How can I use math videos in my classroom?: Four Easy Ways!

As mentioned above, my primary use for creating math videos was for implementing a flipped classroom.  This means that my students don’t do traditional homework, such as a page of practice problems for students to do independently (or with the help of frustrated parents)!  Instead, students are responsible for watching a short math video before returning to school the following day.  During math workshop, my students and I can work in small groups to practice the skill together with minimal whole group instruction.  I love that I can focus my math workshop time on differentiating and addressing very targeted student needs.  

There are many times when assigning a math video for homework isn’t practical, such as the first day back from Christmas break!  In this case, I really love using math videos for morning work.  At my school, I am extremely lucky to be able to send my students home with 1:1 iPads each evening; however, not every school is that lucky.  Math videos for morning work can often be the perfect way to kick off the day and prepare students for the upcoming math block.  Plus, the room is fairly silent since my students are all using their headphones to watch the video. 🙂

Math videos can also be used during math centers.  Rather than spend valuable minutes teaching the lesson as a whole group or during a Guided Math group, students can “preteach” themselves the content during a math center!  This is also an excellent alternative for teachers with a handful of iPads to share amongst your entire class. 

Don’t you find it so frustrating when a student is seriously struggling to remember how to complete a particular type of problem, knowing that they had mastered it two months prior?  Using math videos for reteaching is an excellent solution for students who need a quick refresh of the content.  My students will often go back and rewatch an old video to jog their memory and remind them of the necessary steps.  

I also had a new student move in last October.  You know what it’s like getting a student in October.  You’ve covered so much, you have no clue what they’ve covered at their old school, and you have a long to-do list to manage.  I’ve used my old math videos to allow a new student to get caught up just a bit.  I still sit down with them and work on practicing the skill and correcting mistakes, but they never truly “miss” valuable instruction.  

I have a few more posts that might interest you if you are looking to add math videos to your routines or instruction!