Lights, camera, Common Core

Some teachers in South Carolina's Union County Schools are smiling for their close-ups as they learn more about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This is because these instructors, as well as several other district officials, were recently filmed during training sessions, the Union Daily Times reported.

On a day devoted to in-service staff development, teachers, learning specialists, media specialists and guidance counselors gathered at their schools to cover a variety of subjects, including everything from childhood obesity to the CCSS. At Buffalo Elementary School, the sessions were filmed for review at a later date.

Tammy Fisher, Buffalo's media specialist, told the news source that those who attended these sessions were filmed using a 360-degree camera that could capture what speakers were saying, as well as the reactions to their words. The footage will be edited and shared during future presentations.

The Union County Schools district is not the only school system to use video to enhance instructors' teaching skills. Educators with access to the internet can head to the District of Columbia Public Schools' YouTube page, where they will find a series of videos that spotlight specific academic issues, such as finding ways to maximize instructional time.