March/April 2002 // Letters to the Editor
Announcing Teacher Focus, an Online Community of Educators
by Lucy Vaysman
Note: This article was originally published in The Technology Source (http://ts.mivu.org/) as: Lucy Vaysman "Announcing Teacher Focus, an Online Community of Educators" The Technology Source, March/April 2002. Available online at http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1034. The article is reprinted here with permission of the publisher.

In my work as a high school teacher and later as a college professor, I have found that outside of conferences there was relatively little opportunity for those working in our profession to communicate and share information and experience. I have also felt that there is a real gap in the utilization of the resources that the Internet offers to my colleagues. As an example: every year educators "invent" a method of teaching that has been around for years, instead of actually building on that method of teaching and allowing it to evolve.

I feel that I can help change all that. I also strongly believe that together teachers can achieve more. With that in mind, and in partnership with the talented designers at ThinkHost.com, I have set up Teacher Focus, an online community forum where educators can easily communicate with each other through threaded online discussions. My main goal was to find common points and interests among educators despite differences in cultural, educational, professional background or geographical location.

Teacher Focus is a fast growing community. As of February 2002, the number of our members approaches a thousand. Several new thematic forums have been open recently, and some of them have already become very popular: the New Teachers' Place for new educators and educational students to share concerns and have their questions answered by experienced teachers; the Educational Technology forum, which allows teachers and technology professionals to share their ideas and experiences in technology integration; and the Teachers' Lounge where literally any education-related issue can be discussed. Our moderators, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic educators, devote much time and effort in assisting others in these forums. Sharing experiences, asking questions, and giving friendly advice become easier for educators who decide to join our community.

Please take a moment to visit the site, join our community, and contribute to our ongoing discussions. I would also appreciate it if you could help us spread the word about the site by telling your colleagues about us. Together teachers can achieve more.

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