If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth?
My fourth graders have produced a 5 minute video that tells the story of how we “Skype” a classmate that has leukemia into our classroom. To see the video click the image below:
My fourth graders have produced a 5 minute video that tells the story of how we “Skype” a classmate that has leukemia into our classroom. To see the video click the image below:
February 5th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Well, there’s nothing like sitting in a hotel room in Tonopah and getting tear-y watching this amazing video. This is amazing. I said this in an earlier post, but I feel as though I’m watching history happen. Applause, Brian & company.
February 5th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Brian,
You and your fourth graders should be recognized and commended on such a wonderful job you are doing with this. As you well know, in the past students in the same situation as Celeste would have only received a weekly or daily packet of work to complete so that they could keep up with the class. If they were lucky, the school district may have sent a home school teacher to her house to tutor her. What your class is doing is remarkable and shows how these new technologies can be best used in our schools. Congratulations on such a wonderful job and please let your students know that I completely enjoyed watching their video about this.
Brian Grenier
El Paso, TX
http://bumpontheblog.etowns.net
February 5th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Brian, this is just so amazing. You are certainly expanding some thinking and some lives. Congratulations to you all.
February 6th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Amazing. There’s using technology in your classroom, and then there is using technology.
This is amazing Brian. I will be sharing this with anyone that will watch. Great work my friend.
February 6th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Wow! I am doing an Internet Awareness seminar today, where we go over some of the “evils” of the Internet. Since I am much more biased toward Internet and tools than I am against it (e.g., I don’t believe in filtering, blocked access, lock-ins, lock-outs, etc.), I always leave the audience with some of the reasons why we NEED Internet access in our classrooms and why there should be no blockage to the tools we choose.
Rather than explain away, I think I will just leave this video speak for itself. This is very powerful! Thanks so much for sharing.
February 6th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Inspiring. Tell all your students that they are teaching us . . .
February 6th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
[...] You have to watch the video, If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth?, produced by his fourth grade students. (I had some trouble getting it to play the first few times I tried but I’m so glad I hung in!) Since the answer to the question is “priceless”, I’ll just be quiet now and let you see for yourselves. [...]
February 6th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Brian and students, thanks so much for sharing this with us! I know I have much to learn as I watch your progress…and from such able teachers!
Best wishes to you and all your students!
Diane
February 6th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
[...] Thanks to the post by Bud Hunt on the Bud the Teacher blog today, I found myself on the Learning is Messy Blog, Nevada grade 4 teacher, Brian Crosby’s blog. You have to watch the video, If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth?, produced by his fourth grade students. [...]
February 6th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Wow! I’m speechless. What power life lessons and thinking you and your students have shared with us all. Thank you!
February 6th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I’m speechless. Wow.
February 6th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
What a wonderful video - I am really impressed with your students. Never mind the great use of technology - the whole concept of including Celeste in your class is something your students will always remember.
I look forward to updates. Congratulations to you and your class!
February 6th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
This is the real reason we think technology is important.
February 6th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
You’ve made a convert. Being a district admin, I am initially cautious of new technologies that may tax an already overextended system… but you’ve proven that the cost is far outweighed by the benefits.
Congrats. You’ve touched more than one life.
February 7th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Brian this video footage is simply amazing as many others have said, it shows how truly education should embrace the motto ‘Every Child matters’ . I hope that you won’t mind me showing it to as many people in the UK as I can - very best wishes and keep up the good work Paul H ( Wales UK)
February 7th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Brian, a very powerful production. Kudos to you and your students.
I notice the copyright at the end.
May I acquire the file to put on my local Blackboard service for my 23 Central NY school districts to access? If so, just send me an email and maybe let others know how they may use your fine work to further your message and techniques!
Thanks again to you and your kids for a very meaningful movie!!
February 7th, 2007 at 7:07 am
So much was reinforced here beyond the obvious “integration”.
Caring
Commmunity
Sharing
Friendship
inclusion
Well done!
Justin Medved
February 7th, 2007 at 8:05 am
This is a wonderful example of why all classrooms should have access to the Internet and tools such as Skype. Congratulations to Celeste and the rest of the students for working together to make this happen. Thanks for sharing - these are the kinds of examples our reluctant decision makers need to see.
February 7th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Sharing this today in my class with preservice elementary teachers at the College of William and Mary and 200 inservice teachers in Alabama. I plan to blog about it too. Wow.
This is so powerful. Thank your students for me.
February 7th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
[...] Brian Crosby’s class….this is what technology is for [...]
