Before I go any further, I need to recognize and say "Thank You" SDE for all their help, ideas, manipulative ideas! Because of their expertise, we are able to receive training to become better educators in the world of Singapore Math! Being introduced to it several years ago - it has changed the way I like to look at solving problems.
Today we had a much better day at making video tapes. It was obvious by how many lessons we really were able to record. I think on the first day, we recorded 3 videos. That, obviously was not a lot - but more so a time to use "trial and error" while we stumbled through lessons & videotaping.
Today, we created 15 videos that students will have the opportunity to watch, re-watch and possibly gain great on ideas for future recording.
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| "Behind the Scenes" |
I know this might be on your mind... but what in the world did our workspace look like? Well, fortunately, I am able to crop that out of my movies so I don't have a "background" to contend with. Also, we have not officially returned back to class. On Tuesday, I set up my computer, document camera, a few chairs, a tripod & video recorder. That is it... nothing else! I have not even begun to unload from summer! In fact, if my principal entered my room, she would totally be disgusted at how thinks are literally falling out of my closet... I should take a picture to post next time. :)
Today, we tried to:
- Remind kids that they can pause and re-watch
- Teach kids & parents how to make Bean Sticks for counting
- Give them challenges
- Create a video on our own - without help from an expert mathematician - a.k.a. Ricky Mikelman (she doesn't know yet - I am going to surprise her)
- Remember to turn off the AC unit during taping and we needed a break - turn it back on and talk about what we were going to do next.
Other issues to deal with:
- We noticed that it was hard to see our numbers that we were writing because our hand was in the way.
- Write down the name of the lesson before you tape it.. Makes it easier (and saves a lot of time) to remember without having to watch the lessons over.
- Ask the district for a space on the server to house the videos so that other schools can have access to them too.
- Suggested that I look into SkyDrive / VBrick for storing videos.
- PLN - You will need one! I joined Flipped Learning Network. There they have groups formed for your specific need. You do have to ask to join, but after you do, you will be prompted to select groups to follow... We also decided to collaborate in Pinterest. I learned at the ISTE 2013 conference that you can easily dialog with others on a board. So, I created on called Flipped! Thank you Theresa Cullen for that idea!
- Remember to silence your cell phone and turn off any "instant notifications" so it wouldn't pop up on the monitor during recording.
- Discovered that the document camera showed a huge delay from the sound to the motion.... might be better record over the shoulder rather than a monitor.
So, by the time that back to school night came along, kids would be better able to show their parents what our expectations were. In fact, our very first video that we had them do for homework was "How to Make Beansticks". This would become an essential tool that they will use for the rest of the year. I got pencil - zipper bags from a grant through Donor's Choose. In there, I placed a laminated QR Code (which I had to redo because of Copyright Laws - I suggest using just a regular one without a cute graphic...), 15 Tongue Depressors, 4 oz. Bag of large Kidney Beans, and 2 die. The parents took them home - where they will remain for the rest of the year. We also passed out a wonderful explanation that Crystal Kirch had placed on her blog. (We had permission to use some of it, of course!)
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