#0016: This Is Why Kids Prefer Videos Over Boring Lectures

Reading time: 8.00 min 

Hey 👋  - Hello, there!! Hope you had a great week. 

Sal Khan the founder of Khan Academy tells a very interesting story, when he was tutoring his cousin and made some videos for his cousins on YouTube and his cousins said that they preferred his videos more than himself teaching them.

He realized there are several benefits of learning from videos.

-You can pause, rewind and forward the video at your convenience.

-You can also watch the videos again and again till you understand the concept.

In addition, there are a lot of interesting videos available on the internet which can make learning fun

Though videos were started as nice to have on YouTube things for Sal Khan, it soon became an essential part of his teaching. He was able to teach more people through his videos and he started getting a lot of feedback which made him better at teaching.

Many teachers had used his videos to flip the classroom, Children could practice the concepts at home anytime they wanted and the teachers were able to give more individual attention to the students in the class. 

Sal describes how teaching with videos is different from the traditional classroom.

• The class learns through lectures and gives tests but children who score less do not get feedback or help instead they get scores and grades which are not encouraging. The videos help you to try and try till you master a concept without penalizing yourself.

• Children get to work in their own space and the data keeps track of their progress, so the teachers can use that to their advantage and help children who are struggling.

• When you have the data on what children are learning, what parts of the video they are repeating, and how much time they are spending on the videos, you can change and improve your content.

• Children can see their progress, they learn concepts through animations and videos can be more engaging.

Videos can cater to all kinds of kids no matter where they are in the learning curve, all students can be engaged and it can work for all kinds of learners. Those who want to go faster can, those who want to pause and think through a problem or concept can, and those who want to review something again can.

The class time like Sal says can be used to discuss, and solve problems together and the teachers can be more like a guide instead of being the source of all knowledge. This would help create more engaged and interested students who are actively trying to learn and not just memorize for tests.

The best part children can go home and continue to learn what they have left in school, they aren't restricted by time or space. This would help them learn at their own pace and master concepts before moving on. In addition, it would allow parents to be more involved in their child's education as they can watch the videos with them and help them understand.

If you want to read the full article on this topic, find the link at the end

Recently my son was asked to do a survey in his class, though he was told what is a survey still he was not very clear. I sat with him and explained what is a survey, how it is conducted, what the steps involved etc. He was very curious and asked many questions.

I showed him some examples too. Then we looked for some online surveys together and filled one. He was amazed to see that his answers were tabulated automatically. 

When teaching kids about conducting a survey, there are a few things they need to know:

1) Keep the questions short and simple

2) Ask one question at a time

3) Not asking too many questions

4) Sticking to the topic

5) Not including personal views in the questions

6) Encouraging children to ask their questions

7) There are many tools on the internet that students can use to create questions like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, etc.

8) Children can use email to invite others to answer their questions. They can also use social media to share their surveys.

9) How to interpret their results.

10) Writing the conclusion based on their results

School assignments can get interesting when parents involve themselves to teach kids useful skills not just finish the assignment for the sake of it 

Connecting over stories:

Do you remember the stories you heard from your grandparents, uncles, and parents? They were probably filled with family history, personal experiences, and shared wisdom. As a child, you may have sat around the dinner table and listened to these stories with wide eyes and bated breath.

1. Family stories help us understand who we are

As humans, we need to belong and feel connected to others. Hearing family stories – especially those about our ancestors – helps us feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. These stories also give us a sense of identity and help us understand where we come from.

2. They teach us valuable life lessons

Many family stories are passed down because they teach an important lesson. For example, you may have a story in your family about someone who overcame a difficult obstacle. This story can inspire you to face your challenges and know that you can overcome them, too.

3. They help us bond with our loved ones

Sharing stories is a great way to connect with others, both emotionally and mentally. When you hear a family story, you feel closer to the person who is sharing it with you. And when you share your own stories, you give others a chance to get to know you better.

4. They give us a sense of hope

Family stories can provide comfort and hope, especially during difficult times. When you’re feeling down, hearing about how someone in your family overcame a similar challenge can give you the strength to keep going.

5. They make us laugh (and sometimes cry)

Family stories are often filled with humor, love, and emotion. Hearing these stories can make you laugh, cry and feel all kinds of emotions. And that’s a good thing! These stories help us to connect with our loved ones on a deeper level.

6. Our stories also provide children with a sense of connection to their community.

They help them feel like they belong to something larger than themselves. When children hear our stories, they realize that they are not alone in the world and that others like them share their culture and experiences.

7. Our stories help children to see the world from a different perspective

Through our stories, they can learn about other cultures and customs. They can also gain a better understanding of the world around them and the people in it. Our stories help children to become more compassionate and tolerant of others.

cheers, Priyanka

Do check out the videos in the link below, to watch some amazing videos with your kid to have some interesting conversations and trust me one question leads to another.