February 7th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Brian,
At the risk of being redundant, I also want to tell you how wonderful this project is. I plan on sharing this with my staff, and with our district administrators. Thank you for inspiring me!
February 8th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Brian,
My son was diagnosed in the summer before fourth grade with Leukemia. We tried a program similar to Skype, it was not so clear. I am thrilled to see a program that can mainstream a child with low immunities into the classroom. As a parent of a child who is sick, and as a fourth grade teacher myself, I am in awe. Thank you for your support, your insight and your love.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Brian,
What a great way to make a child feel apart of the class. My Daughter Caroline has NHL and was unable to go to school for months. Not being able to see friends and school mates really took a toll on her. She now relapsed after three years of being off treatment and will miss the rest of the year due to chemo.
I am sure that your class changed Celestes live in a very good way.
Every school should be doing this!
February 8th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Brian,
Fantastic job including Celeste in your classroom using Skype. It’s great to see the connections that a teacher who cares can make with his students. Keep up the great work!
This is a tremendous lesson for your students in accepting students who are different.
Mike Arsenault
Yarmouth, Maine
February 8th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
WOW!! My son has recently finished treatment for high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia and this would’ve helped him a great deal in keeping up with (although his school is also an exemplary group of compassionate people who jumped through hoops for him). My utmost respect and thanks for sharing your innovation and for extending your classroom to those who need it.
Also, last but certainly not least: Way to go, Celest!! There were many days when even low levels of activity would’ve been too taxing for my son so I’m happy for you and glad that you’re getting a chance to do things with a classroom full of caring people. Feel free to contact me if you ever need encouragement! Get well - you’ll be in my prayers!
February 9th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Huzzah for you! Having taught inclusion for the last 1 1/2 years, the last 1/2 of which I’ve had a young lady with CP who does not communicate verbally it is TRULY amazing how technology allows all to share in a Free and Appropriate Education.
Again, Kudos to you and your class!
February 10th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Hi Brian,
Quite apart from the very real human element of this whole brilliant exercise, your students, (including the very brave Celeste), are to be congratulated for the extrememely coherent and well presented introduction to using video Skype. More power to you all, I shall be showing this video to my class down here in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
PS huge credit to you too in bringing together the diverse aspects of the technology.
February 10th, 2007 at 4:14 am
[...] Take a look at this video made by students about inclusion. [...]
February 11th, 2007 at 4:24 am
This is amazing. Thank you for sharing. It is great to see students and teachers utilizing technology in ways behond the obvious! This experience is one that they will all remember forever.
February 11th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Awesome post! Thanks for the “tutorial” on skype. If you don’t mind - I’d like to link this video to our science grant we are working on “Alaskans Scientists of the Future” (ASOF) where we are video conferencing, using Skype, between Anchorage, Prince William Sound, Denali, and Hawaii.
Roxy Kohler
February 12th, 2007 at 7:36 am
This is such a worthwhile project! You and your students are wonderful people!
Thanks for planting this seed in the minds of other educators. Has Skype heard what you are up to? I sure hope so!
February 13th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Hi. I’m a 44 years old English teachers at Francisco Lazo Martí High School in Apure State in Venezuela. I’m surprised about what you people do over there. You know I’d like to have an interactive classroom as you have. In that way, students never, but never, get bored and learn more through awaken classes. Congratulations to the responsible teacher.
February 14th, 2007 at 5:00 am
Simply awesome, Brian. Keep us out here in the edublogosphere up to date with your progress in your inclusive classroom. So often that phrase “inclusion” gets bandied around without any meaning but you’ve turned it into a verb here.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:32 am
[...] Watch this moving video of how Celeste, a student battling leukemia, is included in her fourth grade class through Skype calls. Technology at its finest. [...]
February 14th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
[...] Posted on February 14th, 2007. This is marvelous… [...]
February 15th, 2007 at 8:35 am
[...] Learning Is Messy - If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth? [...]
February 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
[...] Check out this video at Learning is Messy. The opportunities are endless, and we can revolutionize the manner in which we provide education. [...]
February 15th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Brian,
First, thank you for sharing this story.
Second, I shared this video with the faculty and staff at the school where I teach. Several teachers asked me to express their appreciation for what you are doing.
Third, I have written about this as part of my own reflective thoughts on “best practices” in education. Your work is among the best examples of any kind I’ve seen of teaching students with modern technology, and the best in the area of “inclusion.” You are changing lives and attitudes in your classroom, and around the world.
