It’s no secret technology has changed the way we live and learn. With video cameras on every phone, it’s easier than ever to document our lives. But what about documenting student progress? Is that something that could help you as an elementary school teacher? The answer is yes! In fact, using video to document student progress can be an incredibly powerful tool.

So today, we’re going to show you how you can use video to document student progress. We’ll give you some tips on what to film and how to edit your videos. We’ll also share some ideas on how you can use video in the classroom to help your students learn better.

 

Documenting Student Progress For Elementary School Teachers

 

How to film students

When you’re filming your students, you want to make sure you’re getting a clear shot of their work. If you can, try to film from a few different angles. This will give you some options when you’re editing the video. You also want to make sure you’re not filming too close to the student. You want the focus to be on their work, not their face.

For example, if you’re filming a student who is working on a painting, you might want to film them from the front, the side, and the back. This will give you a few different options to choose from when editing and can help you create better videos.

 

What to film

Remember, the goal is to document “work progress.” So you want to focus on the work that they’re doing. This could be anything from a class project to a simple worksheet. You want to make sure that you’re showing the student’s progress over time, so try to film a few different videos of the same student doing many different tasks. This will give you a good idea of their overall progression over time.

As an example, let’s say you’re documenting a student’s progress in writing. You might want to film them writing a paragraph, then editing it, and finally publishing it. Initially, you might record them struggling with some parts of this writing process… but effortlessly handling other parts.

But weeks or months later, your videos may capture them smoothly handling all parts of the writing process completely. This will give you a good idea of how their writing skills improved over time.

 

Editing videos of student progress

Once you have your videos, it’s time to edit them. You want to make sure that you’re editing out any distractions, like other students walking by or noise in the background. You also want to focus on both the positive progress AND the negative difficulties.

For example, if a student is having trouble with reading, you should make sure to record some of their struggles and include them. But make sure to follow it up with the moments when they’re reading cleanly and fluently. The before and after aspect will be incredibly motivating as viewers (whether students, parents, or educators) observe that all students are capable of improving themselves.

 

How to use video documentation in the classroom

There are a few different ways you can use video documentation in the classroom. One way is to show the videos to the students themselves. This can help them to see their own progress and give them a sense of pride. You can also use the videos to share with parents or administrators. This is a great way to show them the progress that their child is making.

Additionally, you can use video documentation as a form of assessment. This can be especially helpful if you’re working with students who have trouble with traditional assessments, like tests or quizzes. Video documentation can give you a more well-rounded view of the student’s progress and understanding.

For example, you might use video documentation to assess a student’s problem-solving skills. You can film them working on a problem and then watch the video to see how they approached it. This can give you a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Then you can prescribe a plan to improve their methodologies.

 

Conclusion

The benefits of using video to document student progress are clear. It’s a great way to capture their work and understand their progress over time. So next time you’re in the classroom, don’t forget to hit record! You’re sure to capture some amazing moments.

By the way, if you’re interested in helping your students improve their typing skills as well, make sure to check out the programs we have over at KeyboardingOnline. We offer a variety of typing games and exercises that are perfect for elementary school students!