Resizing Photos

Please see the video below to see how to resize photos for WordPress, share in Google, and how to upload to WordPress:

How to Disable Comments on a WordPress Page

Only want site visitors to be able to comment on your posts? Please watch the video below to see how to disable the comment feature on static pages.

How to Embed a Google Presentation onto a WordPress Site

Have a great Google Presentation you want to share with the world? Then check out the video below and learn how to embed a Google Presentation onto your class website!

How to Add a Visitor Counter on Your WordPress Site

Please check you the video below to see how you can add a visitor counter to your class website:

Email Subscription set up

We have successfully installed a WordPress Plugin that will allow your parents to subscribe to your Class Site blog posts! We realize the steps below are detailed, but if you go through them carefully, your parents will be able to receive emails from you every time you post something new about your class.

If you have any issues in setting this up, please let us know and we can help you.
Email Subscription Set up
Watch the video or follow the instructions below..

  1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard
  2. You should have an error message at the top of your screen saying Subscribe by Email needs to be upgraded manually. Please click here to start with the upgrade. Click the blue text
    Inline image 1
  3. Go to Pages > Add New and Title it Email Subscriptions and Publish the page.
  4. Go to Settings > Easy WP SMTP
  5. Fill out the form as follows:
    • From Email Address: your email address
    • From Name: What your parents / students call you (ie Ms. K)
    • SMTP Host: 127.0.0.1 (very important)
    • Type of Encryption: leave as none
    • SMTP Port: leave as 25
    • SMTP Authentication: Set to No
    • leave the rest as is and Save Changes
  6. Now go to the Subscriptions menu item at the bottom left of your page and click on Subscriptions > Settings
  7. Email Frequency: We suggest selecting a Daily Digest that sends out at 16:00
  8. Half way down the page, under the Subscription Page section and Subscriptions Management Page, select the page you just made from the drop down menu called Email Subscriptions.
  9. If you would like a Follow button to appear on the bottom of each page, make sure the Display a follow button? checkbox is ticked.
  10. If you would instead like a box in your sidebar area, navigate to Appearance > Widgets and scroll down till you find the Subscribe by Email Widget. Click once and then Add Widget to the sidebar.
  11. Email your parents and ask them to sign up for your blog posts!

How To Create a Menu Structure in WordPress

Please watch the video below to see how you can create a menu structure in WordPress:

Resources and tech reflection for parents

Today I was invited for my first “Parent Coffee” at Toscana.  We talked about the IICS class sites, resources for parents to use with their children, and also management programs and apps for Macs and iPads.  One of the main recommendations we had for parents was to ask their children to use devices in common areas.  Another recommendation was for all devices and computers to be turned off and put in a place for safekeeping throughout the night outside of the bedrooms.

However, throughout the talk we listed a bunch of great websites and resources.  I thought I would reiterate some of them here and give some explanations about them:

IICS Websites and Resources

  • Primary Years Programme – One of the first documents that we talked about was the PYP program that is available online through the school directory and through the IICS website.
  • Primary School Parent and Student Handbook – Although we didn’t talk about this in the meeting, I thought I would add this document here because it is good to know that it exists and how to fetch it.
  • Primary Weekly News – An often updated blog that details when the next Parent Coffees will be, newsletters, and other pertinent information for parents and the school community.

Math Sites

  • Mathletics – IICS belongs to and pays for subscriptions to this excellent resource for students to learn about leveled and differentiated math.  Student can even challenge others from around the world to math games.  They love the competition.
  • Khan Academy – This is another great FREE website that enables students and parents to create programs and goals for themselves to learn such concepts as algebra, chemistry, calculus, physics.  It presents videos and lessons at many low and high levels and generates excellent statistics to use in guiding practice.  Parents – Please note there is a login specifically for you to track and help your son or daughter.

Language Sites

  • Vocabulary.com – Similar to Khan Academy, vocabulary.com builds students language abilities.  The site uses analytics to determine levels and terminology that is appropriate for each specific student.  One can also search for books that he or she is going to read in order to learn the difficult jargon they will encounter.
  • Starfall – This site caters to younger children learning vocabulary.  It has bright colourful pictures that accompany many games and lessons.

Kid-safe and Parent-safe Browsers

  • Kidzui – When using a Mac or PC, this is a great browser that display vetted websites and Youtube videos.  It is a must-have for parents who would like to be able to know kids are surfing the web safely.
  • Sandbox Browser App – For the iPad, this app performs a similar task.  However, parents define whitelisted sites that kids are allowed to use.  At the day of writing, this app was free on the US and Canadian iTunes store.
  • Self-Control – For parents out there who want to block themselves or their kids from sites or even email for a set duration, this is the trick.  It is also free.

Life Management

  • Netvibes – In order to have everything consolidate and come to you (RSS feed), this site should be set as your homepage.  Users can add widgets that feed class sites, multiple emails, other blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google Calendar, LinkedIn, Delicio.us, and times and weather around the world.   Other widgets can act as “to-do” lists, notes, and so many other things that can be personalised with a drag and drop.

Typing

  • BBC Dancemat Typing – A simple, free website that can get kids (and adults) started with proper finger placement and practice for typing.  No need to login or create an account.  Just get started!

Setting Times for Internet Browsing

  • When students have moved beyond the common areas and are using internet to large degrees, it is time to cut of their connection.  This post explains how to do this through the router.  With this said, it was noted that a son or daughter could hook their computer up to use their or their friend’s personal hotspot, so parents be wary.  It is best to sit and talk with them about digital citizenship and trying to lead a balanced life.  A sad video that accentuates what life has come to for many people is shown below:

We were also concerned with turning off Gmail Chat.  Here’s how:

  1. Click the gear icon and choose Settings.
  2. Click the Chat tab.
  3. Choose “Chat off.”
  4. Click Save changes.

Blogging at IICS

The reviews are in

Here’s what people are saying about the blogging document:

“Breathe-taking, Astonishing, Stupifying!!” – Tom

“Blogging at IICS is an excellent resource. Thank you for the analysis and synthesis of the research and for putting it together.  I am sure it will be a valuable resource for our team and community. It looks hefty and daunting, there is clearly a lot of work here, but it is actually an easy read. It has a lot of practical ideas supported by relevant research. ” – John D’Arcy

Download your copy of – Blogging IICS Final