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Video helps teachers notice things about their classrooms that aren’t so evident while they’re teaching.

Across the United States, in both schools and universities, classroom videos have long been a widespread resource for teacher learning. For many years, it has been common for groups of teachers to watch and discuss videos that are part of published curriculum materials or online repositories and are carefully curated in advance. However, given how easy it has become to record video on phones, tablets, and computers, growing numbers of teachers are now choosing to create and share recordings from their own classrooms, as part of formal or informal professional development opportunities.

Classrooms are complex environments, with many events taking place at once. A teacher cannot devote equal amounts of attention to everything that goes on; rather, they must constantly decide where to direct their focus, making moment-by-moment judgments about what requires their most urgent attention. Because videos can reproduce much of the complexity and richness of classroom interactions, but without requiring an immediate response, they give teachers time to observe the many things going on in the classroom and reflect in new ways on what was taking place. In short, video offers teachers a way to improve their capacity to notice what is happening in their classrooms.

Research has documented that this skill does not develop with experience alone; teachers must actively learn to notice, so they can make better choices about where to direct their attention (Jacobs, Lamb, & Philipp, 2010). In our previous work with teachers, we (and others) have focused mainly on how teachers’ capacity to notice tends to develop and improve as they discuss classroom videos with their peers (e.g., Levin & Richards, 2011; Sherin & van Es, 2009). Talking with colleagues about videos allows them to share differing perspectives and gain new insights.

The very act of creating videos of their own classrooms can help teachers improve their capacity to notice, even without group discussion.

Recently, however, we have come to realize that the very act of creating videos of their own classrooms can help teachers improve their capacity to notice, even without group discussion (Sherin & Dyer, 2017a, 2017b). For example, we saw how such learning can occur in a recent collaboration with 20 K-2 teachers in the midwestern United States who participated in a six-week standalone online professional development course about mathematical discourse (Lomax et al., 2017). Each teacher was asked to record their classroom multiple times as students engaged in math tasks designed to promote the sharing and justifying of ideas. And, as we observed, the process of preparing, capturing video, and reflecting on it helped the teachers hone their ability to focus their attention on what matters most in the classroom.

Preparing to notice

When kindergarten teachers Dorothy and Jamie (all names are pseudonyms) were preparing to record their mathematics lessons, they began by thinking through what their students might do during the activity: “I kind of ha[ve] in my mind things that they [are] going to say,” said Dorothy. Jamie noted that her class had been discussing how to listen and build on each other’s ideas, so she was interested “to see whether they’re actually paying attention to what the other person says” and “if they’re looking at what’s going on.” She identified specific aspects of the lesson that she wanted to pay attention to most closely.

Many of the teachers we worked with explained that planning to record videos in their classrooms involves preparing to notice — anticipating when and where they might see certain elements that they are looking for within a lesson (such as responses to a specific question or students’ body language) and envisioning what those elements might look or sound like. Engaging in this preparation can prime teachers to notice in action. It can also shape instructional and recording choices, such as lesson design, task selection, and filming logistics. For instance, before recording, Jamie positioned the camera to make sure to capture students’ expressions and body language as they interacted.

When preparing yourself  to notice, we recommend you consider these questions:

  • What might you want to notice during this lesson?
  • Where in the lesson might you see this?
  • What might this look or sound like, specifically?
  • How can you ensure you capture what you want to notice?

Noticing in action

Many teachers told us that, over time, they developed a heightened awareness of what students were doing or saying while they were recording. Kindergarten teacher Patti, for example, explained that the first time she recorded she “wasn’t in tune” and had to watch the video several times before she was able to “grasp the conversation.” After a few weeks of recording, however, Patti was “hanging on [students’] every word” during the lesson. She explained: “At first I was like, ‘I can always go back and watch it later’ . . .  As the weeks went on, I became more invested in the actual activity that I was doing with those specific kids.” Other teachers made similar comments about becoming more conscious of what students were saying as they recorded.

