PBS Teachers

Teachers are always looking for help on how to plan lessons, or even what type of lessons to do to best educate their students. PBS Teachers is a website that has endless amounts of useful information. At this site, information is categorized into different grade levels along with all subjects taught. Once teachers have chosen a grade level and subject, they can navigate through hundreds of different ideas and lesson plans for specific topics taught in the classroom. Lesson plans are provided by grade level and subjects such as the arts, health and fitness, math, reading and language arts, science and tech, and social studies. Obviously teachers will already have basic plans for how to get students to achieve educational goals set by the state. But PBS Teachers helps them find ways to further engage students, and potentially help teachers realize different, more creative ways to teach. The site involves not only lesson plans but interactive websites for teachers to show their students, through different things like Arthur the TV show or a group called Webonauts. Comic Creator is one such example where kids can create their own story line. This helps them learn how to use their imagination while creating their very own stories.

PBS Teachers also provides national news regarding educators and new developments. Information about the National PBS Survey was linked from the main page to redirect teachers to an article about more access to classroom technology. Teachers are concerned with the ever-changing technological world, and having a resource like PBS Teachers to keep them informed is a key component to staying on top of things. PBS Teachers also holds a competition for the PBS Teachers Innovation Award. For first place winners, the organization provides a week long "Innovation Immersion Experience", where they will travel to Dearborn, Michigan, along with other prizes. The award encourages teachers to be innovative in the classroom and share with PBS Teachers what they have created. Not only does this improve teachers, but it helps other teachers that may be struggling to come up with creative and innovative ideas.

PBS also provides videos that teachers can use to engage students in learning by helping them understand why they are learning certain subjects. Videos through PBS KIDS in the Classroom  help teachers find new ways, through video, to teach their students. Along with the videos, teachers are provided information about what the video or website contains, and additional external links for extra help. Chuck Vanderchuck's "Something Something" Explosion is one such website provided that teaches students about music. It is an interactive website where students can explore different types of music from salsa to hip hop. In it are webisodes, or click videos, letting students watch and listen to different types of music.

PBS Teachers is a user friendly website that allows teachers to stay organized and continue to be creative and innovative in the classroom. Whether it's a new teacher or an experienced one, PBS Teachers can help.