This weekend I attended a conference for directors and administrators of early childhood learning programs. One of the vendors was from a new company that uses state-of-the-art technology to bring streaming video into child care centers. A huge flat screen TV demonstrated the concept, showing us all that was going on in a classroom at a client’s school. The director of this particular school was also on hand to answer questions.
I enjoyed watching the classroom in action throughout the day, but what was especially fascinating was listening to the conversations of the directors and administrators attending the conference as they passed by this booth. Needless to say, some people loved the idea, others were horrified.
I was conflicted. As a parent, I love the idea of being able to see what my kids do during the day. Bug never gives me any details about her day at school, no matter how I ask. And Babe doesn’t talk yet, so I can’t get much from him either. I want to be that fly on the wall watching them play with their friends and work on projects. How do they behave with their teachers and peers? What do they choose to do with their time? No doubt my productivity at work would plummet!
As a former teacher though, I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with the idea that at any moment, who knows how many sets of eyes are on me. I can see that this video footage could be a great training and self evaluation tool. And I can see that it could help with parent communication. But I don’t think I could shake the feeling of constantly being judged.
What are your thoughts on the topic? If you have expereinced web cams or streaming videos in your school or child care environment, how do you feel about it? Is it the future of child care?
Filed under: Education Industry, School | Tagged: Child Care, Education Industry, parenting, School, Teaching
Cameras in the classroom are an excellent idea. I have frequently supported putting them in classrooms. Cameras are the only way parents can truly understand what is happening to their children during the school day, especially they are young.
As for teachers in K-12 feeling uncomfortable, I believe that feeling will pass with time. College professors routinely hold lectures with about a hundred students in class. Furthermore, some college classes are also broadcast via closed circuit tv.
My point is that teachers in K-12 should be willing to adapt to the new technologies and be open to the idea.
I think there are some confidentiality issues at stake here. For instance, what if there were an incidence of biting in a toddler classroom? Confidentiality is at stake if the parent of the victim happens to be watching at the time of the incident. He/she now knows who bit her child. As an educator, I am not at liberty to tell the parent who the biter is nor am I at liberty to tell the parent of the biter who their child bit. Confidentiality rules and regulations are pretty strict. They are in place to protect children and families.
I don’t agree with video cameras in the classroom. I believe if teachers are documenting children’s learning through photographs, written observation and work samplings and have an open door policy for there is no need for video cameras in the classroom.
That time HAS come for video in K-12 classrooms, and in all classrooms of all schools for that matter.
They’re already in many college classrooms, so it’s not like there’s any new ground being broken.
While some may see this as a “privacy” issue, what happens in a classroom should NOT be private.
Parent’s have every right to know what is being taught to their kids every day.
Our public schools have been transformed during the last few decades from being centers of education to being centers of agenda driven propaganda. Much of the lunatic fringe behaviour comes from these kids who grow up being taught nonsense that their parents never new was part of the curriculum.
Let’s at least allow parents to know what their kids are being taught, and allowing video in the classrooms will open up the dark secrets of indoctrination going on in our public schools today.
I am all for cameras in the classroom. Open door policy is now a closed door policy unless you schedule a day or time to sit in on a class and have it signed off by the Principal. To say that anyone in a classroom has a right to privacy in a public building is a lot of crap. I would love to be able to sit in on my daughters’ high school classes and being able to view that class via online would also be less of a distraction to a class.
thats creepish.
This comment is to KSS…if some kid bit my child I would DEMAND to know who it was and then figure out why it happened. You’re not at liberty to tell me? Then I think a lawyer will open your mouth when I decide to sue!
I still think that cameras in the classroom is an important idea. My child is also special needs, so it is important for me to have an accurate idea of what is taking place in the classroom. School visits are good, but they are too predictable, so the teacher knows that the parent will be present. I’ve written my local school and government officials about this idea, but unfortunately they have shown little interest in the idea of having cameras in special needs classrooms. I would gladly waive any confidentialiyt rights in order to allow a camera to be in the classroom. I’d imagine that other parents of special needs children would do the same. Regardless, I will keep writing my letters to the elected officials about this concern.