Hello Class, Here’s the Link to My YouTube Channel

    I do not have good experience with making instructional videos. I have only made one video before this program. At the time, I had been leading a Sunday School class at my old church for a couple months. By leading, I mean that I oversaw about 14 other volunteers teaching two classes a Sunday with about 25 kids each class. There was always a lead teacher and one or two assistant teachers every class, and those volunteers taught one class once a month.

    Part of the reason I was asked to take over the class was because there had been some behavior issues on top of an opening in the position, and I was pretty good at keeping the classes focused. It helps being a giant that can speak loud enough to be heard over 25 6th graders. Still, it took a while to get all the classes consistent because we rotated who was teaching every week. There were plenty of other teachers who could keep kids in line, but a couple teachers were not having a good time.

    I wasn’t perfect at keeping kids in line, just had an easier time getting their attention than a lot of other people. I bring all this up because I made a video to play for the class after a Christmas service. We all taught the lessons, but the Kid’s Pastor supplied the lessons. For that Christmas service, we had a game where there would be a stack of green plastic cups in the shape of Christmas trees at every table. The kids were supposed to work in teams to put all the cups in a stack, and then build them back up into a Christmas Tree. I explained the game, and had them start up.

    Some kids got a little more competitive than necessary. We had three tables of kids, with two teams per table. After the game ended, we had one team that very clearly won. As a response to losing, the other two tables suddenly ended up on the floor as multiple kids flipped them in anger at losing. I cut the game early, and had most of the class play games while the kids that flipped tables had to have their parent’s come get them. It happened again the next class because a few kids went to both classes.

    This had been after a couple weeks of other teachers just not being treated well by the students. I may have had the students flip tables, but I still had a pretty good rapport with the kids. In an effort to try and address the terrible behavior, I decided to try and make a video to talk about the crummy behaviors that kept happening. It. Did. Not. Go. Well.

    Everyone hates their voice when they hear themselves recorded, but I just couldn’t sit through any of the videos I tried to make work. They were just bad. I ended up scrapping the idea and just talking to both class periods in person.

    Talking about making videos in class has made me wonder if I could make it work. I don’t think I could’ve pulled off the disciplinary annoucement I tried to make so many times, but it’s interesting thinking about making videos in the future. I definitely think I could make videos work for other things, especially as having students give video essays or me giving repeatable directions, but I don’t see the “Hey kids, I’ve heard a lot about how we’ve been having a tough time in class,” video work. Even writing that sentence now makes me cringe.