Build your own web site!

Learning is really fun, as it is a creative process which should continue. When I started surfing the internet, I was really amazed to see that there is a lot to browse and learn. But I was still not sure that I can do something with creating my own site or blog, until after reading a lot of free stuff about web sites and blogs, I started my first web site and then blog. The journey continued, and I gradually but slowly kept on learning new and basic things about internet, browsing, web development, blogs, blogging etc. It has been more than 2 years when I started my first blog with a blogging network, who provided me basic guidelines to start and develop it. Few months passed, but I was not very much serious about it. Its one year ago, when I realized that I have learned enough to start my own blogs. About 8 months ago, I started my first "WordPress" blog Reviews and ramblings around the blogsphere! and as the response was appreciating, I started more blogs, which are getting good exposure.
I told you my own blogging story just to show that if you are also interented in web searching or developing your own site or blog, it can be a fun. Even though I learned from lot of mistakes, but now at this stage I can provied you enough useful stuff which can guide in making or creating your own web site.

Do it yourself web site
* Writing HTML
If you are facing problems while learning to build your web site:
Read the frequently asked question page

"What a site" -helping teachers locate web resources

Finding specific information at the world wide web is a time consuming matter and even after spending and lot of time and efforts, we are unable to find the relevant piece of information. As a blogger I could get in touch to many web resources, which helped me in starting this blog and I could organize my resources or links for other teachers or parents. But still if you are an IT teacher and for your students if you need to create a tutorial, then "What a site" can be a solution to your needs.
Even teachers can learn from this tutorial.

This site is created by "Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (mcli)" at the Maricopa Community Colleges, and provides support innovation in teaching and learning, promoting the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning.

What a site helps the teachers to learn finding, evaluating, and integrating useful content in your specialty area.

In their own words:

"The Web is a huge, vast resource of mostly disorganized information. We cannot do much about that.
But for advancing the process of learning, we as educators can do more than sending students out to a search site or just providing them a laundry list of hyperlinks. We can create activities that leverage the wealth of content "out there" while at the same time promoting higher order thinking skills or integration with activites we already know work well. All it takes is a bit of homework and some creative thinking on our part.

The purpose of "What a Site" is to help teachers locate, evaluate, and integrate web resources for their area of interest-- the subjects that they teach."

"What a site" has organized a tutorial where you will be able to locate examples of full web courses, course materials, web activities, and key reference/resource web sites in your subject area. You can then help your students in your teaching area by sharing your findings into a searchable web database.

*** Start your step by step tutorial here:
introduction

Learn more about your computer!

Internet provides links to lot of useful FREE tutorials and lessons, to learn about computers. All the tutorials are free and start from basic learning skills.

* Learn about computers at BBC where 'Computer Tutor' teaches all the skills you need to use a computer. Computer Tutor is for people who don't know how to use a keyboard, mouse or computer screen.

If you're a friend, family member or tutor helping someone learn, all you need to do is choose your connection speed and press 'Start'.

- The BBC''s guide to using a computer"

* Build your own computer tips is a site providing lot of useful information about computers.
Robert Blackstone is the creator of this site.

Newsletter links takes you to the page, where you would be able to download 3 free computer building e-books.

The articles link provides link to many computer related articles.

* Download FREE e-book "A Guide To Using Your PC And The Web"
A Guide To Using Your PC And The Web is a 110-page e-book of computer tips, presented in an easy-to-read, step-by-step manner.

There is information on the basics of using your PC and Windows, tutorials for popular programs, online safety tips, and hundreds of links to useful web sites.

Because the e-book is a single small PDF file (less than 1 MB), it is easy to store or to e-mail to friends and relatives.

Downloading instructions: Once you have downloaded the e-book PDF file, you will need a PDF reader program to view it. PDF is a common type of file used for sharing documents on the Web.

The most popular PDF reader program is Adobe Reader which you can download for free.

Right-click the above link and select Save Target As or Save Link As to save the e-book to your PC.
- Downlaod FREE e-book

I would be updating this post, if I get more useful links. Suggestions from the visitors are also welcome.

"Wonder Korner"- where education meets fun

There are a lot of sites at the internet which provide educational plus interactive material at the same time. So the sites are fun to browse not only for parents or teachers but for children also. Today's site "Wonder Korner" is equally informative and useful for teachers, parents and kids.

Wonder Korner is for book reviews, answers to kids question, tools for writers, teacher's classroom projects, parenting articles, family friendly links and crafts ideas.

It started in 1995 as a homework helper siteTeacher Korner provides you fun kids' crafts, puzzles, games, classroom projects, practical teacher-to-teacher tips, bulletin board ideas, helpful site links and more.

* Parent's korner provides helpful articles; parenting news; inspiration & encouragement; book reviews; and family activities like crafts, puzzles, and fun recipes kids can help make.
* Family friendly links provides you a lot of links for web exploration.

Useful links and resources for paper crafts!

I love making paper crafts, because it is easy to make, you don't have to bother about buying expensive supplies, and easy to discard, when you are finished with your projects. But first let us know about paper craft, as it is different from origami or paper folding.

Definition of Origami: "Origami, the art of creating various shapes from a single piece of paper, is a pastime that has been enjoyed in Japan since ancient times."

I have collected some useful links and resources, which are mostly FREE to use. There are a lot of ideas to keep your child busy and not only children but adults can also enjoy making these crafts.

