What are some of the best (free) online resources for teachers? I’ve had to buy much of what I use in my resource room…
Re: Online worksheets, etc.
Guest has a good point here. I am always afraid of recommending worksheets, because almost always it is not the worksheet but **what you do with it** that matters.
That said, I’ll look up the websites on my Favourites list and see if any are recommendable, to post later.
Re: Online worksheets, etc.
I struggled a bit with the worksheet idea, too, but realized that our guys *do* need a lot of practice. The challenge is finding worksheets that really *are* practice in a skill (which is why I put the kinds of things that work up on my site). I learned not to underestimate repetition. Hey, if I just get them out of my class having learned, really, that two to the third power is 8 (and how you got there), then they’re ahead of many of their peers.
Worksheets
It depends on what subject area you need and if you want to pay for them. edhelper.com is good. Some of the sheets you have to pay for but a lot are free. For reading help try learningpage.com All the work there is free! Good luck.
My favorites include Sue’s website, http://www.resourceroom.net/index.asp, for older students, and starfall.com for the very beginning reader.
A good search engine, however, is probably the most valuable tool when you are looking for specific worksheets, etc. You can find a variety of drill-type worksheets, given an effective search. In general, however, I don’t find worksheets particualrly effective unless I am sitting with a student as they go through the worksheet in order to closely monitor their accuracy and provide feedback immediately, rather than after they have practiced and reinforced a misunderstanding for an entire worksheet.
When I taught resource, I found that independently completed worksheets were most effective for overteaching a previously acquired skill, rather than practicing a newly taught skill. I struggled with this because, at times, the worksheets felt like babysitters rather than instructional aides, but with 5 distinctly different reading levels to cover in two hours of instruction, I just did the best I could to survive.
Good luck!