Happy New Year! January is a time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the new one. In our last blog post, we reflected on 2016 and all of the great ways our clients are using our classroom observation platform. In this post, we will give you five ways to get the most out of Torsh TALENT this year.
1. Designate a TALENT champion
The Champion, as the title suggests, champions the project and sets the overall vision. The Champion ensures clear goals are set and an implementation plan for teacher professional development is created. The Champion also appoints other leads to help. This person helps keep people motivated and held accountable throughout the school year.
2. Decide on a recording plan
It can be helpful to plan ahead when using video in the classroom. If you have a really important lesson that you want to capture, make sure to test out the app beforehand. Record a short ten-second video and practice connecting to wifi and uploading to the platform. Think about where you will place the camera in the room. Do you need a stand or a tripod to prop it up? Test out the audio. If you set the phone in the back of the classroom, can you hear the teacher in the front? Considering these factors ahead of time will alleviate stress in the moment when you are trying to capture that important lesson.
3. Set specific goals
It’s also important to know what you want to do in TALENT this year and have a plan with specific goals. For a teacher, a goal might be uploading three videos a month for a coach to review. What’s great about this goal is that there is a specific timeframe (within a month) and frequency (three videos). Set goals that are realistic and that you can measure. You will be surprised what you can accomplish!
4. Take advantage of training and resources
We have prepared a ton of great resources to help you get the most out of TALENT. There are video tutorials, getting started documents and FAQs. Additionally, there may be onboarding sessions and training coordinated through your school or organization. Take advantage of these resources. Putting the time in to learn about the platform will save you time in the long run.
5. Contact support when you need help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It can be frustrating if your video is not uploading or you are wondering why it uploaded upside down. Reach out to us by clicking ‘Contact Support’ in TALENT. We are TALENT experts who are happy to help. We are available 9-5pm CDT Monday-Friday. We promise to respond within two hours during our business hours, but often respond within minutes!
Think we missed one? We would love to hear from you! Send us your plans for getting the most of TALENT in 2017. This year is going to be the best year yet!
