In the process of researching edTPA strategies for the book Pathway to Teaching, a majority of the teacher candidates interviewed discussed the importance of preparing for videotaping. Check out some of their advice.
Distribute the Videotaping Permission Forms Early on
To start, be proactive by sending out your videotaping permission forms as soon as possible to families. Getting your permission forms out to families early on allows for ample time (hopefully) for you to follow-up with any families that have not returned the permission slips. It is wise to anticipate that a few students will not grant permission or return the form to you. If you find yourself in this situation, just be sure that the students’ faces and names do not appear in the video.
Situate your Equipment and Film Often
Next, consider how you will videotape your interactions, in particular, determining what equipment you will use and where you will place your videotaping device.
Set clear expectations for the students and emphasize why you are videotaping: to reflect on your teaching and improve.
It is also recommended to set-up the camera and have a few trial-runs before taping for your learning segment. Conducting some practice runs with the camera can be beneficial for a few reasons. One, you can determine if the placement of the camera will work for your specific needs, such as capturing only the students who have turned in their permission forms. A secondary benefit is that because students all initially react differently with cameras in the classroom, a few trial runs will give them a chance to adjust to being recorded and having the camera rolling while you are teaching. One teacher candidate described her experience videotaping for her edTPA, “I had lots of kids being sneaky with funny faces.” In short, set clear expectations for the students and emphasize why you are videotaping: to reflect on your teaching and improve. You may also want to underscore to the students that you will be reviewing each recording.
Pathway to Teaching
Themes of differentiation, networking, and organization are interwoven throughout Pathway to Teaching and aim to better prepare the soon-to-be teacher at each step. The strategies address a range of pressing topics for teacher candidates that include preparing for the edTPA™ – a nationwide teacher assessment – to providing classroom management techniques during student teaching to ideas on self-care. Pathway to Teaching also supports the aspiring teachers in finding their dream teaching job through strategies on building a professional network to preparing for that all-important job interview.
