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We've been discussing so far how to graph parabolas given different types of
quadratic equations. One is in standard form and answering our essential question
looking for properties from that quadratic equation like the A value...
For this particular lesson I decided to do a screen cast recording.
I wanted to give the video first to set up a-a foundation for this piece to make sure
that I addressed any potential potholes and potential misconceptions.
And I wanted to give students some individuality and the power
to be able to go at their own pace.
When you watch the video, everyone's paying attention to their own screen and they're
not focusing on what type of let's say dumb or smart questions that you have.
Everyone's in their own world so when you ask you feel like a more like private
connection with the teacher and you don't feel as embarrassed to speak up.
All the students are all focused on the same focal point.
And so it seems like students have less tendency to want to make themselves
feel at risk to put it out there to all their peers that well I don't-I don't
understand this. Whereas when that focal point becomes these smaller, individual
screens, now students seem to feel safer that nobody else is looking at me
so I can make myself vulnerable and I can ask the question and get my needs met.
Compare this to this
Oh it's two, oh that's why it's a negative.
Right. Because it's x compares with x but we have a plus instead of a negative.
So could I rewrite a positive as I subtract negative?
-Yeah. -Then I would....
Within the video they've got the power to pause the video um, to go back and watch
it again to formulate some questions and in the note taking process we're using an AVID
strategy with Cornell Note taking, or focused note taking.
The format really grew on me because I found myself going at my own pace, um
being able to pause it and write my notes, you know, be able to...
what is the word? Um...
To fully understand it, you know, comprehend it.
I just write everything down first and then I will go back if I have time.
Or later on when I'm at home I will go back and see how he got that, how this went to
that, how this became the answer, and how- why this isn't the answer.
I tend to max out my time at ten minutes. I try to do it less than that.
So my goal really is to target maybe seven minutes or so, just really focusing
on those-those non-negotiable parts of the standard. What is something that I want
students to really take away, or if they're going to go refresh and watch again, what
was the really really important stuff? What was the goal for that lesson?
On average I think it takes me about fifteen to twenty minutes to create about a seven
minute screen cast video.
There's been several instances where-where the videos have been really powerful for
students that have not been to class.
There's been students who have been absent for a day, and they came the next day and
they were seamless because they were able to watch the video at home.
I do find myself doing that at home, I will-if I'm still confused or if I need to just
re watch it, I will re watch it and analyze my notes and just try to understand it
in a better way.
The direct instruction was really powerful in setting the stage and putting that
foundation. But I really like to have students to have some collaboration and some
dialogue. First with small groups maybe with pairs, maybe in teams of four, then
as a whole community of learners with me involved as well it seems like those are those
really-those really capstones moments when those ah ha moments happen and the
connections are made and students are like, "Oh, I get it now."
Look to a table-table partner and take just a couple minutes to discuss what questions
you came up with. In a few minutes, our goal is to have one-one question per table.
Put a question mark next to your question. And if it was something you know the answer to
already, and it's a question to review then give us a check mark. Alright? So any time
you're ready send up a representative tables one, two.
Continue talking if-if you need to.
I'm finding a lot more success this year by doing one instructional video a week
and then wrapping a lot of activities around that video and making that video
the foundation of that week's lesson.
Using the strategy of instructional videos definitely makes my-my role as a teacher
look uh more like a coach. If I rely on my experiences as a coach. So as-as a teacher
delivering a lesson, I'm usually just focused on the lesson, and making sure the
instruction got out there. Now that the instruction is there on a screen cast video,
Now my focus as a teacher is on the students. And walking around and looking at every
student and looking for facial expressions, looking for students raising their hands,
looking at what they're writing down and really targeting where each individual is at.
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