I wish you and your class only the best. Say hello to your students, and I wish Celeste and her family God’s blessings.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
If the Read/Write Web is About Community……
… then this group of students exemplifies what community can be.
Brian Crosby and his students have begun video conferencing with a homebound student using a laptop with a web cam and Skype. Just today, I was talking with a group of academic advi…
February 17th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Inspiring to say the least! Great job kids, you are truly caring individuals who understand how important learning is. Keep up the great work!
And kudos to the teacher for allowing technology to change the way learning takes place. One of the most powerful uses of technology I have ever witnessed!
February 18th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
[...] http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196 (From Brian Crosby) [...]
February 19th, 2007 at 10:46 am
[...] This week was the best yet for Skypeing Celest into class. Last week she Skyped-in a total of maybe an hour and a half (there are other issues besides leukemia I can’t share – think poverty and ALL that goes with that). But this week she spent all day Monday with us and almost all day Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday was Valentine’s Day, Celest had sent hers in with her little sister, so as we passed them out students made a pile in front of her on the computer and we turned the camera around so she could see the goings on. A student from her table group read a few of them to her, then we sent the rest home unopened with sis at the end of the day. [...]
February 19th, 2007 at 10:55 am
This is truly inspiring. The teacher in me just decided to kick it up a notch. I truly appreciate the lengths the entire class went to ensure that all students were included. This is what education is supposed to look like.
February 21st, 2007 at 7:53 am
What a wonderful connection between the students and teachers. A true caring community!
February 21st, 2007 at 11:14 am
Great work Mr. Crosby’s 4th grade students and Mr. Crosby! Your example is a powerful one that I’m glad so many others are able to learn about thanks to the Internet and this blog. Please continue to keep us posted about how your learning experiences with Celeste go. You have told us a powerful story that is literally being heard around the world. Keep up the creative and caring work you’re doing together!
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:05 am
[...] Using desktop videoconferencing technologies like Skype is not limited to bringing in “expert learners” as guest speakers to classrooms, however. We also can and should be connecting students with each other. Brian Crosby has posted a AMAZING five minute video created by his 4th grade students, telling the story of how they use Skype to synchronously videoconference in Celest, a 4th grade student who has leukemia and is homebound. [...]
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:42 am
Many thanks to all involved with this, especially the students.
What a great way to connect with others in a supportive classroom environment.
I shall be sharing this with others to act as a catalyst in promoting often misunderstood web 2.0 technologies. It has been my personal drive and quest of late to gather and share, so thanks to all for helping me do this
“The road to a friend’s house is never long.” - Danish proverb - and in this case the road to Celeste’s house has been removed completely
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:03 am
[...] http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196 [...]
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 am
Dear Mr Crosby and kids,
this is one of the most important videos on education that I have ever seen. While I already believe strongly in the value of ICT in the classroom, I am impressed with your creativity and intiative in coming up with an elegant solution to a difficult problem that teachers have experienced since teaching began. I have a hunch that Celeste is not the only person who benefited from your clever idea. I am an Aussie sitting here in Istanbul, Turkey, where I’m teaching at The Koç (pron: coach) School.
Thanks for an inspiring video. I think you’ve changed the world for the better.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Dear Mr. Crosby and all of the 4th Grade Class,
What a great journey you have all started. As I read through the postings that many have left for you on your blog I am touched by the global connection you have made. I too am quite a distance away - in New Zealand. I am also a strong advocate for ICT and continue to work to bring new technologies into the classroom - but it is still the heart and spirit of human nature I believe that really makes technology shine.
Well done, you are all a great inspiration!
February 24th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
[...] Finally, to cement the communication - particularly with a student at home or ill, it is good to receive messages, but sometimes not wanting to talk or reply ie asynchronous, using Yack Pack- makes it easy for groups to communicate, free would allow students to form a group that the teacher registers, and each can leave voice messages for each other - but with all messages being available for all in the group to listen to - including the teacher. Some care may be needed to ensure only a few trusted students have access to this until protocol;s are established And finally from the original entry, an updateWell, to say the least we’ve had quite the response to our Skype and video projects! Thanks to all that have commented and showed such great support of what we are trying to do. I was especially intrigued for another reason by this comment: more … Saturday, February 24, 2007 6:32 PM miketemple123 Filed under: AEN info, ICT information, ICT and Boys writing, Writing with ICT, Podcasting, Digital Visual, Free Software, Literacy, Collaborative software, Conferencing, Web 2.0 [...]
February 26th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Yep.
