How Using Video Can Help Build Student Centered Classrooms

Creating a student centered classroom has completely transformed the way I teach. There used to be a saying that was all the rage… Be the guide on the side and not the sage on the stage. If I heard that once in my first few years of teaching I heard it a million times.

Student centered classrooms happen when you become the guide on the side and allow students to take control of their learning.

A simple way to start moving toward this type of classroom is by using choice boards . If choice boards are overwhelming to you, try starting with this Warm-Up Choice Board template. It makes creating a weekly warm-up a walk in the park.

What is Student Centered Learning

Before we dive into how using video can help build student centered classrooms, let’s take a minute to answer the question, “What is student centered learning?”.

While there are many aspects to student centered learning, the overall idea is that you are not feeding every piece of information to students, but instead are providing them opportunities to discover things and take ownership of their own learning.

There are classrooms out there that are completely student-driven and discovery-driven. For me and my current teaching situation, that feels like a pipe dream. I have set standards to teach and set dates to assess those standards. I have some flexibility, but I also have limitations. I’m guessing you might be in a similar situation.

So for me and possibly you, student centered learning looks a little more structured. I provide my students with the resources they need while at the same time teaching them how to use those resources.

Could I answer that simple question? Sure. But it is more valuable if my students learn to use their resources to find the answer for themselves.

Teaching Student Centered Math

What exactly does this look like in a middle school math classroom?

One possible answer to that question, and the one I choose to go with, is to teach with video. The idea of teaching with video was brought to the forefront of many classrooms during the time of distance learning. While we have moved past that, there are still many benefits to teaching with video.

Using video in the classroom promotes student centered learning by:

Students can pause or rewatch a video. The power of the pause is huge. When I watch a how-to video on YouTube I find myself pausing it constantly so I can try whatever step it is they are showing me. Teaching with video gives students that same power. The same is true for rewatching a section of a video.
Students who are absent from our class don’t miss anything. When absent students can get the same information as students who are in class, that is student centered learning. The teacher doesn’t have to be present for students to gain the same quality of instruction.
Students set the pace. If videos are shared with students ahead of time, those students who ready for the information can start watching. I know I already mentioned rewatching a video, but that extends beyond just those in the moment situations. Students can go back and rewatch a video days, weeks, or even months later.

Student Centered Learning Environments

Since implementing video into my classroom, I have seen a shift in my students. They are taking more ownership of their learning. Before they ask me a question, they are rewatching the video.

I will confess that I was concerned about parent response when I started. Can I just tell you it has been better than I could have dreamed? Parents love it because they can watch the video with their students.

It has removed the extra work I was doing when students were not in class. They can easily stay on track with those who haven’t been absent and they don’t feel like they missed anything.