Using the Video Camera in the Classroom

   The video camera is an indispensable classroom tool with a wide variety of uses. You can use it to enhance both reading and writing classes. You can use it for closed circuit broadcasts of the school bulletin. You can use it for better communication with parents. And, you can have students record school events.

    When I was teaching sixth grade. I had my students read plays from Scholastic Scope Magazine. I would assign parts to students and have them pair up in groups of two or three. They would memorize their parts and act out the scene with each other until they thought they had it down. Then we would film their presentation. I always had a student do the filming. Both boys and girls made excellent cameramen. I also had students do the editing. This served as a means for positive reinforcement since almost everyone wanted to be cameramen or editors.

    Once we filmed a skit, the students would watch their performance on the TV screen. Sixth graders really enjoy watching themselves. We would offer constructive criticism and the students would rehearse their skits again. Those who were not performing were more likely to pay attention when they knew that they would be called on for a critique. The second performance would almost always show improvement. If the students were working on a play that they really enjoyed we sometimes would film a third time. Often students would ask if they could take a tape home to share with their parents, siblings, and friends.

    Once students had performed several skits from the Scope plays, I had them begin writing skits of their own. Again, I had them pair up in twos and threes to write their skits. They would practice their parts and then edit their scripts. When they were ready to perform, we would have them act out their scripts in front of the camera. Again there would be constructive criticism. Students would perform a second time and almost always show improvement. I would collect and grade their scripts. Students writing would improve, as they knew that I expected their scripts to be free of grammatical and spelling errors, and to be their very best writing.

  In addition to doing plays on TV, I would film my students’ oral reports. I found that when students were giving their oral reports in front of the camera, they always put more effort into making a better presentation. I instructed that they could not read their report directly from their papers. I allowed them to use cue cards, and expected them to know their material well enough to talk about it. Again in watching their actual presentation they could see where they made mistakes and what areas they needed to improve upon.

    In my eight-grade social studies class, I had students pick their favorite area of history to report on. I reported on the sixties to set an example. I, of course, had to be filmed when I gave my report. And being filmed did make me work harder at learning my material.

    My students reported on the Colonial Era, the Revolutionary Era, the Westward Movement, and the Civil War. But, most liked to report on the Fifties, or Sixties getting information from their parents and grandparents in addition to what the found in the history books. Many reported on the nineties, the era that they grew up in. My eight graders were a little more self conscious about appearing on TV. But, once they got use to it, their reports always improved. If a student did a really good report, he or she would want to take it home to share with his parents and siblings.

   Once I got a little experience with the video camera and editing equipment my student began doing closed circuit readings of the school bulletin. They would get the next days’ bulletin from the office after school, and spend a little time reading it over. I would have them read the bulletin from the library so our class chatter wouldn’t interfere with the reading. For special events like an up coming dance or basket ball game the dance committee, or the cheer leaders would do a little skit to promote the event. I remember on year where we had teachers take turns lip-syncing their favorite singers. At least half a dozen teachers volunteered.

   Every teacher dreads open house and having to prepare a program for the parents. With the video camera open house ceased to be a problem for me. I had each student do a little skit from his or her desk. Sometimes it was as simple as saying, “Hi Mom. Hi Dad. Welcome to open house. I remember one student who said, “Hi mom. Hi Dad. Welcome to open house. Do you know how I clean the floor for the teach?” He then got out of his desk, stood on his head, and spun around.

    We filmed short scenes from our reading, math, and language classes with actual lessons from the week before open house. I presented the lesson, and wrote the assignment on the white board. I moved from student to student when they were working on seatwork and helped those who raised their hands. Parents got to see what actually went on in the classroom.

   The braver students would lip sync a song for their parents. Others would put on short skits. One of the most popular skits was one that we did as a class. It started out with Pink Floyd singing, “We don’t need no education…” After a minute or so of Pink Floyd we switched to our students lip-syncing the words. I filmed this one myself focusing on the students up close. We practiced several times, and the facial expressions of the students were perfect. I can still remember how vivid their rejection of education was. The skit was very popular with the parents and on close circuit also.

    My open house classrooms were always packed with parents coming in to see their little darlings perform. And, I had very little preparation to do. The parents enjoyed the performances and let me know so.

    Once students were trained in using the camera and editing equipment, I had them go out and film school events. They filmed cheer leading practice, basketball games, student council meetings, and band practice. I even had them go out into the neighborhood and film at the police station, the firehouse, and several local businesses. They interviewed and asked questions which we prepared before hand. These events and interviews were shared in our classroom, in the rooms where they were filmed, and some times with the whole school using our closed circuit TV.

    There are many more ways that you can use the video camera in the classroom. My students always enjoyed using the camera and being filmed. And, if a student is enjoying his learning activities, the learning curve will always go up.

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