Videos can be a tool used in the classroom to help students further engage in their learning in a variety of ways. One way that teachers currently use them is for brain-breaks. There is a large selection of brain-break videos available on YouTube for teachers to use. This is a quick way to get students moving in the classroom with little to no equipment. Another way they can be used is for more inclusive learning. Students learn in a variety of ways and at a variety of paces. Videos allow students to experience a different form of instruction and they have the opportunity to pause, slow down, or rewind the video. Here are a few examples of videos that can be used in the classroom and how:
As a brain-break to get students moving and a cross-curricular connection to music and beat counting:
As a resource to review or introduce material to students:
As a study tool for students at home:
And there is so much more available out there! Just ensure to watch all the videos the entire way through to make sure they are completely safe for students.
If you do not like what is already out there, you can make videos for your own students and reuse them for years to come. You do not need any special equipment, just something to film with and a lesson in mind. This gives students more flexibility and the option to review concepts for further understanding. In high school, I had several Math teachers upload videos of themselves teaching certain concepts onto YouTube and Microsoft Teams so that students could review content at their own pace. These videos were particularly helpful when I needed to study for the final and could not remember what we did early on in the semester.
Videos can really help teachers and students in the day-to-day classroom life.
