Comments on: Camera Phone? Bring It!

By: Todd

Todd — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 06:51:29 +0000

You see, I don’t think classroom management works that way. Yeah, it’s illegal to post those videos of student behavior, but even if you could do such a thing I highly doubt it would result in what you wish. It would likely erode classroom management.

That teacher who blows up and yells at the students (your fourth paragraph) is wrong every single time it happens, no matter the frequency. The teacher should use that video to figure out a way to deal with the situation better next time. Frankly, it should embarrass the teacher. Yelling at the students does not help classroom management and every time I’ve done it (far more than my fair share) I’ve seen that. There is always a better response than blowing up.

And you have a right to show your side of the story. Blur faces, lower pitches of voices, get parental permission, talk with your principal. It’s more complicated, but it probably should be.

By: jcr4runner

jcr4runner — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:55:42 +0000

As a teacher, I LOVE to be able to video-tape my student’s behavior and post it on the Internet for their parents and friends to see.

The problem is that it is illegal.

You are actually arguing that teachers ought to be scrutinized by “Big Brother” with cameras and that students should post it on YOUTUBE?

When students disrespect their teachers, they sometimes blow-up and yell a them, once or twice a year or even frequently. If someone video or audio-tapes it and posts it on the Internet just to embarrass the teacher, the students ought to be severely disciplined.

If you don’t agree then fight for my right to show my side of the story by posting the crazy things that students do on a daily basis. That would be great for me because it would greatly enforce classroom management.

By: Sunny

Sunny — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:13:16 +0000

Here here, Todd. I wholeheartedly agree. I taught science for 7 years and I’ve been a BPS principal for 3 years. It is NEVER appropriate and yes I have blown up on occasion and every single time I apologized. Even when I was “justified,” I told the kids that and still apologized. Because while it is explainable, it’s not excuseable. And, when a teacher has a great relationship with their students, like a great parent and child, you can blow up, make a mistake, make up, forgive, and move on. I would bet my students would not post me on YouTube if it was handled that way. We did have a fight posted on YouTube that was broadcast on Fox25 this year and while it was a horrible incident, it was a great learning experience for our students to look at why it was posted, who looked at it, who watches Fox, and what perceptions are of urban teens in Boston Public Schools. It was a very powerful lesson and wouldn’t have happened without the initial series of “mistakes.” Mistakes are real life. Let’s learn from them. Bravo.

By: spudbeach

spudbeach — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:06:08 +0000

Em posted:

> However, I’d hate for students to feel they have the right > to criticise and analyse everything we teachers do – how > can they when they only see ten percent of the world of
> education.

As a teacher I am constantly trying to get my students to criticise and analyse everything. Why should I have them stop when it comes to me?

But maybe that’s me — I’m a physics teacher, and believe that questioning is good — yes, even question Einstein and especially their teacher. Perhaps in theology and the other “just believe me” disciplines it’s different.

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:34:46 +0000

Like I said, there are deeper issues there. The fault placed squarely on the shoulders of the teachers was only one of the possible deeper issues I suggested. If the students are the ones with deeper issues, they likely should not be in a traditional classroom. These videos also show that to be true.

I’m far more understanding than you think and I’ve had my moments. Standing here, though, every single one of those moments where I’ve yelled should have been handled a different way. Every single one. Understanding the frustration and condoning the behavior are not the same things.

But no one is picking up on the other issue I suggest: we need to allow videos to show us things about the campus. While students might not talk to staff about things, showing a video clip of a bully would be much easier. If there are countless videos of Mr. X blowing up, we need to take a closer look at both Mr. X and his students. If we see countless videos of fights happening that we never arrive in time to break up, we need to take a closer look at the environment. Student-created videos can show us things about out schools that we’d never see otherwise.