Teachers.Net Webring Features Teachers' Sites

by Valerie Simeone, Webring Adminstrator

A fantastic resource at Teachers.Net has recently been called "a closely guarded secret." I’m here to help this resource come out of secrecy and into the mainstream! That resource is the Teachers.Net Webring. It is a collection of almost 400 education related websites linked to one another through the assistance of Webring.org. The Teachers.Net Webring was created during the summer of 1998. During one of the first ever Teachers.Net gatherings, the need for this kind of resource was discussed. As the saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for." Shortly after this gathering I exchanged several e-mails with Bob Reap and was granted Webring mistress-hood. The webring has had a few rocky patches over the last five years--Webring.org changed management three different times--but the loyal members have put up with all the changes and have kept the navigation code on their site as current as possible.

What is a webring?

Similar sites are grouped together in rings and each site is linked to another by a simple navigation bar. Rings form a concentration of sites, allowing visitors to quickly find what they are looking for. Each Ring is created and maintained by an individual web site owner called the RingMaster. RingMasters determine the look and feel of the Ring, approve and manage member sites, and encourage other sites to join. RingMasters help to develop virtual communities based on the Ring topic.

How do I navigate the webring?

Direct your browser to the Teachers.Net Webring Hub page (also linked from the Teachers.Net homepage http://teachers.net. You can navigate through the ring several ways:

1. Use the "previous 10" and "next 10" arrows to see lists of sites.
2. Use the search box to look for a specific name or category (such as grade level).
3. Use the navigation code located on any page.

How do I join the Teachers.Net Webring?

From the Teachers.Net Webring Hub page, click on the link in the upper right hand corner for "Join this Ring." You will be required to register for a site ID but membership is free. Anyone with an non-commercial, education related website is welcome to join. However, at the current time, websites of a commercial nature are not being accepted for membership.

With ring members totaling nearly 400, I can always use your help. Whether you are navigating the ring as a visitor or a member, if you ever see a site that does not fit the description of a Teachers.Net Webring member site (for example, it is not educationally related, has a broken or nonexistent navigation code, or is commercial in nature) please notify me at valerie@teachers.net. Over one million new websites join the Internet each day and many domain names become recycled as different sites. I try to manage the ring on a regular basis but an extra eye is always appreciated.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions about the Teachers.Net Webring!