Skype for Teachers

As a middle school teacher it can be a challenge to come up with new and interesting lessons in the classroom. When you find something interesting, it can also be difficult to create the lessons you'd like because of budgets, time, or lack of support. Most difficult is creating something completely new, on your own, from scratch.

Skype is a tool to make the process easier. Teachers can use Skype to hear from other teachers from the same content area. Watch them teach their lessons and discuss ways to implement it your classroom.

Since file sharing and text chat are available, teachers can exchange templates, help with write-up and editing of plans, and even sit in while the lesson is going on to give immediate feedback.

Teachers can get in touch with parents to ask if students are understanding lessons, or have the parents sit in on class via Skype.

Teachers can also recruit former students to help with lessons so students have the chance to hear the material from a different perspective.

With so many schools cutting back on field trips and other opportunities for students to experience learning outside the classroom walls, Skype can bring the experiences to the students. After all, to prepare them for a Flat World, they need all of the 'outside' the classroom experiences they can get!