8 Excellent YouTube Tips for Teachers
The way we learn has dramatically changed over the years, and today teachers have so many resources they can explore. YouTube is one such resource, and it’s popular because it provides audio-visual learning.
Even though textbooks are comprehensive, and they come with pictorial illustrations, nothing beats videos because they engage all your sources. Besides, people tend to learn faster by listening rather than reading.
As a teacher, you need to learn how to incorporate YouTube into your classroom. When you use the content you find on YouTube to supplement your teaching methods; you position your students for academic excellence. This is because students are different, and one teaching method cannot cater to all their needs.
Students need the opportunity to take a break from writing and reading. This is why online writing services come in handy; even college students require Custom dissertation writing services because completing a thesis is no monkey business.
Here are tips that’ll help you teach your class better by incorporating YouTube.
1. Look for shorter videos
When you’re using YouTube to teach a class, you need to look for succinct YouTube videos. Students have a very short attention span, and using long videos in class wound be counterproductive. Instead of using a video that drags on end, go with one that goes straight to the point. This way, students will be able to grasp what the video is about.
Remember that you’re introducing videos to make your class more interesting. This means that the videos you choose should be entertaining as well. After all, a video that complicates the concept further will only frustrate the students.
The best time to introduce a video is at the beginning of the class when the students’ minds are still fresh. Ideally, you should use videos to expound on a concept you had already introduced. It is an excellent way of reinforcing the information you had relayed in previous lessons.
2. Check out the YouTube Education Channel
Since you’re a teacher, it only makes sense to work with educational channels in your class. YouTube has so many education channels that are relevant to the class you are teaching. Ensure you work with well-reputed educational YouTubers to access more accurate information.
As you know, so many people are opening YouTube channels today, and some might not as informative as should be. Ensure you go with a channel that has many followers because a wider audience means they’re authentic and reliable.
When you’re looking for channels to work with, take your time to conduct your due diligence, so you don’t end up misleading your entire class.
3. Watch the whole video before showing in class
This is a very important point to note because you cannot show your class a video you haven’t watched yourself. Take your time to go through YouTube videos before you show them to your class. This way, you can determine which videos are ideal for the class.
Aside from that, you also need to establish relevance because an irrelevant video is not only a waste of time; it might confuse your students as well. If you’re teaching about a given concept, you need to ensure that the video you go with stick to the subject.
4. Search channels rather than the entire site
Since your intention is to find videos, you should search for channels rather than the entire site. This will save you time and make work easier on your end. Search engines are quite resourceful today, and you’ll get recommendations on the best education YouTube channels based on the grade you’re teaching.
5. Find Videos to complement lessons
When you’re complementing the lessons with YouTube videos, most of the lesson time should be spent on teaching, and not the other way around. This is why it is important, to begin with a short video when class starts. Once the video ends, you can dive into the lesson as you had planned.
As a teacher, it would be unproductive to spend an entire lesson watching YouTube videos because if you don’t reinforce this information, students will soon forget.
6. Ensure Students can Engage with the Content
For the information to stick, you need to find a way for the students to engage with the content you show them. An excellent way of doing this is by asking random questions when the video ends.
7. Consider a breadth of video content
Aside from relevance, the breadth of the video content also matters. Make sure that the content you choose to go with is both entertaining and engaging.
8. Download the videos if the site is blocked in your district
The fact that your district is blocked from watching a certain video doesn’t mean you cannot watch it. If the content is high-quality, download the video.
Conclusion
YouTube is an excellent resource for teachers as it provides succinct videos to supplement the information found in textbooks. Ensure you ascertain the relevance of a video before you show it to your class.
