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      TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPIC: Internet and the Classroom

Today I'm pleased to have a guest driver returning for another tour
of action.  Mike Peterson, a newspaper reporter in Plattsburgh, NY
has a response to Patrick's recent issue on the Internet and
classrooms, and also some great links for teachers, students and
parents.

I'm also trying a little experiment in today's issue, using HTML
tags around the web links, so more people can simply click and go,
instead of using cut & paste.  Let me know how you like it.
Enjoy!  --Bob

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[ From Mike Peterson ]

  Patrick's right about classrooms and the Internet: Computer
  literacy is not as important as overall literacy and the ability to
  think critically, and the best technology can't possibly overcome
  bad teaching.

  But let's not stop connecting classrooms.  When motion pictures
  first came on the scene, there were those who said they would
  revolutionize teaching.  They were a great tool, but we've all had
  teachers who used films, film strips and educational videos to fill
  a class they weren't prepared to teach.

  A good teacher can do better lessons on a chalkboard than a bad
  teacher with the latest technology.  But there are teachers who DO
  know how to use this new medium, and there are kids who are
  learning to think, through books and newspapers and field trips and
  computers and the Internet.

  For those good teachers out there (and any parents who want to help
  their kids at home), here are some links I recommend:

  Start with some overall information collections, places that kids
  can bookmark for times when they need to look up something or get
  some help with a particular assignment.

    
    Interesting Places on the Internet

  This site is based at the Richardson Independent School District in
  Richardson, Texas, and contains hundreds of links in every subject
  area.

    
    BJ Pinchbeck's Homework Helper 

  This is one of the grandaddies of all resource pages, featuring a
  large selection of links with comments to help guide your
  selection.  Other useful collections can be found at:

    
    Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators 

    
    Homework Heaven 

    
    Studyweb 

  Serious about schooling?  Here are some sites that contain good
  information on curriculum.

   
    
    Ask ERIC 

  This site, from the US Department of Education, not only provides
  information on a number of educational topics, but offers educators
  a chance to get resource help and answers to educational questions
  via e-mail in two days.

  For literature and writing lessons, try these:

    
    Purdue Writing Lab 

  One of the top writing resources on the web, the Purdue
  University's writing lab has information and guidance, as well as
  handouts and activity sheets to print out for use in class.  An
  outstanding resource.

    
    Paradigm Online Writing Assistant 

  Another excellent resource for helping kids improve their ability
  to get things down on paper.

    
    Children's Literature Web Guide 

  Keep current on the latest in children and young adult literature.
  This site also features profiles of children's authors, discussions
  about kids' books and resources for parents, teachers, storytellers
  and writers.

    
    Mitsuharu Matsuoka's Home Page 

  Matsuoka teaches at Nagoya University in Japan, and this page not
  only contains quality links to literary sites throughout the world,
  but some lovely, clean graphics.

  You want to polish up your Polish or spiff up your Spanish?

  For history and social studies, try these:

    
    Archiving Early America 

  This site contains documents from our nation's early years, a
  crossword puzzle and a daily listing of what happened on this day
  in history in early America.

    
    The Digital Classroom 

  The National Archives and Records Administration uses documents and
  other primary sources to offer history lessons on topics like
  Women's Suffrage, the Yukon Gold Rush, Jackie Robinson's off-field
  career in civil rights and the Amistad.

  For Math and Science, try this site for links to a variety of
  sources for math and science teachers and students.

    
    Eisenhower National Clearinghouse 

  Or have some fun at Science Web, a collection of science sites that
  includes pages discussing the real science behind movies and
  episodes of favorite TV shows.  For instance, how come the
  helicopter in Speed II could fly with no tail rotor?  What is the
  truth about all those cockroaches in that episode of "X-Files"?
  Other sites are less frivolous, but all are examples of good
  science not taking itself too seriously.  Fairly advanced concepts;
  Terrific for bright kids who are ready to move beyond watching lima
  beans sprout.

    
    ScienceWeb 

  Stuff for and about kids can be found at Family Education Network.
  This is a semi-commercial site for parents to exchange opinions,
  parenting tips, etc.  Also features recalls on dangerous toys and
  child furniture, etc.  A nice, useful site.  Registration is
  required, but it's free.

    
    Family Education Network 

  The initials cause cold sweats: These folks run the SATs, GMATs,
  GREs and all those other alphabet-soup tests, and you can get
  practice questions for the SATs on this site, but it also features
  information on jobs and careers, on different colleges and on
  helping to finance your college education.

    
    ETS Net 

  Download useful pamphlets from the US Dept Education on helping
  your child with math, reading, test-taking and other subjects, as
  well as booklets like "Parents Guide to the Internet" and "Simple
  Things You Can Do To Help A Child Read Well and Independently," and
  "Getting Ready for College Early", a booklet aimed at middle-school
  and junior-high kids and their parents, with information on why
  kids need college, how they can prepare for it and how parents can
  begin to make financial decisions now that will ease the shock of
  tuition when the time comes.

    
    US Dept Education Publications for Parents 

    
    Getting Ready for College Early 

  Bob, Patrick, maybe we can teach kids without easy access to these
  sorts of resources, but we could also teach them without access to
  paper or books, if we had to.  We don't have to.  And we shouldn't.
  Kids and teachers need quick, handy Internet access as much as they
  need dictionaries and pencils.

  -- Mike Peterson, Plattsburgh NY

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