Set The Hook.
Follow me:
  • Home
  • Fishin' Solo Blog
  • MTBoS
  • Table Talk Math
  • The Classroom Chef
  • Would You Rather...?
  • Meet the Fisherman
    • Resume
  • Flipping 2.0
    • Flipping Your Classroom
    • Troubleshooting a flipped classroom
  • Choose Your Own Assessment
    • Student Work Samples
  • Apps In Class
  • Pre-made Math Lessons

Video Helped the Teaching Star

12/21/2012

0 Comments

 
Even rows separate desks that are aligned in parallel and uniform fashion.  The students sit upright, pencils in hand, eagerly ready to digest the content that is being projected by the instructor as he (or she) scribbles information onto a chalkboard.  What happened to these days?  Thankfully, something did.  Something changed the way that we are able to learn.  Something changed the way that we are able to teach.  Sadly, we don't use it enough.  The internet and media programs have the ability to transform any lesson.

With the influx of content available on YouTube, TeacherTube, The Teaching Channel, Ted, and so many others, creating videos has been the go-to for teachers and students looking for a creative way to demonstrate mastery or to deliver content.  Really.  Honestly.  Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if you're as engaging, entertaining and awesome as this:
Your reaction may range from "Wow" to "I could do that" and it should.  This group of teachers has clearly taken something that is as mundane as the exponent rules in Algebra and made it into a fun and engaging experience.  This is not easy to do, but it is possible.  Wow, they were able to get upwards of 100 students to partake in this video!  Wow, those students will certainly have a much better understanding of the content and will remember the song to help them with a concept that is NOT easy!

Think about it - I could do that.  Maybe not to that extent.  Get real - Super Base is impressive.  I showed my students this video (along with others from WSHS) and their reactions were priceless.  Right after the video ended, 7 students came up to me and asked if we could do something similar.  My answer?  ABSOLUTELY.  I'll upload our production as soon as we finish.

However, I'm not naive to the fact that this is going to take a lot of work.  Help me out here, but I'm thinking that these are (most of) the steps that it'll take to pull something even close to Super Base off:

  • Lyrics... The lyrics are everything
  • Choreography
  • Video Cameras and/or iPads
  • iMovie
  • GarageBand
  • A whole lot of patience
  • A whole lot of confidence
  • Voice Lessons

Doing something to this scale is unfathomable in most classrooms.  Instead, aim for something more basic and to the point.  Having students do renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or other childhood classics that are slow enough and easy to change the words to meet the standard that your students are working to master...
Think about how you remembered the ABC's.  Now trying saying them without breaking into song.  While it's possible, it certainly isn't easy (or comfortable). Think about how long it takes for you to remember your new favorite song.  Within 2 to 3 times of hearing a song, many of us can sing along with the chorus and some of the catchy lyrics (remember the Macarena?).  Now translate the success of a song's retention to a classroom.

Imagine if you could take some of the most complex content that you need the students to remember and put it in a song.  Even better would be to have the students do it.  Easy?  No.  Possible?  Very.
How are you using video in your classroom?  I'd love to hear some ideas and suggestions!  Comment, email me, or message me on Twitter!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Author

    Math nerds tend to have a reputation for being math nerds.  I'm here to continue that trend.

    For more blog posts, click HERE

    Picture

    Archives

    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    RSS Feed

Not that you would do anything crazy, but here:
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
Photos used under Creative Commons from timlewisnm, leppre, KristinNador, Jarosław Pocztarski, Martin Pettitt