For some teachers, this heightened awareness influenced their interactions with students. Because the course was focused on mathematical discourse, some teachers adjusted their instruction so that there was more student discourse for them to notice and capture on video. Dorothy described extending a conversation so that students could share more of their thinking: “I tried to really push them to do this longer.” Similarly, 2nd-grade teacher Joy explained that she explicitly changed her approach to talking with her students:

Basically, I just kind of spent the time questioning the students instead of like telling them anything. [I] just kept trying to say, “How do you know?” or “Why?” or “Explain this to me.” I could see the ideas coming up in their heads.

As part of attending closely to what their students said, these teachers made sure to extend and open up opportunities for students to share their thinking. Laying the groundwork before the lesson by preparing to notice enabled teachers to be alert to opportunities to have students engage in the activities they wanted to observe. Having students engage in these activities then gave the teachers more material to reflect on after the lesson.

To develop the ability to notice in action, consider these questions while teaching:

  • What are students doing or saying right now?
  • How can you attend more closely to the aspects of instruction you want to observe?
  • How might you draw out more students’ contributions to record and reflect on?

Reflective noticing

Learning opportunities do not stop with recording! Teachers also gained insights from reviewing their videos and selecting clips to share with their colleagues. In some cases, as they watched their videos, teachers noticed new things that did not stand out to them during instruction. As 2nd-grade teacher Brandy described:

You pick up different things [on the video]. Like even though I was sitting right there [in class while recording] I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t really realize . . . this kid participated today . . . and [that] kid had some really great method of thinking” . . . There’s a lot going on, so you do need that quiet time to . . . watch it over.

Brandy’s statements highlight the power of watching video — it allows teachers to revisit and interpret classroom interactions from perspectives that might not always have been visible to them in the moment of instruction.

The process of reviewing video can also lead teachers to consider what they did not record that might have been valuable to see. For example, after watching a video of her students discussing whether a number sentence was true or false, 1st-grade teacher Leigh shared that she would have liked to have captured more of the conversation on camera: “I kind of wish I would’ve caught her ‘aha moment’ at the end . . . I pushed the stop button, and then she’s like ‘Wait a minute’ . . . and then [I think] she finally understood.” Similarly, Patti shared that sometimes after class, on a day that she did not record, she found herself wishing that she had captured a really great discussion. Recording their classrooms helped Leigh and Patti notice particular classroom moments, even when those moments were not on video.

When engaging in reflective noticing, consider the following:

  • What stands out to you while watching the video that you didn’t notice while teaching?
  • Is there anything you noticed while teaching that you wish you had recorded?
  • Is there anything that you are still curious about?

Bringing it together

The examples above showcase some of the rich learning opportunities that come with recording classroom video. But note that the learning need not follow these steps in a strict order; it is often much more organic. You might find yourself, like Patti, wishing you had recorded a particular discussion (reflective noticing) and then anticipating when such a discussion might occur in the next lesson (preparing to notice). Or you might find that the different noticing opportunities are closely integrated, happening almost simultaneously, as 2nd-grade teacher Sharon explained:

Some of the kids said the triangles were like a heart . . . I wanna see who did some of that [on the video] (reflective noticing) because . . . I have an idea of who are some of my visual [learners] (preparing to notice), but there are one or two who said things . . . that I didn’t expect (noticing in action), so are they more visual than I think (reflective noticing).

Here, what Sharon noticed in action (students thinking visually) connected to what she wanted to pay attention to when she reviewed her video, as well as her original anticipation of who would engage in that kind of thinking. There are multiple paths into noticing when recording your classroom — what is most important is to be aware of the possibilities.

Getting started

Recording your classroom can be exciting and fruitful, but it requires planning and forethought (Richards et al., 2020). For instance, you will need to have equipment available and charged and develop some familiarity with the video recording software available on your device. You should also check with your school before recording to see if a note to parents or release form is needed, especially if you intend to share your videos. The teachers we worked with have offered us some tips on how to make the most of class recordings.

