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"Discover the tools and techniques today's teachers and classrooms are using to prepare students for tomorrow -- and how you can get involved. What should collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking look like in a modern classroom? How can parents help educators accomplish their goals? We hope this guide helps bring more parents into the conversation about improving education. (And when you're done, don't miss our Home-to-School Connections Guide.)"

As more and more people join the world of Twitter (460,000 signups per day), school parents and teachers are more commonplace on this global social media tool. According to a recent Pew Internet Study, 84% of all Twitter users are between the ages of 18-49. Why is this important to school officials? The age range includes the majority of our school parents.

"Class Messenger makes it effortless for teachers to send home important notes and updates about the day's learning experiences. They can even see exactly which parents have read each note. And whether via app, text or email, communication through Class Messenger is always private." It takes a Teacher about 30 seconds to build a Class. Then Parents or Students or both (depending on what's appropriate) can either sign up online (kind of like following someone on Instagram or Twitter) or get invited by email by the Teacher. After that, everyone can exchange messages via the app, website, email or text….you choose. You can send photos + documents, create surveys, donation requests and meeting requests all with a few touches or keystrokes. And it's free!

Internet safety and education is always at the forefront of my mind when I work with technology in the classroom.  It is therefore important for me to have my parents have an understanding and some control over their child's work and image as it relates to usage and access.  Today, with the help of my amazing PLN (personal learning network) I wrote the letter and consent form I will be giving to all of my families.  Since I know many others are also in the process of creating something similar, I thought I should share what I have.

"Celly is an easy way for teachers, coaches and administrators to communicate with students and parents Send school wide alerts and keep parents updated Schedule reminders or curate class discussions Use polls and surveys to engage students"

"Teaching social-emotional skills like gratitude, teamwork and empathy has never been easier … or more fun! Bite-Sized Lesson Plans Our lesson plans are quick, fun and super easy to integrate into your ELA or read-aloud lessons. Highly Engaging Stories Vibrant characters and entertaining storylines help students grasp important social-emotional concepts. Track Progress Against Required Standards Our curriculum is English Language Arts standards-aligned so you can track the standards practiced in your classroom. Parents Get Involved Parents receive pre-written class updates and activities to do at home with their child to reinforce "

Look around at any restaurant or mall and it's easy to see: adults are always connected to their mobile devices. But as this technology becomes even more ingrained in our lives, what can we expect for our children? Studies show that - used wisely - technology can be an important part of their everyday lives as well.

A Learning Community of Teachers, Students and Parents From Over 200 Countries. Classroom-Ready Projects and Activities Collaborative Learning Tools Such as Blogs, Wikis and Media Galleries. Quality, Standards-Aligned Content from Respected Educational Brands. Showcase of Outstanding Teacher and Student Work

Mural.ly is a new tool (still in beta, launched last week) that is a cross between Prezi and mind maps. It's easy to use and share what you create (perfect for most students, teachers, and parents) but the real beauty of mural.ly is in its lack of structure.

"What encourages students to do well in school? Often, it comes down to grades. Many students will work harder in order to earn a higher grade. Colleges want to see good grades. Parents want to see good grades. Grades are good, right? Of course they are, but the grades should not be the only goal. Learning for the sake of it should be a goal, including what they learned, how long they remembered it, and how they applied it to new situations."

This guide examines the use of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) models in schools. It looks at the potential opportunities and benefits, as well as the considerations, risks and implications that arise when schools allow students and staff to use personally owned devicesin the classroom and school environments. Strategies,tips and techniques are included to address the considerations and manage the risks. The guide is NOT a step-by-step manual for implementing  models that enable students to use personally owned devices in school. While teachers, parents, community members and other stakeholders may find the guide informative, it is written with school and school authority administrators and leadership teams in mind. It is meant to inform their decision making and strategic planning should they decide to support a BYOD model in their schools.

"Improve Behavior Improve specific student behaviors and engagement by awarding and recording real-time feedback.  Share Data Print or email beautiful behavior reports to easily engage parents and staff. Save Time Save time by recording behaviors and accomplishments right in class, with just one click: NO extra data entry required."

"The Practical Ed Tech Handbook isn't just a list of my favorite resources. I've included ideas for using these resources and in many cases I've included links to video tutorials about my favorite resources. In The Practical Ed Tech Handbook you will find resources arranged in seven categories; communication with students & parents, web search strategies, digital citizenship, video creation, audio production, backchannels & informal assessment, and digital portfolios."

"Pinterest allows users to search for pins with a specific theme or subject. According to Pearson (2011), teachers can easily bookmark or "pin" lesson plans across the web for a later date, organize resources for the classroom, share unique ideas, and allow for collaboration with students, parents, and colleagues. "

Another interesting-looking collection of websites, tools and resources. Plenty here to read or just dip into -- and a lot more than the 42 cited!

Comprehensive and thought-provoking post from Simon Finch on ideal beahvior online -- including by teachers and parents.

"The situation: You've just been given your first 15-page college research paper assignment. Your professor wants you to use books and scholarly journals in writing your paper, and doesn't want you to rely solely on Google and Wikipedia to do the research. What do you do? You could call your parents or ask advice from a friend. But a far better idea would be to follow these 10 best tips, offered by visiting blogger Cheryl LaGuardia, research librarian at Harvard University's Widener Library"

Gone are the days when  teachers would rely only on traditional gradebooks to record both their teaching progress and their students achievements. Now, technology has made it easier for teachers to create and access their gradebooks online and from anywhere with internet connection. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning has compiled a set of awesome tools that you can use for grading, managing your courses and student information, taking attendance, and even sharing with parents their kids grades. Check out the list below and share it with your colleagues.