1- DLTK's Crafts for Kids features a variety of fun, printable children's crafts, coloring pages and more including projects for holidays, educational themes and some of our children's favorite cartoon characters. The site is run by "Leanne, a mom with two girls and husband.

* DLTK's Crafts for Kids

* Note on Crafting with Preschoolers

2- Crafts bits provides resources for teachers, therapists, and craft enthusiasts. Craftbits.com is an independent craft website.
Site is created at sunny Brisbane on the east coast of Australia. At Craftbits.com you can find free crafts, free craft projects, diy craft gift ideas, christmas crafts, kids crafts, sewing crafts, candle making and more.
* Paper cragts page

* Kids crafts page

3- * Tips and techniques at paper crafts section at "Michaels.com.

4- Paper crafts magazine blog with news and paper craft ideas.
* Paper Crafts projects

5- 'Family fun.go.com" has some good paper craft projects at: 3D paper crafts for kids

6- "Creative Park" presents every kind of papercraft- from simple toys to intricate crafts, there's something for all the family! - and it's free to download!
Make fun with 3D paper craft
There are a lot of origami ideas and these ideas can be downloaded

"Parents Centre"- helping parents to help their child

Upto now I have been reviewing many sites which were for students, teachers and parents. But "Parents Center" is specially for parents. As a parent I found this site really useful, easy to navigate, infromative and specific.
In short- A must visit site for parents!

ParentsCentre is an official Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF, web site for parents and carers.
ParentsCentre has been running since June 2003. It provides =Information and support for parents on how to help with your child's learning, including advice on choosing a school and finding childcare.

What is DCSF?
"www.dcsf.gov.uk" or "The Department for Children, Schools and Families" -leads work across Government to ensure that all children and young people:

- stay healthy and safe, secure an excellent education and the highest possible, standards of achievement, enjoy their childhood, make a positive contribution to society and the economy, have lives full of opportunity, free from the effects of poverty.

Mission of the site:
ParentsCentre has links to numerous relevant websites, both Governmental and non-Governmental. And they act as a reference book about education system, directig parents to sources of information and advice.

Start browsing the site from this link:
First time user

They suggest you to participate at the forums:

- Whether it's dyslexia, bullying, nursery education grants, choosing a school or antisocial teenagers, you're sure to find other users willing to add an opinion or offer advice.
Link to the forum: Parent's Views Forum

What you can get at the site?

- 1- This section helps you by providing article and links towards doing research for school and homework, gaming, online safety, and lot more.
Link: Using computers and the internet

- 2- "Education and learning" includes information and support on issues including choosing a school, types of school, curriculum and assessment, home education, reports and parents evenings, special educational needs (SEN), bullying, truancy and your rights and responsibilities.

The section includes a number of useful links to further information and organisations providing support.
Link: Education and learning

- 3- Links for age-specific information on:

Childcare - your options explained
Helping your child to learn - what you can do to prepare your child for school and build upon what they learn at school
Curriculum - what and how your child learns, as well as the choices they will have to have to make
Qualifications - the tests they will take and the certificates and diplomas they can achieve

Link: For age group

- 4- Behaviour and discipline: you'll find information about how schools deal with issues such as bullying, drugs and alcohol, truancy and disruptive behaviour.

You'll also find information on what your rights and responsibilities are as a parent or carer, with sections covering exclusions, parenting contracts, parenting orders and penalty notices.

Link: Behaviour and discipline

- 5- Worried about...Information, support and advice in dealing with some of the major issues affecting parents and their children for example bullying, sex, alcohol, drugs, anorexia, dylexia etc.

Link: Worried about

- 6- Webchats, interviews, videos: This section contains webchats (live, online Q&A sessions in which our users ask the questions), interviews and videos featuring a diverse range of experts across the parenting spectrum.

We include transcribed versions and endeavour to provide film streamings in different speeds and formats to enable as many people as possible to access them.

Link: Web chats, interviews etc

- 7- School holidays: Provide a range of ideas to help you keep your children occupied, whatever their interests.
Link: School holidays

- 8- Publications: guide to the current brochures and leaflets from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). All leaflets and guides listed here are available free.
Link: Publications

More free interactive kindergarten resources

Crickweb.co.uk is one of those sites which offer  free interactive resources and activities for Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Subjects including: Maths, English, Science, History, Geography, R.E., D.T., I.C.T.

Explaination of key stages:

There are three education stages in the U.K. covering the following ages;
- Early Years/Foundation Stage for 4 to 5 year olds.
- Key Stage 1 for 6 to 7 year olds.
- Key Stage 2 for 8 to 11 year olds.

What this site offers?

* 156 free to use educational interactive resources for Primary Schools.
* 15 free to use fun games for children aged 4 - 11.
* 100 web links to other free interactive, image and software resources.

More page links from the site:
*14 Early Years interactive resources for Primary or Infant Schools.

"Topic Box"- A good resource for teachers!

This site is for primary school teachers. A lot of FREE resources which may help you in planning. Site also provides you with best available educational resources.

To my opinion a very easy to browse, useful and well designed resource for teachers.
You may start your search by selecting for your subject. Site links according the subject are selected very wisely and description helps to chose it for class room or teacher's personal use.

Link: browse the subjects

To get TopicBox newsletter: Subscribe link

I searched the site to see if they can help in planning for Islam subject and I was really amazed to see lot of informative material at this link. They provide a very interactive style link bos from where you can decide what topics you want to look for. You are then taken to that link or site : Religion-Islam

* Resources for foundation stage: Foundation stage
* Math links
*