Brian’s TRT Blog

Can a video camera help your remediation plans, increase your test scores, excite your students, lower your stress, get parents involved, and bring learning “alive?” Can video production in your classroom help classroom management? Consider your students’ environment in this media-rich culture, and approach teaching via a world that they understand. Break away for a moment and compare your reaction to how I approach a swimming pool.

While my wife approaches cautiously and wiggles her toes in the pool to gage the temperature, I on the other hand go running at full gallop, jump, and while descending to the water below, it suddenly dawns on me, “This is going to be c-o-l-d! Am I nuts?” The initial shock is overwhelming, I surface, and start treading water. Eventually I adjust and know that if had approached cautiously, never would I have entered. It’s the same way with technology integration, and especially video making in the classroom. Mrs. Barrett, our fourth grade science teacher, answering a former post, came to my office and said, “I have an idea for us to plan!”

She had just finished a weather unit and wanted to wrap up by having her students transform her classroom into “WJTY’s Weather and News” studio. We collaborated, planned, and filmed this past week. As we treaded the SOL waters, shivering, wondering if we were absolutely nuts (think: pacing guide) and uncertain of the SOL testing outcome (think: AYP/SOL scores/Benchmark testing). However, when I recalled the ISTE Conference in San Diego I attended when AFI shared how test scores have gone up when their program is used, the two of us adjusted to the “water” and decided to forge ahead (think: leave the safety of drill-and-kill).

On Friday we had our “world premiere” and invited parents, specialists from curriculum and instruction, and administration. What did we find and observe?

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Two students who wanted NOTHING to do with a “stupid” project were suddenly attentive when I walked in with the cameras and tripod and started setting up the “studio.” Their responses changed to, “I’ve changed my mind.” I looked at another who seemed glum and I whispered, “Do this for YOU and get up there and show us what you’re made of!” He got up, went to the front, and did a FABULOUS job. His pride was evident and his peers exclaimed, “Wow! We didn’t know you could do such a good job!” You sure don’t get this response from handing out worksheets or working on drill-and-kill sites on the Web!

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Mrs. B. had a Premiere Party afterwards and invited all of the parents, not knowing what the response would be. They came out in hordes! In fact, we had standing room only! She was overwhlemed. One time, while we stood out in the hallway, ready to go in, she looked in her room, saw the masses, clutched her chest, and said, “Look how MANY there are!!!!” What will her school-to-home communication/partnership be like now? Excellent, I’m sure!

CROSS CURRICULUM RESULTS: While this project took place in a Science class, skills from other disciplines were obviously needed. For example, as students stood by the weather map and read their cue cards, there seemed to be a lack of initiative for excellence and ennunciation. Mrs. B. attempted to gear up the quality, but we decided to let the camera speak louder. We rendered the film, showed the class what the film was like (”We’ll critique at the end”), and the response was exactly what we wanted: students were the ones to show ownership. “WOW! We are awful! This is embarrassing! May we do it over and do better?” Victory! Isn’t it nice when reading can tie in with all subjects and not have to be a stand alone lesson?

STUDENT INTEREST INCREASES: Now the question from students is, “What are we doing next?” Mrs. B. now has increased student interest, not to mention that she is able to show purpose for the Standards of Learning—they’re more than just to pass a test.

PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME PRODUCES BETTER RESULTS: Our planning took place before the lesson; it wasn’t, “Come in anytime you want to.” While it is nice to have open invitations, how much better to be able to work together beforehand!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES (for you ITRT’s, TRT’s, and technology folks): Mrs. B. is now chomping at the bits: (1) “What else is available? (2) “Are there any training opportunities available?”

Want to know more? American Film Institute (AFI) has a great website called Lights/Camera/Action. You can download their manual for teachers, view videos, see what other students have done, and much more. They also have a blog to read at http://blog.afi.com/screened/. AFI has been a great source of information and are very approachable and generous with helping in the classroom. Thanks, American Film Institute!

Other:
==>Digital Storytelling