Youtube: Everywhere but the Classroom (And How you can Bring it There Anyway)

Your talent shows, itouches, cell phones… bathrooms, halls, lunchrooms – youtube is everywhere… but the classroom.

I had to smile when I saw this high school take off on the popular OK go band.

First, view a bit of the OK Go band's dancing on treadmills video:

Then, take a look at these students from Granbury High School.

I just find it so interesting that youtube is everywhere.  I keep trying to wonder what people are trying to protect children from.  Yes, there are some things on youtube that aren't great, and I also wonder why there is no ratings system.  Youtube is about to carry television programs that will be rated, and yet the other content isn't – I think they will have difficulty justifying it.  Once youtube is rated, it will make it much easier for us on the filtration end.

How to take them there NOW!

For now, if you want to take that great youtube video to school with you – you have two choices:
1)   Rip it and send it to your email using Zamzar (http://www.zamzar.com)
2) Rip it using something like Download Helper
3) Real Player allows you to download and put videos into realplayer on your computer.

I'd say #1 and 3 are my favorites, but then again, I have access to youtube.  If I find a URL that is particularly offensive, I just block that specific URL in the firewall.

Check into Your School's policies
Most schools I know do allow their teachers to bring in videos, however, I have a friend at a local school that has to have permission from the curriculum director for every video used in her classroom. She says there is such a backlog that you might as well not ask.

I say that if you cannot trust your teachers they should be removed and not be teaching.

Those are three options to bring it with you if you cannot access youtube at school.  As always, the best teachers work at home anyway.  Good luck and enjoy!