7 Tips to Creating a Classroom Website for Teachers
Majority of businesses these days have a website; it’s the digital version of a business card. Think of your classroom the same way by creating a classroom website for teachers that works.
Building a classroom website that you can actually use is easier than you think. No coding skills are required. In fact, your classroom website should be a working document and something that you (the classroom teacher), the students and their families should be interacting with year round.
This isn’t a “create in August and never look at it again” kind of thing. Let your website fo the talking and answer questions that you get emailed about the most.
Classroom Website for Teachers: #1 Let them learn about you
Typically when you hear about a new product, place or service, you head their website and click on the ‘About’ section first. Create an ‘About Me’ section on your classroom website; typically your first page tab. The families of your new students are going to want to do the same thing. They want to know who their kid is spending their time with all day! Share a short typed bio, but also try other mediums as well!
Videos, infographics and listacles can be a fun way to have families connect with their teacher even more. Here is a one page, editable meet the teacher letter template that can help you get started.
#2 Keep all your announcements together
Classroom teachers get A LOT of emails daily and it can be hard to keep track of all the information to relay it effectively to parents. Create the ‘Home’ page of your website as a place to store all of the weekly announcements.
Send your weekly email out to parents to direct them to your website for the new announcements for the week. This will help families be accustomed to going to your site to answer their questions and have one place to keep track of everything.
Over the course of the school year, families will be looking to your website first because they know you most likely have the information posted there. In turn, less emails filling up your inbox!
Classroom Website for Teachers #3 A Hub for your lessons
Make this website work for you. Create a ‘Lessons’ tab where you post videos, presentations & digital materials that go along with your lessons. This will help keep all of your materials in one place as you are teaching.
This can also help students share the lesson with their families. Also, help families stay connected as to what they are learning in class (and even be an extra homework helper). You will also be grateful for this section on your website when students are absent for a few days or if your principal wants to know what your class is up to for the week.
#4 Get rid of those paper schedules
When I was a classroom teacher, I remember all of the piles of paper I would print for parents to take home the first week. One of those was a schedule, and of course, there would be changes throughout the year.
In turn, I quickly realized that I didn’t need to print paper schedules for families any more and could easily post it on my website. That way, when changes came up, I could quickly update my website in a couple of minutes. No more waiting at the copier to print 25 schedules that most likely end up in the trash or get lost in backpacks!
Classroom Website for Teachers #5 No more homework mysteries
It’s important for students to be responsible for knowing what their homework is daily/each week. Having students write down assignments is an important skill. However, what if they left early for the day? What if the bell rang and they couldn’t write down all the information? What if the students left their planner at school?
There are endless scenarios that can happen. Simplify homework communication by creating a ‘Homework’ tab on your classroom website. Post the assignment and any relevant resources that might help them accomplish the task. Parents WILL THANK YOU!
When assigning homework, direct students to your website. Depending on the age of your students, let them access the information independently to help them learn how to use a website to gain information.
Google Classroom is also a great place to house all of your assignments. You can refer students to your website for general information, then go to the platform to get all the materials. If you need help with Google Classroom, I have a free, 3 part video series you can access here.
An additional tip is to think of ways you can make part of your homework digital. An easy way to start is with your weekly reading log. We want to hold students accountable for their reading, but have them respond digitally. Again, less paper everyone has to manage and the end goal is the same.
#6 Provide resources for when you’re not around
When you show the class an awesome video clip for your science lesson or start reading a new read aloud book, often kids want to relay that information back to their families. However, by the end of the day, they might forget what you actually shared with them!
Create a ‘Resource’ tab on your website. Post relevant links, videos, online games and printables for students to access at home. Again, these can be a great homework helper! This will also bring the content to life for families as to what you are teaching all day.
#7 Streamline monthly team newsletters
‘If your school requires a monthly team newsletter, or even if you want to start one, this is another great opportunity to utilize your website. Your team is most likely going to type the newsletter anyway, might as well post it on your classroom website.
Honestly, this may be the least looked at part of your website, but you have it documented and all in one place. What will also be nice is when you create your classroom website the next school year, all of the information will be easily stored in one place.
Next steps:
You might be thinking, “Ok Naomi, this all sounds great, but how do I set this up and make sure my website looks nice? Oh, and I don’t want to use a platform that I have to pay for or is super complicated!”
Friend, I had the same exact comments when I was a classroom teacher! With trial and error, I figured out a classroom website system that worked for me, my students and their families.
I want YOU to have access to this process to save you hours of time when researching best website practices, and actually get to creating your content. No coding skills are required!
I’ll give you step-by-step videos and checklists to guide you through the website creation process. In addition, I’ll also help you create a classroom website for teachers like you that you’ll actually use all year. Long gone are the days of creating a classroom website in August and never looking at it again until the following school year!
Ready to get started? Click here to let me help you in your classroom website building!
Have more questions about creating your classroom website? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!
Want more resources to support Technology & STEM all year long? Grab this FREE downloadable guide that I’ve put together for you!