The start of the school year is upon us, and everyone's minds are turning from thoughts of sunshine and relaxation to thoughts of school and new beginnings. The return to the classroom marks a new chapter in the lives of students and teachers, and presents both with fresh opportunities to learn and grow.
How does one make the most of the new year? NYLearns has given this question some thought. To find the lessons in the challenges and opportunities of the coming year, we have resolved to "try our best." Simple perhaps, but we think each person's "best" can be pretty amazing!
To this end, we would like to help you put forth your best effort as well. We have reviewed your questions and feedback, and compiled tips and suggestions to help you get off to a successful start. As a first step, we would like to encourage you to update the grade/course you teach, the school where you work, and your email address in your profile. Your NYLearns profile not only helps us bring you the latest announcements and educational resources, it also helps others find your teacher webpage and communicate with you. We have assembled other Tips & Tricks, such as disabling your pop-up blocker and adding anchors to your webpage, that will help you take advantage of NYLearn's tools and resources. As always, if you need assistance or have a suggestion, you can call our Help Desk at 1.877.315.7842 or send us an email.
Niagara Falls City School District First to Use
Curriculum Matrix Tool
When school opens on September 6, teachers from the Niagara Falls City School District will find another NYLearns resource at their disposal - the Curriculum Matrix. The latest in a series of tools from NYLearns aimed at enhancing teaching and learning, the CM Tool enables administrators to effectively plan and distribute curriculum guides to all teachers within their districts and keep them abreast of changes as they occur. For Niagara Falls teachers, this means that, upon logging into NYLearns, they will not only have access to all of the district's curriculum matrices, they will also be able to create personalized instructional maps based on these district documents.
A New Look for NYLearns!
We are thrilled to announce that NYLearns will soon have a new look! Our developers and graphic designers have been working overtime on the redesign. Their talent and skill has resulted in a clean, refined-looking website that reflects the excellence we strive for.
Student Accounts: Helping Kids Create Their Own Webpages
Web-based projects are becoming an increasingly popular way to engage children and adolescents in learning. Whether conducting research online, contributing personal essays to a class blog, or taking a virtual tour of a distance place, the Internet expands students' worlds and provides opportunities that motivate and challenge them in new ways.
New York State Learning Technology Grants
Learning Technology Grants (LTG) provide public school districts and BOCES with funds to purchase technology and participate in staff development. Through the acquisition of hardware and training, the LTG program aims to "improve student academic performance in relation to the New York State learning standards with a particular focus on mathematics PreK - 12 and English Language Arts, including early literacy, through the integration of educational technology in classroom activities" (http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/InstrTech/ltg.htm).
We believe NYLearns is uniquely qualified to work with you to support your LTG proposal. Outlined below are the goals of the LTG program and the ways in which NYLearns meets those goals.
