The advent of digital cameras have made taking pictures so simple that anyone can point and shoot. The smartphones with their smarter cameras make it possible to even take videos on the go. The easy accessibility and general simplicity of use makes a digital camera or smartphone a great teaching tool for the homeschool classroom. Here are some ways to use photography as a teacher’s aid.
Keeping Records
Photos are a great way to keep records of what all you have covered in the homeschool classroom. If you conduct any special activity or science experiment make sure that you take photos. A year book can be filled up with all the great photos that you have taken from the academic session. It can also serve as a quick revision for children as they see what all they have covered. Not to mention all the great memories the photos will provide.
Increasing Observation
On a field trip you see a number of things but can speak about only a few. Hand a camera to the child and ask him to take photographs of all the interesting things he sees that day. Then later you can review all the photos and speak about all the sights a second time at leisure as you watch them on a slideshow at home. It will be interesting to see what captured your child’s imagination and what popular sights he did not pay much attention to.
Learning to Handle Technology
By handing over a digital camera to the child you will encourage him to also learn the different technological skills associated with it. This would include recharging the batteries, attaching the lead that allows you to transfer images to the computer, handling the software that shows the pictures and maybe even editing the pictures when they learn some more.
Using photography as a teacher’s aid in the homeschool classroom can be a whole lot of fun. Just let your children get inventive with how they can apply photography to any lesson that you have taught them. They may come up with some surprisingly innovative ideas to do so.
