Our school uses the video distribution system (closed circuit cable system) on a minimal basis. School owned videos are shown around holidays (The Mouse on the Mayflower – Thanksgiving in February, Olive the Other Reindeer – Christmas in December, and Our Friend Martin – Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January). Teachers have absolutely no input or control regarding the video distribution system. The media specialist does not even have control or input regarding the video distribution system. The administration alone is responsible for what is sent out over the closed circuit cable system. I absolutely disagree with this policy. Our kindergarten team loves to collaborate. When one of us locates a wonderful educational video, we want all of our students to experience it. The video distribution system would be a wonderful way to show the video to all six classes at the exact same time; instead, we are forced to pass the video around from classroom to classroom. I say, “If you have the technology available, use it.” The cafeteria manager uses the closed circuit cable system to read a story to the students each winter. The students listen to the book and then create illustrations to decorate the cafeteria for the Winter Wonderland breakfast. For a short period of time, the fourth and fifth grade students create a news program which aired on the video distribution system each morning after announcements. The news program explained the daily lunch choices, current events within the school, and even included book reviews.
Our school and district does not have a set standard for how to use the Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). Schools and individual teachers can use the educational website as little or as much as they see fit for their particular classroom and students. As a kindergarten teacher, I only use the kids section because the other information seems to be geared for older students. My kids love to play the games and read along with the stories. It is a real incentive to complete the assignment neatly, accurately, and in the allotted time. In previous years, the Discovery Education’s Streaming Videos were some of the only videos available online for teachers to use in the classroom. Now that YouTube is available, Discovery Education’s Streaming Videos is not used as often.
Wow! It's hard to believe that with all the cool and innovative technology available in today's schools that your school has such a strict program. We, at my school, are not allowed to show non-curriculum related movies except at special times, but unlike your school we do have control over our video streaming programs and close circuit system. I guess I am just a little shocked that your school doesn't even do a morning news program anymore...what happened? That seems like such a standard in today's schools, and it gets the kids involved in using the technology. Since my school is a newer school (3 years old) we have no video distribution system. Like you said, there is lots of streaming available through discovery streaming and YouTube, but there is also a neat application called Safari Montage that we use a lot and it seems to offer a lot for all grade levels including lots of k-2 stuff! I believe your district has to purchase a license, but you may want to check it out!
ReplyDeleteThat is absolutely insane that your school has a wonderful piece of technology that can lend itself to such creative collaboration, but your administration refuses to allow it. Part of me understands why entire school broadcasting might be limited, because anytime I have seen it in action, it seems to take forever to get started, going, and finished. I get irritated when our morning announcements take too long, so I know I probably wouldn't like a TV broadcast each morning. I love the fact that your kitchen manager uses it the system to read to the students! It's so important that we build all of those relationships. I know at the high school level, most of our students do not take the time to learn the names of our cafeteria works or custodians.
ReplyDeleteI will admit that I don't use videos too much. Since I teach English, I use full videos like Romeo and Juliet and The Odyssey, but I don't really use short clips that could set up lessons. I know I should, because there are so many students who are visual and auditory that they would benefit from this. In the past, when I am beginning my Holocaust memoir, I always play a streaming video of Hitler speaking. While my kids can't speak German obviously, it gives them a great visual of his presence and how he commanded so many people with his words.
I like that you allow your little ones to use the interactive readings. Anything that gets them reading is wonderful!
Ashley H
It is funny that administration doesn't want to use the video distribution system. I have a form that teachers must fill out if they want to watch a video. This helps me keep records, as well as keep everything organized. If the video is not owned by the school I require a member of admistration to sign saying it is okay for the video to be shown. This keeps me from getting in trouble if a parent were to complain and keeps administration informed about what videos are being shown.
ReplyDeleteAdministration also requires all teachers to have any shown videos documented in their lesson plans. This way administration know that everything shown is related to the standards.
May be that is something that administration and your school could consider and then your video distribution system could actually be utilized in a positive way.
We have a video distribution system in place in my school but it is very rarely used. It might have been used three or four times this school year. We have an announcement scroll that is distributed every day but the about the only place where I see it on display is the lunchroom and the students only see it before school and during their lunch time. I should say it is available if they wish to look at it.
ReplyDeleteIn the elementary school I taught in for ten years, GPB and United Streaming were used by most of the teachers and used in all subject areas. When I was a classroom teacher, I taught mostly, social studies, science, and some math. I really used it a lot in science and social studies. I was usually able to find lessons and videos with students sheets in almost every standard that I taught. I do not see either one being used that much in the high school were I work now.
Jill,
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of any collaboration with the cafeteria manager. This is a really good idea. I would like to add book reviews to my school’s news program, but administration does not like announcements to last more than a few minutes. Hopefully, in my media center, I will have the flexibility to broadcast on closed circuit as long as I am following copyright guidelines. In another school that I taught at, teachers around the school created reading strategy episodes that highlighted the school’s reading strategy of the month. It was really fun for students to see their teachers doing magic tricks, telling jokes, and reading books while thinking aloud. Discovery Education’s streaming videos were the best (before YouTube was unblocked for teachers). In my opinion, Discovery Education has better quality than the massive videos uploaded to YouTube.