Should schools videotape classrooms?
N&R editorial columnist Doug Clark poses the question of taping classrooms at his blog.
It's a short post but raises an intriguing question. Across the nation there are cameras surveilling students on buses. They are keeping an eye on the goings on outside of school buildings. And they've found their way into hallways at some schools. I don't know if they've made their way into the classroom yet. I haven't heard of any as a standard practice in local schools. (Does anyone know if there are cameras in local classrooms? I know a teacher at Kiser was taping his in-school suspension classroom, partly to keep an eye on what students were doing and partly to help him improve his teaching skills.)
The question is: should they? The path to George Orwell's 1984 seems to be getting more real every day. Advances in technology are making it easier and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks seem to be fueling what we see nationally (Think Patriot Act).
Big Brother is already watching you.
Should society extend that eagle eye into the classroom?
(BTW: Good question, Doug. I hope you don't mind if I "borrow" it for a discussion here on the Chalkboard!)
Comments (14)
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Yes. Teachers should jump at the chance to have someone help them with in classroom skills. It is best when the cameras are built into the building. I would ask employees to sign a statement conscenting to taping of classroom sessions.
Another angle is to make taping entirely voluntary. Some schools/departments would get bragging rites by encouraging all of the teachers to participate.
One of the problems is getting good teachers to review the tapes and go over them with the teachers. Some of the principals and supervisors that should know something about teaching donot in fact know very much. Just because a teacher has taught 20 years, does not necessarily make her/him an expert.
This type of project should be tried in a few schools before going county-wide. We must have teacher cooperation.
Posted on May 4, 2005 11:59 AM
GREAT idea!
I'd like a camera in the Administration offices too. A BIG, fat one for Terry Grier's office. I know many that would volunteer to "review" the tapes each day and help Terry see where he's gone wrong.
Posted on May 4, 2005 12:02 PM
Great! They could tape all the kids who cuss, push and shove other kids, punch teachers, knock over bookcases, leave the room without permission, throw stuff out the window, and punch kids in the face and then they will have proof as to why kids need to have consequences.
Lynn is on to something. You could put one in the finance person's office when they are doing the budget and trying to justify all their wasted tax dollars and where to come up with money when the federal grant money ends.
Posted on May 4, 2005 5:27 PM
They have put cameras in some of the gymnasiums for security purposes as some physical education classes are very large. The gyms have multiple access points and students who are skipping classes often end up in the gym.
Instructors were told the cameras were not in place to evaluate them. However, you are being watched by somebody.
Posted on May 5, 2005 3:34 PM
Gr8ful Coach,
Thanks for the info. I had not heard about the cameras in the gyms. I wonder if they've been useful at all?
Posted on May 5, 2005 4:21 PM
Use internet enabled webcams (like those in use at some daycares) so anyone can "drop in" to see what's going on? Keep a five day 'loop' so extraordinary events can be reviewed in a timely fashion and otherwise deleted?
Posted on May 5, 2005 7:30 PM
I think cameras could be a GREAT idea depending on the circumstances. I work as an In School Suspension teacher and I would love to have an extra set of eyes. While I am often able to catch things before they happen, I am still bound to miss things now and then. It also doesn't help when I have over twenty students with behavior problems to monitor while I deal with paper work and getting my students their class assignments. Cameras in my room would be highly beneficial and would help when it came to writing students up for misbehavior. It would probably dissuade many students from acting out as well if they knew an administrator or their parent could watch their actions on tape.
Posted on May 5, 2005 11:48 PM
That is a good point. For those school board members that think certain students are targeted because of their skin color, they will now be able to see what really happened before the suspension.
If it was a webcam like jwg suggested, those trying to coddle the disruptive students would have their work cut out for them since the community would also be able to view the incident.
Posted on May 7, 2005 2:28 PM
It's always the schools. Why not videotape your place of business and let's watch all of you through an 8-hour day, or whatever your work shift? Why hold teachers up to some sort of holier-than-thou perfection standard that we'd not particularly like to see where we all work?
Posted on May 7, 2005 9:09 PM
Sue,
Many businesses already do; banks, retail, childcare, etc.
It isn't about employee performance (99% of the time, IMHO) but about security and the ability to enforce policy e.g. no shoplifting.
Posted on May 8, 2005 7:15 AM
Chris and jwg,
You are both on to something. I think webcam the public school students and let the public see what they are paying for with their tax money. Let them see the disruptive behavior that goes on daily. Let them see why teachers can't teach.
The schools are open for people to come in. This would be a great idea. It might prove as a deterrant for a student to know he is on video.
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Posted on June 21, 2006 3:21 AM
No i think they should put the webcams in the school because alot of people need to talk privacey. We already have teacher to keep eyes on it why should be have webcams. I think its stupid have webcams in school. Instead of wasting money on webcams you can use it for to fix students lockers or something. you use the money on new books or other education stuff in stead of the webcams.
Posted on March 7, 2007 10:04 AM