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April 14, 2020

Recording Video for Students - It's Easier Than You Think!

If you are like me, you have pretty much gone totally digital in your teaching. Initially, we were just posting assignments on Google Classroom for our students. One thing I missed, however, was our daily read aloud times. 
I love reading books to my students! It's my favorite time of the day because I can introduce all sorts of topics - like character development, story elements, or just read for fun. The best part of read alouds, for me, is getting my students to love books! 

Because I was unhappy not to share books with my students, I knew I needed to find something. This caused me to look for different options and I found one that I love! Have you heard about Loom? It's amazing! All you need is your computer. Now let's talk about Recording Video for Students - It's Easier Than You Think!
Recording Video for Students - It's Easier Than You Think!

What is Loom?

Loom is an extension that gets added into your browser. Hopefully that doesn't sound too complicated. Let me explain it in simpler terms. When you add things to the browser, you are adding it to the area next to the address bar (where you type in a web address). 
It's simple to download, go to the Loom website and follow the steps. You basically just give permission and it will set up everything for you. By the way, it is FREE for educators!

Why Should I Record Myself?

Students need something normal in their lives right. As the teacher, you may be the one of most important person in their lives. Students want to see you and interact with you. While a Loom video doesn't offer feedback (except for comments), it's a step towards forward.
I had a parent send me a picture of her daughter watching a video of me reading a story. It was so sweet. Other students have commented on how much they enjoy the story times. I can see that my videos are accessed throughout the day and on weekends, so I know my students are watching them!

While I use Loom mostly for read aloud time, you can use it to teach lessons. I think that starting with Loom is much easier than trying a Zoom meeting or Google Meet with your students. It's a great way to try something new. 
Recording Video for Students - It's Easier Than You Think!

Steps in Recording a Video

  1. You click on the extension (it looks like a rose picture).
  2. Decide if you want to video your computer screen, your computer screen and you, or just you. Click on the icon that shows the picture of the one you want.
  3. By your picture, click the play button. You will have 3 seconds before the recording starts.
  4. Click that same button to end the video when done.
  5. It will automatically take you to the Loom website and give you a link for your video. (You can create a name for your video too.)
  6. Take this link and post it on Google Classroom or anywhere else you use to communicate with your students.
  7. Loom keeps track of the number of people watching the videos (and if students are logged into Google, it tells you which students have watched the video).
If you need more help than the steps provided above, please let me know. You can email me at beth@confessionsofafrazzledteacher.com. I hope this helps keep you connected to your students during this crazy time! 
By the way, if you want more tips like this, make sure to sign up for my email (and get tons of freebies). Just click the picture below to sign up!

Distance learning is tough! There are so many new resources that teachers need to master in order to teach their students. This blog post will help all the frazzled teachers out there. Inside you will discover Recording Video for Students - It's Easier Than You Think! Read step-by-step how to record video of you teaching a lesson or reading your students a book. The best part...this is FREE! With this tool, you will begin to master distance learning in no time! #confessionsofafrazzledteacher

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