MAPE Review

If you've never heard of TagTeacherNet, or ever visited their site take a look; it could be just what you've always wanted in a website. It's almost like being in an exclusive club. In the nicest way of course!

If you are wondering what the TAG is in Tag Teacher, it is TAG developments that have been creating, publishing and distributing learning materials for over 10 years.

So what is on the site?
As its title suggests, TagTeacher is for teachers. They recommend you sign up as a member otherwise some of the key features will not be available to you. This is free and you can provide as much or as little information about yourself as you like. When you sign up you are awarded 1000 TagTeacherNet units. Being an ex-banker, I found this intriguing, for if TagTeacherNet Ltd. sold or floated the shares on the market, all valid units will be converted into a share subscription in the company on a one share equals one unit. This is quite clever, as it gives you a sense of ownership straight away. Well to an ex-Yuppie like me it does anyway!

The site has six main areas: Resources, News, Grapevine, Jobs, Shops and Support. Resources Currently there are twenty areas of resources available. In addition to the subject areas, there are sections titled Assemblies, Exams, Drama, Careers, Suppliers, Showcase, P.S.E., and a section on Special Needs. On entering these areas you are given choice of different websites to visit with a useful short explanation to the site. Some are American, however don't let that put you off, they are of good quality.

I looked at Showcase, simply because I liked the title and it wasn't a particular National Curriculum subject. (Gosh! There's life out there!). In HyperStudio I found Discovery.com, a very useful site offering free clipart to download. There are many clips in different categories to download; your class will have a great time with this.

In the special needs area there are different sections to explore e.g. issues, classroom, information, directories and publications. I looked into classroom and ICT support. I was transported straight to the VTC (Virtual Teacher Centre) one further click and I found myself at the Teachers Library of Resources; this I have come across before, it's a good site to have on your favourites page.

As a Maths specialist I had to check out the Maths area; to my surprise I found TagTeacherNet had an error, for there were two links on the Maths section, one to languages and one to Maths. That was disappointing on an up till now faultless site. I e-mailed them immediately to point this out.

When I got to the Maths page, I was again frustrated; most of the sites I found seemed to focus on the Key Stage 3 and GCSE levels. If, however, you are an Escher freak like me, there is the 'World of Escher' site (American) where you can send e-cards to your friends and purchase silk ties for the man in your life.

I looked in the 'lessons' category and found myself at Mathslessons.co.uk but again nearly all were KS3 and GCSE level. However, they looked good resources.

The Music directory was not a disappointment. As a non-specialist, these were the types of resources I would find very useful. The page links you with mostly American sites, but they were of good quality, with lesson plans and great ideas you could adapt very easily to suit your age group. The plans offered had a variety of focus objectives e.g. Dance and Movement, Instruments, Components like dynamics and pattern using familiar classical pieces e.g. William Tell overture. These are detailed and informative.

News
Always a good place to start. If you become a member, a weekly newsletter is e-mailed to you giving their latest news, articles and current affairs. There are some recommended sites listed here too, which is where I found a Primary Maths site, one of the best I've seen is called teachingtime.co.uk, some lovely sheet resources as well as interactive screens, not to be missed.

Grapevine
Here you'll find a New Teacher Tool Kit. Well! Sorry TagTeacher! Blow the new teacher, I found this a very interesting assortment of resources useful to all I am sure. I particularly liked the link with an American ("American! Again!" I hear you cry. Well they do have far more sites set up over there you know) site on class management skills, and a small area on able pupils from Oxford Brookes University, (You see there are some!) There is even a technical support area. In here there is also a discussion area, which most sites seem to have nowadays. I think they are a good idea as one can feel isolated as a teacher; this page was clear and easy to access.

Jobs
There were a variety of website addresses to link to. The choice was large. Support Support provides links to unions, government sites, health sites, legal services, professional and subject associations and time savers - seems quite a useful thing to have included.

Shops
Last but not least, when you've browsed the site and found your next ICT lesson, checked you're up-to-date on what's happening in education today AND found a brilliant picture that will be extremely useful for something, you've suddenly remembered you were supposed to pop down to B&Q to buy a bigger pot for that poor plant sitting in the porch looking quite sorry for itself! Well, just stop, relax, and click onto the area entitled SHOPS. Here in the directory you will find B&Q's website where you can browse the helpful pictures and explanations, check prices and order online. You can even find the latest bargain for your loved one who is now convinced, after watching you spend a couple of hours looking at TagTeacherNet website, that you never think of them, you're always thinking of school! My Word! What more could you ask for?

Conclusion
If you are new to the Internet, this site is for you. If you are at the point where everyone else but you seems to find just what they want on the web, this site is for you. If you are an experienced Internet surfer, but you would like to find pointers to some other good quality sites, this site is for you. TagTeacherNet hits the nail on the head. Although I couple of minor quibbles basically the site keys into what a teacher needs and wants from a site - lots of practical help, resources, and interesting bits and pieces. It is like an interactive (Gosh! My NOF trainer will be pleased; I've used that word interactive again!) magazine for teachers. It's easy to use, updated regularly, interesting and useful. Apart from everything I've already mentioned there are opinion polls and competitions to enter and it offers web space and e-mail services to members. It's a site to get to know well. I'd recommend not just a visit, join!

Judy Sayers, Classroom Teacher, Codicote, Hertfordshire