Preparing to Videotape (my classroom)

I am currently in the middle of the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) teaching event, a sort of "crucible" or last rite given to student teachers as they wind down their student teaching candidacy and prepare for the reception of their coveted teaching credential, as approved by our director and cooperating supervisors of the Multicultural Urban Secondary English of the Graduate School of Education at UC Berkeley, and blessed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

The event is a two-weeker, and I am approaching my fifth and final day of my first week. The unit I am teaching is the decline of the American Dream, as exemplified by F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby, and I am required to film two 10-minute segments of my teaching, focusing on my instruction and my interaction with students. The filmed video segments are to be viewed by myself and the members of our program who will be evaluating my PACT portfolio, a volume of sorts chronicling loads of lessons, materials, and daily reflections on the two-week event. So, the question remains:

Think about the teaching strengths and weaknesses that you would like to highlight or receive feedback on for your PACT videotaped lesson. How could you capture those aspects of your teaching on video in a meaningful way that would demonstrate your teaching philosophy for your portfolio?


In order for me to effectively highlight and receive useful feedback from a PACT videotaped lesson of my creation, I feel that planning a day's lesson centered on the videotape's goals would make for good classroom TV. So, rather than focusing on the strengths and weaknesses, I'm going to tailor my lesson(s) (I anticipate between one to three days of filming) as planned:

>Initial 10-15 minute period dedicated towards instruction and clarification of the previous week's readings, or the last three to four chapters. Present questions of note for students to ponder and think about, and attempt to encourage criticism of the historical context of the story and relate it to today's concepts of the American Dream. The camera can be fixed towards me and the class as a whole during this session.

>Dedicate another 10-15 minute period towards taking up a Q&A session with students on a one-on-one basis. Group students in fours and allow students to work through questions and encourage students to ask for assistance or help as they work. Another student can be in charge of filming, following my movements and my interactions with student groups.

Following this plan can alleviate the anxieties of filming, and I feel comfortable in explaining my own teaching philosophy and learning goals for my students as the reflections of my videotaping conclude. I feel that I am very connected to what I teach and that I can readily bring up my strengths and weaknesses through the critique of the videotaped sessions.

Recipe for success? I hope so...filming starts next Monday, April 14, 2008 and may or may not conclude on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.