Tag: digital classroom

Teach the Way They Learn – Using Videos in the Classroom

September 6, 2022

If you are a teacher and have ever wished for a co-teacher or a clone of yourself to get more done, you are not alone. Especially in a classroom while teaching a lesson. We’ve all had that class where there was a constant distraction and the lesson was lost by the end. Sometimes that distraction led to an inconsistent lesson for our students.

Students will easily engage with a screen, but a live person tends to lose them. Instead of fighting against their style for focus and learning, let’s embrace it!

With a few adaptations to how you are already teaching, you could incorporate videos and solve several issues. While the video runs, you can circulate and quietly deal with behaviors or distractions. Absent students have a resource to watch. Students that missed some details the first time can access a resource to help them fill in the gaps. Parent nights can be guided and answer questions without repeating yourself throughout the night.

I used this in my brick and mortar classroom as well as in my virtual classroom. Here’s a breakdown of a few ways to do it.

POWERPOINT RECORDINGS If you are like many teachers, you already create slides to guide your teaching. From the PowerPoint program, there is a record feature so you can record your narration and slide clicks to just press play when needed. I had a remote clicker that allowed me to pause, as well, so I could navigate around and, if someone had a question, I could pause and answer, then let it continue. I was also able to share this when students were absent so they could get the lesson. The best part was the consistency between class periods–everyone got the same overview and I didn’t have to worry about forgetting something, which does tend to happen when we do the same thing over and over again.

YOUTUBE/ZOOM VIDEOS If you are demonstrating a skill or creating a tutorial, making a video allows you to do this. Zoom is great since you can record your screen if modeling an activity that requires technology. These can also be great for introductions and classroom tours.

TIKTOK STYLE VIDEOS These can be for quick tutorials that aren’t as detailed, as well as an introduction or classroom tour, but on a shorter video.

APPLICATIONS FOR VIDEOS These recordings can be used for teaching lessons, parent nights and orientations, group tasks to allow students to seek help at certain points of a task, or students that have extended absences or need to make up work at the end of a term. I have used Schoology and Google, as well as my current virtual classroom platform and simply have a video tutorial library page linked they can click on and find whichever video they need. I have also used these for a quick hello to new parents to introduce myself and the class and can text it to them before I call.

Before you add this to your repertoire, be sure to talk to your administration, sometimes using video platforms or Social Media such as YouTube or TikTok, does require authorization and training on proper use with children. Save yourself the headache and ask first.

Like or comment below, and share with others to support the blog. I post weekly about teaching, traveling and family. Until next time, you can find me on Tiktok @sonya.BOMSquadleader or our adventures at BarnesOnMove.com, Facebook & TikTok at @BarnesOnMove

Talk Less Using This Simple Technology Trick

August 2, 2022

QR codes will vary in design, like a fingerprint

Whenever I can find something that will make my teaching life better, I am all for learning it. So when I learned about generating QR codes several years ago, and figured out how to apply them in my classroom, I was thrilled!

If you don’t know what a QR code is, it is a funny looking square box you scan with a camera on a smart phone and it links you to a website (see the image included for an example from my husband’s photography business). They are a kind of fingerprint since it is customized to whatever you link it to, so they will all look slightly different.

Many restaurants and businesses have been using these during the pandemic, and news outlets are starting to put them on their TV commercials to link to stories online. They are quick and convenient!

So, that leaves two questions–how to create them and how to use them in a classroom.

HOW TO CREATE QR CODES First, digitally create your product that you want to share. This could be a video, form, worksheet, checklist, story, instructions, etc. Then, be sure it is saved online and can be shared publicly. Finally, go to a QR code generating website. There are many to choose from. I like https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ but there are many to choose from with a quick online search. Also, if you are using a program, some of them have built in QR code generators with your subscription, so check those out!

APPLICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM These are many and endless! I love using them at orientation for my parents. I create a video welcoming them and sharing information, another with a tour of the classroom and procedures, one with a form for their contact information, a list of supplies needed, an overview of the curriculum, resources to support them at home or if the yare struggling, my contact information–then have QR codes on a grab and go sheet, or posted to scan and save to view later (it opens a new browser for each scan, so will keep it open for them until they close it out). This makes those chats go faster. Instead of answering all questions or letting them give me little Pat’s background, I tell them that, for privacy, I’d rather not discuss in a group, but to preview my video, then use the contact info to email/text me when they’ve finished it and tell me about little Pat (I like to call it a parent homework and “Your Child in 100 words or less”).

I have also used this to link to a how to video for student independent work or group projects, if you have a technology rich classroom. If you are using a digital classroom, a QR code could be scanned to access their lesson or assignment, a Padlet or Flipgrid, or whatever ticket out the door you’d like them to do, so it is already created and just needs filled in.

If you work with other teachers or professionals, this can be a great follow up for them to scan for handouts, Flipgrid or Padlets built into the training or meeting, ticket out the door, goody bag resources, and so on.

How can you use this in your classroom? Be sure to share below!

Like or comment below, and share with others to support the blog. I post twice a week about teaching, traveling and family. Until next time, you can find me on Tiktok @sonya.BOMSquadleader. You can find more about our adventures on our our website at BarnesOnMove.com, Facebook & TikTok at @BarnesOnMove

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