Nearly every business and every kind of professional has their own website. It is an inexpensive way to get your name out there. Recently, there has been a trend for teachers to have their own websites as well.
Here are seven reasons teachers should maintain their own website.
1. Interaction with Your Students
The problem with social media is that your life is an open book, and although you can select who sees certain posts, it’s usually not an appropriate place to interact with students, especially if you share personal information there. (See the next section on privacy)
However, there are still times when you want a safe place to interact with students, and a public forum on your website can provide you with that space. For your own protection, communication with students should be open, not through private messages or your personal email.
2. Privacy
Many teachers are encouraged to use their middle names instead of last names, or even a pseudonym to keep their social media private. Privacy settings can also make it challenging for students to find out personal information about teachers and other staff.
Having your own website can help with privacy issues because it gives students a place to go to interact with you. This does not mean that you can neglect other privacy measures, but if you share some things about yourself on your website, that will often satisfy their curiosity.
You Still Need to Be Cautious
Of course, this is an area to use caution as well. Make all of your communications with students as public as possible, and make sure their parents are connected and aware.
Some school districts even offer teachers their own subdomain, or you can purchase your own domain name and easily set it up with the proper security measures yourself. Your IT department can assist you in setting up the proper safeguards if you need help.
3. Assignments
Having a website is a great way to share detailed assignments and even collect them using tools like Google Drive, DropBox, or other services. School districts often have designated folders and file systems you can use.
This is a good place to share lessons and hints as well. If you have used slides or other notes in class, posting them on your website can help kids catch up or even study a little extra.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Do you find that many of your students are asking the same questions over and over? You can populate your website with a frequently asked questions page, much like businesses do. You can even have sections depending on the kind of questions your students have. Some examples might include:
- Information about me
- Tests and Quizzes
- How I Grade
- Study Tips
5. Test Prep
Have study guides you are tired of students losing? Post them on your website, so that the student can download and print them themselves, saving you time, trouble, and resources.
Additionally, this offers resources to parents who wish to help students, professional or volunteer tutors, and more. Instead of each of these people contacting you individually, you can share documents with all of them via your website.
6. Professional Connections
Your website is useful not just for connecting with students, but connecting with other professionals in your field. You can share things with other teachers but also learn from their methods as well, making you both more effective in the classroom and beyond.
A solid professional network can also lead to additional opportunities, whether that is a new job, summer opportunities, or conferences and events that may benefit you and your career.
7. Saving Time
One thing a teacher can never have enough of is time, and having your own website can help you save a lot of it. Between assignments, test prep, frequently asked questions, and a single, simple point of contact, you will be able to better use your time in other ways.
Having your own website may seem like a hassle at first, but if you use it properly, it can be a valuable tool for you, your students, and other professionals you are connected with.