Primary Teacher Resources That Make Your Lessons Fun

Engaging students and making their learning opportunities fun is vitally important to the success of any lesson you teach in a primary classroom. But where do you find these quality, educational primary teacher resources?



Luckily, there are many primary teacher resources available online, including a whole world of tools that any primary teacher can use to make learning fun and engaging for their students.



And while you're searching online, it pays to remember that one of the most valuable tools primary teachers have at their disposal is the classroom computer or technology centre, which provide access to literally hundreds of games and resources that can support students' learning in a range of learning areas — from numeracy and science, to grammar and languages.



Try these software packages for size next time your early finishers are looking for something to do, or you're after a positive reward for good behavior in the classroom (a quick Google search will locate them, and many are free to download):



* The Cluefinders: software-based games that teach numeracy, mathematical thinking, and problem solving to students aged 8 to 14 years;



* Reader Rabbit: a great game that scaffolds children's early experiences with reading, grammar and general literacy;



* Fun Brain: a collection of online arcade and interactive games that target early learner concepts of reading, numeracy and social interactions.



Of course, there are literally millions more great sites to explore — these are just three examples of the kinds of primary teacher resources you can find online. Get searching and bookmark some of your favourites for your students… they'll thank you for it!



Another source of endless primary teacher resources can be found in the real world, via field trips, which are a fantastic way to consolidate learning before, during or after a particular unit of work.



Consider excursions as far away as your national museum for a memorable history class, or as close as the schoolyard for an in-depth examination of local microclimates. And while you're out and about with your kids, have them keep a diary of what they see, learn or do, which can be turned into a literacy lesson once you're back in the classroom.



By using these types of authentic experiences, primary teachers can utilise some of the best resources on offer... right in their own backyard!



Visual and technological aids are also an important primary teacher resource, and a useful tool in engaging with students from a range of ability groupings, backgrounds, and learning capacities.



It's a good idea to have some simple presentation and editing tools at your disposal, which you can call on to keep your students engaged, and on track. Try these for size:



* Microsoft PowerPoint is not only for the corporate world -; use it to create slideshows of students' work, or display pictures from the classroom. You can also use the program's simple interface to create dynamic summaries of units of work or tricky concepts, especially where you don't have access to an interactive whiteboard or SmartBoard.



* Adobe Flash can be easily used to create animated games for your children to play, while also teaching math, science, literacy, or any other learning area.



* Slowmation software like the programs at www.slowmation.com.au can be used to document older students' learning processes and to create their own animations, as well as introducing them to ideas of self-publication online.



* Digital cameras are another great way to document students' learning and social interactions in the classroom and wider educational environments, either with a single classroom camera, or individual sets for each student to use.



Primary teachers who are starting out in their career or are new to a particular classroom setting should also take care to create a dynamic, inclusive classroom environment that is conducive to learning.



This includes having concrete materials properly labeled, displaying students' work or school rules around the room, having designated learning areas for different types of teaching and learning strategies (for example, a quiet reading area, and a play area), and administrative tools like reading groups, news rosters or birthday boards.



Several new teaching kits can be found online, which deliver a range of readymade labels, boards, rosters and posters, as well as handy blackline masters to help primary teachers hit the ground running when it comes to creating a healthy learning environment in their classroom.



For more primary teaching resources, just get searching online, and don't be afraid to ask other teachers what they use.





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Looking for a range of quality primary teacher resources that are ready to go? The hard work has already been done for you at www.primaryteacherresources.com ... just print, and you're ready to teach.