Building
Learners
Project

I just read and approved a new application for this project, and it pointed out something all of us should “talk up” as we tell folks around our schools what BLP is doing. One very helpful feature of this project is the SAFETY of it. Since the workBench is designed for education and TeachersFirst is a non-profit here to help teachers, we are able to offer this collaboration without interference or concerns about “bad guys.” You are free from concerns about filtering in your school blocking the tools or violating policy by using student email access. And you will always know what students are doing (and WHICH student did what).

In researching for our recent article on web filtering (also created using the workBench- check it out as an example!), TeachersFirst’s editorial staff confirmed what we knew to be true: many schools simply do not allow access to some very powerful online tools. They are not being cruel (though the results may seem that way). They are simply interpreting laws and local concerns very protectively. There are varied philosophies about how to handle web safety concerns, and many U.S. schools come down on the more conservative side. In five years, who knows…

So it is gratifying for TeachersFirst to be involved with a positive group of teachers who do not need to worry, even under the most restrictive policies. So welcome to all of you…we truly are glad to see you here! Check out the project members page to see who else is among us.