FILMING CLASSROOMS

1. FILMING CLASSROOMS JUDY ELLIOTT, Ed.D. ELTT – TELAVI KOBULETI CONFERENCE JULY 2013

2. REFLECTIONS ON FILMING CLASSROOMS – What I’ve learned • Decide on a purpose or aim ahead of time • Originally, I wanted spontaneity from students and teachers because it would seem less programmed. • Now I’ve learned it is more effective, in terms of filming, to have a list of questions prepared ahead of time for the participants. • A script of expectations for participants prepared ahead of time helps them to form phrases more easily and provide a more effective video.

3. PREPARATION OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS • Permission slips • Originally, I had teachers could translate many student remarks • Translating was too time consuming • Need to give time to students to prepare ahead of time so that they can plan what they are going to say in English. • Students shouldn’t memorize speech

4. Determine Your Audience • Originally – target was American audience of friends and teachers who would be interested in my work. • a video clip for the June 1st conference. • Record of classroom experiences to show teachers who were just learning ELCE pedagogy • I had too many audiences in my original plan.

5. DEVELOP A STORY BOARD • Story board is like a lesson plan. The scaffold for the film. • Usually put the steps or interview questions on small flashcards and organize chronologically • Story board determines the narrative of the film • Who will audience be?? – teachers, students, others • Determine the purpose of the video: telling about Georgian life and school; OR teaching techniques and strategies; OR helping students to realize what their speech sounds like. • Prepare teachers AND students about what techniques you want to film and why.

6. VALUE OF THE EXPERIENCE • Positive feedback from students and teachers about filming • Half way through the filming of one class, I could tell students were uncomfortable and I stopped filming. • Younger students were more excited, some older students were self-conscious of their accent • Learning cinema graphic stages – edit film, then add narrative and then music. Revising afterwards is quite difficult

7. VALUE OF EXPERIENCE • Showing ELCE pedagogy and content to non-ELCE teachers in future workshops: • “Oh, I didn’t realize that you could teach group work to 2nd or 5th grade students.” • “Oh, now I realize how important it is to come to class early and put the flip chart paper or flashcards or warm-up clues so that students begin participating when they first arrive.”

8. HISTORICAL RECORD • Filming preserves students and teachers at a specific time in their lives. • Records the accomplishments of student clubs. • Inspires other students to record what their club is accomplishing.

9. VALUE FOR STUDENTS • Taking pride in the fact that their class is being filmed for their accomplishments & talents • Felt that their opinions about the content and lessons was being acknowledged. • Record of students’ knowledge – speaking and intonation • Filming by students: one student made a video of an advertisement with her classmates • Students in Nino’s Environmental club are now planning to film their own club’s activities.

10. PREPARING A TRAINING FILM • Imagine that your group [identified by colored paper] is preparing a training film on the topic that you’ve been given. • Your audience and problem to be addressed has been specified on the flip chart paper. • Your group has 15 minutes to prepare the basic outline or script of your advice. • Then each group has 3 minutes to tell the audience what their tips or advice their short training film will cover. • There are 11 groups at three minutes each. Please observe the time.