Classroom video is at the heart of Teachstone’s products. We certify observers by asking them to reliably code video segments. Our Video Libraries, myTeachstone video resources, and interactive courses use authentic classroom moments to model exemplary CLASS practices and support teacher professional development. Since we are constantly adding new resources to myTeachstone and creating new videos for our six reliability tests, we have consistent need to collect new classroom footage.
How do you pick classrooms to record?
Our footage comes from teachers who have volunteered to allow us to film their classrooms. Because we want each of our users to see examples drawn from classrooms that look like the ones they work in, we aim to represent our nation’s racial and ethnic diversity, all regions of the country, and schools in rural, suburban, and urban settings. To date, we have filmed in 335 classrooms and in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico!What is the classroom filming process like?
The process starts with a phone conversation where we learn about you and your school, and we answer your questions about filming. Next, we find out if other teachers at your school are interested in participating, and obtain permission from your administration. Protecting the identities of the children and teachers we film is very important to us. As a result, we require that teachers and parents of students being filmed sign consent forms prior to filming. Once all consent forms have been signed, we will schedule a time to visit your school that is convenient for you.When it's time to film, JJ, our videographer, travels to your school. He typically spends one day in each participating classroom. On the day of filming, teachers should follow their typical routine and adhere to planned activities. We want to capture an authentic day in the life of each classroom we visit so the videos we create will feel relatable.How can you participate?
We're currently looking for additional classrooms to meet our filming needs for the 2016-2017 school year. Our urgent need this fall is for K-3 and upper elementary (4th-6th grade) classrooms to film. We plan to capture infant, toddler, and pre-K footage again in 2017. Please apply here if you are interested in being contacted about potential filming.