Thing #20 - YouTube and TeacherTube

So many videos so little time! The possibilities and search options are endless. Technology may have its downsides, but one of the upsides is the access we all have to a plethora of materials! Having so many videos is great. I can learn through a tutorial session about wikis, I can post my own video, I can find some to teach with, I can find some to show to faculty and staff, and of course I can find some just for fun. Videos open new doors to education and what is available as sources for information.

I am of course familiar with YouTube and have used it for personal use. One of my favorite videos to watch with my daughter is the Snuggle Puppy song. But I digress. I think personally that YouTube at the elementary level is best used by teachers and librarians. In other words, I do not want my students to search for videos here because there is so much inappropriate content. However, it is a fantastic free source in which educators can search for videos to use in their classrooms or staff developments. I searched for "librarians" and found this hilarious song. It pokes a little fun at the librarian stereotype but at the same time describes a lot of what we do. It will make you smile I promise =)!!!




Then I went to TeacherTube. Believe it or not the only experience I have had with it is from people sharing videos with me. I had never actually explored it before. Well, since I do teach 4th grade, writing is always at the forefront of my brain. So, I searched for grammar videos. In the process, I saw a lot of resources that inspired me and some that I would like to use. I saw that a lot of teachers created songs or raps to help their students learn all of those crazy grammar rules. I wanted to start that this year, but I am so not talented in the music-writing department! So, seeing some of these videos has given me a great starter point. Below is an adorable School House Rock video. I remember watching these when I was a kid!