Clap-clap and then another resounding echo from a million other hands. Care to ellucidate how you’ve got past the IP, privacy and security protocols for your clients in your respective organisation ?
Of course…..the technology is the enabler. It’s the hedgemony thats the issue.
February 27th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Like most who have seen this, I am also speechless. Fantastic work!
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 am
[...] Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth? My fourth graders have produced a 5 minute video that tells the story of how we “Skype” a classmate that has leukemia into our classroom. (tags: inspiration skype video technology classroom kids) [...]
March 5th, 2007 at 9:05 am
This has been a favorite of mine since you posted it. Reading an article today about buddies helping out an ill classmate gave me an awesome opportunity to share this video in context. My students loved it. Even when we had a technical glitch with Quicktime, the kids were bummed but patient waiting for it to fix itself. Thank you so much for allowing me to start a whole new discussion about true friendship and caring for fellow classmates. it is one thing to talk about it. It is another to bring in reality of what younger students are doing.
March 8th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Alexander Hayes - my district doesn’t block Skype, Flickr, Blogs - but does block Myspace, YouTube - our greatest hurdle is a relatively slow connection - may get a boost soon, but I’m not holding my breath.
March 29th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Congratulations to Mr. Crosby and the Fourth Graders at Agnes Riley School. I saw your great video “Inclusion” on the Internet yesterday and liked it so much that I am sending a link of your video to over 120 teachers in Southeastern Indiana. My job is to promote the use of video conferencing within K-12 schools in Southeastern Indiana and I think this video is a wonderful example of how video conferencing can be used in the classroom. Thank you Kids and Mr. Crosby for making my job a little easier.
Jerry R. Steuerwald
Distance Learning Specialist
Wilson Education Center
Charlestown, Indiana
March 31st, 2007 at 7:27 pm
[...] Ten days ago we had the opportunity to link up for an interview with the 8th grade students in Lee Baber’s class at YouthBridges in Virginia. The participants included Lee’s class, my class in Sparks, Nevada – Elderbob Brannan in Texas, and Celest (a student in my class that has leukemia and attends class via video Skype) from her house. We were scheduled to begin at 9:30am Pacific time, but everytime we all got on … the Skype call dropped. Lee finally figured out that it happened every time Celest Skyped in – so she just Skype called her – I got her Celest’s phone number and Lee called it using Skype – problem solved. This was not terribly interesting for my students – but was a great lesson for them how things don’t work and you problem solve (or at least try) and just maybe you get things to work. Elderbob has posted the interview as a podcast if you’d like to hear it. [...]
April 13th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
[...] Celest has not been feeling well for weeks now. The doctors have changed her chemo and apparently it is not sitting well with her. Thusly we have not had her “join” us via Skype on a very consistent basis lately : ( [...]
April 26th, 2007 at 8:15 am
[...] Anyway, through the Infinite Thinking Machine and Learning is Messy blogs, we travel to Agnes Risley Elementary School in Sparks, Nevada. [...]
April 26th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
[...] Anyway, through the Infinite Thinking Machine and Learning is Messy blogs, we travel to Agnes Risley Elementary School in Sparks, Nevada. [...]
May 1st, 2007 at 10:06 am
I wasn’t going to cry, no, not me…..but when the class all shouted hello for the first time to Celeste, well, ok, it got me big time. A big thumbs up to all of you!
May 14th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
It’s nice and beautiful. All the students can communicate and feel.
If the lonely pepple are participated in this kind of way, they are more active and motivate. good luck~~
July 11th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Oh help!
I cannot open the video but I would like to say…..I have 5 and 7 year old daughters with genius IQs. They cannot ever go to school because of an immune disorder. We are fighting tooth and nail with the school district to allow my children the opportunity to interact with other children through video conferencing. They are arguing that it is a violation of privacy, but they use it for their students in the classroom. They are refusing to accept that our children have social needs and will not address them until we prove social incompetency. My little girls are so special and so intact emotionally and I want to keep it that way. My advocacy team is beginning to agree with the school that they do not have to consider social needs unless we prove social incompetency. This is so intensely upsetting to us and we need all the help we can get. I tried to open this video and thought that perhaps I could forward it on to the person at the schools who is causing the problems for us. Our battle is unbeleiveable.
Please, please post or emial recommendations. My advocates are refusing to support us through this unless I can find case law or legally support inclusion for my children and I am not finding anything. It is very hard for me to beleive that it is not out there somewhere.
