“Ok, Ms. Alexander, thank you for meeting with me today. Let’s go ahead and dive into what we saw in your classroom.” Ms. Natasha Alexander is a third-year World Geography teacher at Cleveland Ninth Grade Center for Cleveland ISD. Earlier this week, we sat side-by-side in her empty classroom, our laptops out and ready to go for a post-observation meeting. Our coaching session began with the typical, “How do you feel it went?” but quickly evolved into something much more productive as we introduced our newest tool.
Recording classes isn’t anything new, especially in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic brought a wave of technological innovations in virtual and hybrid teaching models. Today, however, these same programs are being used differently: not as an alternative teaching medium but as a teacher preparation and coaching tool.
The Benefits of Classroom Recordings
Educators who have been in the “business” long enough know the value of modeling for students, but the truth is that people never outgrow the fundamental need to “see the success”. One of the many comments I hear from fresh new teachers addresses the gap between their education classes and the real-world classroom. Different programs and districts targeting teacher growth have identified the value of classroom videos in presenting real-world scenarios.
During teacher orientation at the beginning of the 24-25 school year, teachers at Cleveland ISD and many other districts around the country used classroom videos to teach and refresh educators on classroom management techniques, safety protocols, teaching methods, and even school expectations for staff and students. Administrators have found new uses for these videos in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) by highlighting master teachers who excel at certain techniques or lessons, and even as evaluation tools.
The question then becomes, is this just an evaluation or training tool, or could we take advantage of this opportunity for individual teacher growth? Nancy McClain, a secondary Instructional Coach at Cleveland ISD, has been utilizing a new program recently purchased by the district to address this exact question.
“Using [recordings] for classroom observations has transformed my teachers’ planning and growth. The ability to review their instructional practices through video has led to deeper reflection, more targeted feedback, and intentional improvements in their teaching. As a result, they are more confident, strategic, and effective in the classroom.”
— Nancy McClain, Instructional Coach, Cleveland ISD
Effective Implementation
Different programs, such as Teaching Channel’s Empower video coaching platform, are steadily increasing their capacity for teacher monitoring using video recording. It’s crucial to strike a balance with these programs to maintain teacher support and participation. The idea of being recorded in today’s society is anxiety-inducing and few educators leap at the opportunity to be in front of a camera. A strong rapport and trust must be built between administrators, coaches, and teachers for this to be effective.
Steps to take when considering using classroom recordings:
- Define Clear Objectives – Establish the purpose of recording lessons, such as improving instructional strategies, modeling best practices, or analyzing student engagement.
- Use Proper Equipment – Ensure clear video and audio quality by using proper recording devices and positioning cameras/iPads to capture both teacher and student interactions.
- Select Lessons Thoughtfully – Collaborate with the instructor to focus on lessons that showcase specific instructional techniques, classroom management strategies, or differentiated instruction.
- Provide Professional Development – Train teachers on how to use video recordings for self-reflection, peer review, and instructional improvement. This can be done 1:1 or in small group professional development.
- Ensure Ethical and Legal Compliance – Obtain proper permissions from teachers, students, and parents while following privacy guidelines and ethical considerations. Refer to district policies for what is required for the identified objectives.
- Incorporate Reflection and Discussion – Encourage educators to analyze their recordings, receive peer feedback from trusted colleagues, and discuss ways to enhance their teaching practices.
Using Videos for Reflection and Analysis
Once a video observation is completed, teachers are given time to watch their video back and take notes on what they see. Some programs allow administrators or coaches to make comments with timestamps accompanying the feed so teachers can reflect or see something from an outsider’s perspective. Using the video, both the evaluator and the educator can enter a meeting with the same data and information, ready to discuss and target areas for professional growth.
As Ms. Alexander and I sat side-by-side in her classroom, we looked at the notes taken over that day’s video. During our meeting, we flipped through time stamped areas of the video and asked leading questions until we identified problem areas and created a plan to address them.
“I think videos in the classroom are a positive addition. I appreciate all feedback, and seeing myself in action along with the feedback helps me to visualize what areas I need to make adjustments if need be.”
— Natasha Alexander, Cleveland, ISD
For administrators and instructional coaches, classroom videos have given new opportunities to employ the use of these visuals for more useful and constructive feedback. Krystal Mitchell, another IC at Cleveland ISD uses video recordings weekly in her teachers’ classrooms to help teachers with self-reflection of their teaching practices with special populations such as students with IEPs and language needs.
“It has allowed [teachers] to personally identify areas of reinforcement and refinement for me to coach them through in the future. I can definitely see it aiding in improving tier-one instruction by targeting individual classroom differentiation strategies.”
— Krystal Mitchell, M.Ed., Instructional Coach, Cleveland ISD
Harnessing Video for Continuous Teacher Growth
Beyond evaluation, videos serve as powerful tools for teacher growth, professional learning communities (PLCs), and teacher training programs. Instructional coaches and administrators use videos to provide more precise and constructive feedback, especially when working with diverse student needs, such as special education and language learners. By seeing their instruction in action, teachers gain deeper insights into their strengths and areas of improvement, leading to more confident and strategic teaching.
A tool is only useful if implemented correctly, and classroom recordings can bridge the gap between theory and practice by providing real-world teaching examples, helping educators refine classroom management, learn new instructional strategies, and increase student engagement. By leveraging classroom videos thoughtfully, educators can foster continuous professional growth and enhance the overall effectiveness of teaching practices.
Explore solutions to transform your preparation program with video tools that support and empower your teachers-in-training.
About the Author
Kaitlin Burks M.Ed, is a secondary Instructional Coach at Cleveland ISD for the High School Social Studies department and a freelance copywriter for education companies and businesses. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Go CRU!) and a Master of Education Administration from Lamar University. Before becoming an instructional coach, Kaitlin taught elementary through middle school over a period of 10 years in three different school districts in Southeast Texas. A lover of books, history, and coffee, she spends her (little) spare time playing with dolls and monster trucks with her twin preschoolers.
Fun Fact: Before her twins were born, Kaitlin spent her summers volunteering for local animal rescues as a neonatal foster, bottle-feeding and weaning kittens until they were old enough to be adopted by lucky families. One of these kittens (now a large spoiled adult) named Frodo (after one of her favorite book/movie series) was lying in her lap while this blog was being written.