Choose the activity. Rather than record hours of instruction, we recommend you select a small portion of your day to capture on camera, around 10-15 minutes. When deciding what to record, teachers tell us what they find most interesting are those times when students share their thinking and ideas. That said, be flexible! Some teachers have had great success with having their cameras ready to turn on when a conversation piques their interest.

Set the scene. Many teachers find a simple arrangement works best. If you plan to record a conversation with a small group of students, you might choose to use a laptop sitting open near the students. To film a larger group, you might prop up a tablet on a shelf at the side of the room. If you plan to share the video with others, you might want to make sure that the task students are working on is also visible. Some teachers prefer to have the camera in place ahead of time, so all they have to do is start recording when they are ready. If you’re concerned that students will be distracted by the camera, discussing why you’re recording can help you integrate the camera into your lessons in ways that work for everyone. Many teachers find that students adjust quickly and even become excited.

Set aside time to watch and reflect. It can be easy to put away your recording and wait to watch it when everything else on the to-do list is crossed off, but you are likely to gain the most from watching your video while memories of the day are still fresh. If possible, try to save time even that same day to watch your recording and see what you notice!

Consider your audience. Do you plan to share your video with colleagues? If so, think about what you might want your colleagues to pay attention to as they watch the video. We have found the most productive conversations are those that steer away from evaluations of the teaching and learning taking place and instead focus on making sense of the ideas students shared and of the questions students’ thinking raised for us.

What you can learn

Recording classroom video can provide rich opportunities to notice and learn more about students’ thinking and ways of participating in classroom activities. It can also offer teachers the opportunity to notice things about their own teaching practice. While what you record depends on your purpose, the meatiest learning opportunities keep students and student interaction at the center — whether this is one student working on a task or a whole-class discussion. Recording small snippets on a regular basis focused on students can set teachers up for ongoing inquiry and learning. As new questions and arise, teachers can revisit past videos or use what they’re noticed to prepare for their next recording. In short, recording classroom video can be a unique and supportive partner for the continual learning and growth that is teaching.

 

References

Jacobs, V.R., Lamb, L L.C., & Philipp, R.A. (2010). Professional noticing of children’s mathematical thinking. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 41 (2), 169-202.

Levin, D.M. & Richards, J. (2011). Learning to attend to the substance of students’ thinking in science. Science Educator, 20 (2), 1-11.

Lomax, K., Fox, A., Kazemi, E., & Shahan, E. (2017). Argumentation in mathematics (Online course). Teaching Channel.

Richards, J., Altshuler, M., Sherin, B., & Sherin, M. (2020). Orchestrating for seeing: How teachers see and help others see student thinking when self-capturing classroom video. In M. Gresalfi & I.S. Horn (Eds.), The Interdisciplinarity of the Learning Sciences, 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2020, Volume 4 (pp. 1942-1949). International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Sherin, M.G. & Dyer, E.B. (2017a). Mathematics teachers’ self-captured video and opportunities for learning. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 20 (5), 477-495.

Sherin, M.G. & Dyer, E.B. (2017b). Teacher self-captured video: Learning to see. Phi Delta Kappan, 98 (7), 49-54.

Sherin, M.G. & van Es, E.A. (2009). Effects of video club participation on teachers’ professional vision. Journal of Teacher Education 60 (1), 20-37.

 

This article appears in the October 2021 issue of Kappan, Vol, 103, No. 2.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Miriam Gamoran Sherin

MIRIAM GAMORAN SHERIN is the associate provost for undergraduate education and the Alice Gabrielle Twight Professor of Learning Science in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University and the coauthor of The 5 Practices in Practice: Successfully Orchestrating Mathematics Discussions in Your Middle School Classroom .

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Jennifer Richards

JENNIFER RICHARDS is a research assistant professor at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

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Mari Altshuler

MARI ALTSHULER is a learning sciences graduate student at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.