Terri
July 25th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
[...] We got into our room tonight and thanks to me bringing along my laptop, and free wifi in our hotel, an email came in from one of the childhood cancer support groups in Reno (The Keaton Raphael Memorial) that have helped Celest so much. Skype has donated 4 web cams and headsets to them so they might use our model to include other children with cancer to attend school using video-conferencing. Like Celest sometimes these children have to travel 250 miles to the San Francisco Bay Area to get special treatments at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital. Here’s a quote from the email: [...]
July 30th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
[...] Skype is a great example. Wes Fryer invited people about a year ago to join a Skypecast he was moderating about edtech. I had never used Skype, didn’t even have an account (I had used iChat once before). So I got an account, joined Wes’s Skype and another later in the summer. So lo and behold the situation with Celest came up and it literally occurred to me that instant, just because it was in my toolbox. I hadn’t used Skype with my students before … hadn’t even been on Skype at school, but it became a possibility just because I knew about it and saw a potential use. I’m sure there are similar stories you could tell about using wikis or blogs or whatever. So whether its Twitter of Second Life or the next web 2.0 app that comes out, I just hope I have the time to put them in my toolbox so they are there when I might need them. I mean do you throw out the sockets for your wrench that you have never used? [...]
September 6th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
What an amazing video! When I was 7, I was hospitalized in an isolation ward for a month with no contact except hospital staff. How wonderful it would have been to have been able to connect to others in this way. Congratulations to your class for making this video.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I think that is very cool that you can do this. It is amazing how far technology has come. I never knew you could do this. Very cool!
November 1st, 2007 at 2:10 pm
I think Skype is a really neat idea. I find it amazing that Fourth Graders knew how to do this and could teach us and I am a Senior in High School and had no idea what it even was! I think that if kids are homebound for some reason this would really help and that our High School’s laptops should really look into it!
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Hello,
Your class seems wonderful. I think it is great that you are intermingling alot of different types of things into the classroom. I have a epilepsy support website called ready set walk, and I work with the epilepsy foundation of virginia. We are having a art contest for fourth graders on “wear a helmet, prevent epilepsy”. Your class seems like they would love to be involved in something like this. Email me and let me know. I have all the information for you if you and your class would like to participate. My alternate email is klcortes@yahoo.com, I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Kristen
February 10th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
[...] A Picture is Worth 1000 Words February 10, 2008 Posted by Ed 831 Ken in Uncategorized. trackback If a Picture is Worth 1000Words [...]
February 19th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
This should be what NCLB (No Child Left Behind) really means.
March 7th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Brian,
You are doing a great job. Celest has a lot of courage and spunk, and I appreciate that. My family and I will be praying for her and her family as the days go on.
Thanks
March 13th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Congratulations on such a wonderful job and please let your students know that I completely enjoyed watching their video about this.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
[...] I was asked early last fall to write an article for eSchool News about our “Inclusion” experience last year. I submitted one and finally today it was published. They gave it a new title: Video conferencing, web 2.0 apps help distance learners feel included Free services let homebound students enjoy classroom routines [...]
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
[...] the potential of Skype in education. One special example of students using Skype can found at the Learning is Messy blog. Click on the picture to see the video about how Skype was used for inclusion of a very [...]
November 6th, 2008 at 11:24 am
[...] Brian Crosby’s Class Skypes in a recovering student Standard Podcast [26:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download [...]
November 24th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Such a wonderful way to show the world the possibilities technology affords us (in education). Thanks to Celeste and all of you for sharing!
January 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
[...] If you are still not convinced of the potential skype holds beyond a “video phone call” watch Brian Crosby’s class on the following powerful video. [...]
May 20th, 2009 at 8:32 am
[...] View documentary: If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, What Is A Video Worth? [...]
May 26th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
[...] to share it with the world and in just a few short weeks the students had designed and produced a video that taught the world just how powerful these new tools can be. Their video has been downloaded thousands and thousands of [...]
May 28th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I am a homebound teacher. I currently have 6 students that I serve in their homes daily. I am in constant contact with their classroom teachers and keep the connection open between school and home, as much as possible. I see Skyping as a wonderful tool to not only help with the academics but really be a social connection for all of my students. Thank you for sharing your ideas and your wonderful 4th grade class with us.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
[...] Brian Crosby’s Class Skypes in a recovering student Comments (0) [...]
November 29th, 2009 at 11:53 am
What a fabulous opportunity for the students in Crosby’s class in developing computer skills that will last them a lifetime. It was really heartening to see the little girl able to attend school from home. This was really special.