From the Google For Educators site:

The Infinite Thinking Machine (ITM) is a Google sponsored blog designed to help teachers and students thrive in the 21st century. Through an active blog, an Internet TV show, and other media resources, the ITM shares a "bazillion practical ideas" for turning the infinite universe of information into knowledge...

Make sure to stop by and check out this new resource. And for all of those loyal Direct Advantage customers out there, look for links to Google For Educators on our website coming soon.

Learning From Home...Cyber Education Growing

In this interesting article about cyber education and the rising costs associated with its growth for some school districts, Christina Kauffman of The York Dispatch discusses those cost implications and the possibility of collaboration.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to Everyone from Educator's Edge!

 

 

 

 

No Child Left Behind - ED.gov

Here's some information on the No Child Left Behind Act. Click on the link when you get a moment to review important details about this initiative. There are sections for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Big Back To School Savings - Direct Advantage

Back To School - Direct Advantage

A User Friendly Website? You Decide...

We're hoping you can help us out if you have a minute or two. We are very interested in what you think about our e-commerce site for school supplies: www.directadvantage.com.

If you would please, click on the link above and review the website. We'd welcome any and all input on ease of use, navigation, search function, product info, etc. THANKS!!!

A New School Year Begins...

First and foremost: a special note to all of the teachers out there as this new school year begins - THANK YOU!!! We truly appreciate all you do to help educate children.

Well, another school year is just around the corner (if some haven't started already). And now that our informational introduction to this blog is complete, we can open up for some discussions. As a marketing specialist for Direct Advantage, I truly believe our company offers some fantastic school supply products. It is so important to provide children with a great education. And, it would be great to introduce some fun into the classroom along with all the learning that goes on, especially for daycare and preschool attendees.

Direct Advantage (DA) has some great games, books, art supplies, etc. I strongly encourage everyone to checkout the website (you can find a link to the site on the side bar). If you are a teacher, student, a friend of a teacher or principle - please help us spread the word! Direct Advantage is more the happy to help out in any way; our mission is provide great products at low prices to bolster every child's school experience. Thanks for checking us out!