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youtube
Kideos – Like YouTube for Kids
Anyone with children will know how much they want to go on to YouTube, but much of the content is unsuitable so parents have to keep an eye on what they’re watching. Kideos gets around that problem by providing a children-only website for videos, with content for all ages from two up to ten-and-over. The content is checked for suitability and the videos do look tempting for younger viewers.
This site will mainly appeal to younger age groups, with children starting to grow out of the layout by the time they reach eleven and older. It has the bright colours very young children enjoy, and the videos are presented in a different way to YouTube, with clear menus and a good sized photo of each one. A teenage Kideos would also be appealing, and as children get older they would like to be able to upload their own videos and interact with the community.
Videos can be selected by age group and also from a range of categories including Most Popular as well as favourite TV and book characters, cats and dogs, cartoons and educational. It’s good to see some other languages, with Spanish and Portuguese included, and more languages would help older kids learning the basics. Parents can create playlists for their children, and all videos have been screened and approved by the Kideos panel.
TeachersPayTeachers – Exchange of Teaching Materials
This is one of those websites that immediately comes across as an excellent idea. It’s an open marketplace to let teachers buy and sell materials, from lesson plans to books. With teachers already on the website offering materials for all ages, from children to adults, it seems sure to do well. What a great time-saver it should be for teachers, and also an economical way to buy books and other goods. The chance to put those lesson plans to good use by sharing them seems like good use of time and effort, and why not make some extra income from them?
It’s well organised with bestselling items, newly added items, a full catalogue to browse, and ways to sort and search for exactly what you need. The website has been designed by teachers for teachers to use, and there’s no charge to list items for sale. Once sold the seller gets 60% of the price if they are using the free subscription. This rises to 85% if users pay an annual subscription fee of $59.95.
The site claims to be the first of its kind and states its aim as helping teachers to help each other succeed in their work, as well as making extra income. The materials are offered in various formats including PowerPoint presentations for the classroom. It’s easy to see how it could appeal to teachers wanting to sell their carefully developed lesson plans, and also those wanting to buy a prepared presentation.
School of Everything – Matches Teachers and Learners
Organised in the UK, this is an international site that lets learners find courses close to them or online, and also lets teachers register for free in an impressive range of specialist subjects. The layout is simple, with quick registration for teachers, and a search field for learners to find the subject of their choice. It’s also possible to search by city to get ideas from the variety of courses in each area.
A search for courses of interest to me and within walking distance showed teachers in my vicinity, which suggests how comprehensive the site is. The tutors also show high level experience and qualifications, and for many subjects there are both distance learning and face-to-face options. For students unsure about what they’d like to learn the site is attractively presented with the opportunity to explore major cities and the variety of courses to be found in each one. Popular courses are also listed to whet the learners’ appetite for study.
This resource will be useful for teachers and learners alike, and already has teachers registered in the UK, US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. An additional benefit is that teachers will be able to see how much competition they have in their location for the courses they could offer, and this could help them fill gaps in the service by promoting their more sought after subjects.
Socially!