Can your website do this?

1. Track your visitors
2. Email subscriptions every time you write something new
3. Add stunning photo galleries
4. Sell products through an eCommerce store front
5. Create a private social network for your school or community
6. Run ads or affiliate links to make money
7. Allow visitors to rate posts or thumb up /down content
8. Host a forum for online literature circles, homework questions, or  customer support

Class blogs and teacher websites

Our students are growing up in a digital world and teachers are integrating technology in their classrooms.

Class blogs and teacher websites are quickly becoming a powerful way for teachers to engage with their students and school communities.

• More and more teachers are getting online and creating class websites to communicate with parents and families.
• Class websites can provide e-newsletters and information for students at home. (Think: “I lost the handout”)
• School websites don’t have to be one-way tools where the teacher talks and the students listen. You can create online student communities that invite two-way participation and dialogue. You can create social networking sites where students participate in literature circles, comment about the homework or assignment, etc. You can do so much more.

Get more out of your class website.

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Why webCircles.ca?

• Because I’m tired of looking at really basic teacher websites.
• Because I’m tired of my friends settling for less. Yes, you can embed that youtube video into your post. Yes, you can give all of your students individual blogs and moderate their comments and keep their content private. Yes, you can set up your website so that every time you post sometime on the class site, a little email goes out. Yes, you can have a better looking website for your home business that actually works on an iPad. (This friend had a professional website company design his site using flash.)
• Because I’m tired of teachers and students using Google Sites for their websites (and being satisfied with that.)

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not perfect, no I’m not. My websites aren’t perfect, but I’ve got what I’ve got and I do my very best each day. And I’ve come to realize that my very best each day is enough to help the average teacher get a little more out of their website.

I’ve been playing with WordPress in the classroom since 2006. I’ve spent the last few years blogging in grades 7 and 8, and now I’m hoping to help more of my colleagues create better websites.

I love WordPress. I think it’s powerful and I like how it’s grown over the past few years. It’s more than just blogging software. So this site is about helping you to get more out of your WordPress website.

And if you need help, just ask me in the hallways or leave a comment below.