Preparing Students for Their Future: New Literacies for New Times
by Donald J. Leu Jr.

What is the best way to prepare students for the new literacies needed for the Internet?
One way you can learn how to prepare students is to join a learning community, such as this one. The Internet provides opportunities for all of us to learn from one another. I may know something about Internet Workshop, but you may know a great location to learn about authors your students are reading.

You can visit websites of experienced Internet educators who teach their own classes. These exemplary teachers provide important models and highly effective resources for us to use in our own classrooms. Take a look at the resources below. Very quickly, you will see that exciting and profound changes are taking place in literacy education:

Mrs. Silverman's Second-Grade Class
http://www.kids-learn.org/
Susan is a master at forming collaborative classroom communities to share and exchange work around a common theme. Take a look at her many online projects, or join one of the new, developing projects.

Mr. Roemer's Fifth-Grade Polar Bears
http://www.pb5th.com/index.htm
Fred uses the Internet to form a supportive community of learners that includes his students, their parents and guardians. Visit his site to see some outstanding learning experiences.

Maggie Hos-McGrane's Fifth-Grade Class in the Netherlands http://www.xs4all.nl/~swanson/origins/intro.html
Maggie and her students have developed amazing resources from around the world. From ancient history to myths and legends, this class shows you the new visions of literacy and learning that are possible on the Internet.

Hazel's Home Page
http://www.marshall-es.marshall.k12.tn.us/jobe/
Hazel is the vice-principal at Marshall Elementary School in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Visit her page and discover exciting ways to use the Internet in your class.

Loogootee West Elementary School
http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/
Tammy Payton, a former first-grade teacher at this Indiana school, developed this exceptional site for teachers new to the Internet.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html
Patty Taverna and Terry Hongell have developed a tremendously rich resource for the study of this important American.