A New Way of Teaching!

Except.....that it isn't.

So, if it's the same lessons and the same assignments I've always taught why did I just spend the last two months busting my behind digitizing my second science unit of the year?

So now it's entirely paperless and all the direct instruction is recorded on video. So what? It's the same things I would have had them do on paper, and the same things I would have said out loud in class. It's all the same, so where's the benefit?

Why spend all that time and effort, hours and hours of it, trying to do this?

Here are a few reasons:

1. Students can't misplace their paper. Their assignments are available to them anywhere and anywhen they have an internet connection.
2. When a student is missing it's a lot easier to catch them up. Not easy, just easier. (I've got one student from the last unit who missed way too many days and is having a hard time catching up.)
3. When I'm not sick, or not feeling well the lessons don't degenerate. The teaching quality remains the same.
4. The lessons are closer to the student. I always put the camera in the perspective of the student. So now, when I'm talking about the parts of the microscope, instead of me standing way up at the front of the classroom pointing at some small part of the microscope, I have the camera up close and can even zoom in so that students can actually see what I'm talking about.

And I've got a few more, but none of those reasons are really enough to justify the effort.

Here's what is.

I am no longer tied to the front. Instead of standing at the front trying to keep everyone's attention, trying to remember what I say next I am free to observe and interact with students. I can actually observe what the students are learning, or not. I can see where students are struggling and look to improve things.

This is where the value really appears. I can now reflect on my teaching and start thinking about how to change things.

It's what happens next when things really get interesting. I can hardly wait to find out!