I’m hooked on http://www.edutopia.org/!

Edutopia.org is the ultimate website for teachers! For starters, I’m absolutely in love with the websites mission statement:

“Our vision is of a new world of learning. A place where kids and parents, teachers and administrators, policy makers and the people they serve, all are empowered to change education for the better. A place where schools have access to the same invaluable technology as businesses and universities -- where innovation is the rule, not the exception. A place where children become lifelong learners and develop the technical, cultural, and interpersonal skills to succeed in the twenty-first century.”

Ahh, Beautiful! Edutopia.org also provides archives of instructional advice, from classroom management tips to recommendations for district-wide change. My favorite part of the site is the blog section, in which various teachers, administrators, and parents post a weekly blog responding to what is going on in their local schools. I also love the “Special Report” page that features articles and resources on pressing issues, such as “Green Learning” and “Global Literacy.” Edutopia encourages teachers to collaborate and support one another by becoming a contributing member of the website, or by joining one of the many special interest groups. These special interest groups are similar to a group you might join on Facebook, allowing members to discuss specific issues in an open forum. Edutopia also grants free access to its monthly magazine Edutopia, which features articles about nearly every aspect of teaching.

Although Edutopia is for teachers of all content areas, the website is especially good for us English teachers. For instance, you can join groups that are designed exclusively for English teachers (there are lots!) or you can follow the bogs of your fellow English teachers. I’m particularly fond of Heather Wolpert-Gawron's blog, who writes about her experiences as a middle school English teacher.