Good morning everyone,
I really enjoy finding (and writing about) the web’s best, most creative, cutting-edge and innovative K-8 edtech resources. Every now and then I come across a site or resource that isn’t some early-stage, venture-funded, bleeding-edge, crazy-mad-awesome collaborative web tool, but rather, just a basic resource site that will save teachers precious classroom time. Today is a good example. Let’s talk about SuperTeacherWorksheets.com!
This site came to me by way of a comment from the site’s webmaster on an earlier post here. This happens occasionally, and though I usually delete comments from sites that are not a) free or b) totally awesome, it’s only because I strive to feature the very best here on my blog. In my view, SuperTeacherWorksheets.com qualifies!
To be honest, I do have some reservations about promoting this site. I never knew a kid who raced to school every day filled with anticipation because he knew he’d be completing a worksheet that day. School is not just about paper and pencil, it’s about exploring, creating, reflecting, thinking, growing. Collaborative, constructivist projects featuring the latest Web 2.0 technology and Internet-fueled global connections will definitely make Johnny want to come to class in the morning. Worksheets … not so much. The reality however is we can’t have entire days filled with incredible collaborative projects, sometimes we need something a little more basic. Finally, although worksheets can be abused (read: overused), they absolutely do have a place in the classroom. You get to decide what that place is!
SuperTeacherWorksheets.com is a massive collection of worksheets for language arts, spelling, math, journal writing, grammar and more. There is advertising on the site, in the form of well-formatted and appropriate Google Ads, and products are occasionally pitched too, but the free content is plentiful and extremely high quality. (I was a little chagrined at the ‘Report Card Comments’ section, I mean, come on, comments should come from you!) but overall I am very impressed by the depth and professionalism of these materials, many of which are available in color. Bottom line: I think this site can potentially save the average classroom teacher quite a bit of time!
Hope this helps,
-kj-
Sorry Kevin, I have to disagree with you. I think the worksheet reference can be categorized a few ways. The worksheet part, after all, as compared to say, the Hornbook or slate, is quite advanced for some classrooms. So I would say that is probably Classroom .013. If they smell like “ditto” machine, extra credit. Now the fact that these same worksheets are on the web (woo-hoo) they are now Web 1.0??? You give them way too much credit. I say, barely Web .5! Funny that you should write this today, because yesterday I just blogged something very similar here. I’d be interested in your comments. http://macmomma.blogspot.com
Hi Lee!
Haha, thanks! Web 0.5, that’s a good one. :) I know you were kidding but I actually consider it Web 1.0 because that was how it was done ‘back in the day,’ static information, download & use, no content creation or sharing. Hmmmm, maybe we should suggest to the webmaster that he allow teachers to upload their own worksheets (maybe with an Ajax-based editor), add social networking features, and…lol
-kj-
Kevin,
You are an incredible resource in so many ways, I hate to rain on your parade.
But…..besides being WORKsheets (= work, not engaged learning), the worksheets here aren’t even accessible. Students with disabilities can’t listen to them and cannot word process in them using their input device (which could be keyboard or alternate access method).
As Lee Lefever used to say, “Boo.”
Can we just abandon the concept of worksheets?
Hi Karen,
I saw your tweet about use of worksheets in the classroom, I am also interested to know how they fit into modern professional practice … or not.
I don’t disagree with you about the accessibility issue, no way around that.
Never having used them in my classroom before, I can’t speak to their immediate value, though my sense is there are quite a few teachers who use (overuse) them regularly.
Keep the conversation going!
-kj-
As the webmaster of http://www.superteacherworksheets.com , I want to thank you very much for the review. I do appreciate any mentions of my site and I do value reading your unbiased opinions.
I’d like to respond to a few of the criticisms, if I may:
1. How do worksheets “fit into modern professional practice”? I am a third grade teacher and I don’t use worksheets to “teach” mundane lessons day after day. In fact, my classroom is full of hands-on, cooperative, exploratory lessons. But, after I’ve taught a concept, I do use worksheets to give the kids a chance to PRACTICE what it taught.
Example: When I teach subtraction with borrowing, I introduce the concept with place value blocks (kids manipulate the blocks on mats). The next day we do a cooperative learning subtraction game. They’ll be using higher-level thinking skills as they “explain” how it works.
BUT, when all is said and done, they NEED to practice it on their own. They’re not going to remember how to do subtraction with borrowing unless they practice it. And that’s where the worksheets come in.
In other words, worksheets don’t take the place of good teaching– but they can supplement good teaching by providing the practice kids need.
In fact, I can’t see how many concepts could be taught WITHOUT the independent practice that worksheets can provide.
And, are the people who posted negative responses really going to tell me they NEVER use practice books (that have worksheets in them)… or that they don’t do ANY printable activity with their kids? I’d have a hard time believing that.
2. It should also be mentioned that, even though the site is called “Super Teacher Worksheets”, it also features quite a few cut-and-paste activities, card games, math games, etc. (Especially in the math sections.) It’s not just a site filled with drill-and-practice.
3. Report card comments section — You made a good point. It’s still there, but I tucked it away a little deeper in the site. It’s not front and center any more.
4. Web 1.0. Yep. It’s all static content. No video. No flash player. Minimal javal. Just adobe pdfs. I’m confortable with it this way– it loads well on even the older computers. Everyone can access it easily. And, I don’t know how to program all the fancy stuff anyway.
5. The site is offering a service very similar to what Edhelper.com, Teachnology.com, ABCteach.com and many others are offering. The difference– superteacherworksheets.com is free.. the others are not. And, in my opinion, the quality of the activities/printables is better.
Again, thanks for the review… and thanks to everyone who checked it out.
You can’t compare yourself to abcteach.com. The quality is amazing and by the way they have over 5000 free pages. Yes, they do have a membership site that is full of amazng things. Not just ordinary worksheets but printable posters, generators to make your own materials like word walls, booklets, etc. Your students can used these in the lab, too. They have bulletin board trims, desktags and many extras beyond printable worksheets. They have learning games and learning centers with everything you need to set up hands-on activities.
My two-cents.
Hi Sharon,
Wow, it has been a while since I visited ABCTeach.com, and in fact, I blogged about it FOUR YEARS AGO, holy moly … time for an updated post, I’m sure there has been a lot of content added since then! Thanks for the nudge!
-kj-
Kevin
I just happened upon your blog via a Google search. (in case you like to keep track of these things)
I am finding it very interesting. Thanks.
Sharon– You’re right that SuperTeacherWorksheets is not nearly as big as sites like ABCTeach. ABCTeach and similar sites are excellent resources for teachers with lots of depth to them.
But my little site (SuperTeacherWorksheets) is growing by leaps and bounds. Each week new worksheets are added; There’s now a teaching tips & activities section; monthly contest; printable teaching tools (like planbook pages); and manipulative games that teach math!
I’m not in the same league as the bigger subscription sites, but I try my hardest to keep adding new and useful stuff for teachers all the time.
I think this blog has really evolved.
Kevin, a while back you did a great
review of our site for kids: http://www.kbears.com
Maybe you can take a second and look at
KBteachers math worksheet makers
Unlike both ABCteach and SuperTeacherWorksheets, ours worksheets are not only
unique…but also DYNAMIC…
I think it is good that we have a healthy competition going on :-)
After all, it’s about choice and more choice. For our teachers, and our kids.
That’s my 2 cents…
Hope all is well. Your blog really does rock.
Christophe