mation is available online. Study-
ing up on your state’s standards
will give you insight into what
students are learning and what
teachers need. This gives you a
chance to build your videos from
the ground up with the right audi-
ence in mind.
PICK YOUR TOPIC
The basic goal of any educational
video is to answer a simple ques-
tion: “How does something work?”
Once you understand the educa-
tional standards in your area, you’ll
next need to decide the specific
topic you want to focus on in your
videos. Obviously, you’ll want to
choose a subject you can speak
about with authority, but having
the standards as a guide should
make things a bit easier.
KEEP YOUR FACTS
STRAIGHT
The most crucial aspect of an edu-
cational video is its accuracy. You
need to be thorough in your fact
checking on every bit of infor-
mation you present; even citing
sources in your credits or infor-
mation blurbs. Another great way
to ensure accuracy is to go over
your content directly with teach-
ers in the appropriate field.
FOR ALL AGES
For the purposes of getting your
content into classrooms, you’ll
have to make sure it’s something
that appeals to a broad age range.
We’re not talking about the lan-
guage you use but about how you
present the information. You need
EDUCATION
From YouTube to the Classroom: Expanding Your Educational Contentto make sure you’re breaking things down in a way
that children will understand.
This is another area where reading up on your
state’s standards will help. This will give you a general
understanding of the comprehension level in each
age group. Then you’ll be able to build content around
each grade and tailor it to their age.MAKING THE PITCH
You’ve picked your topic and made the videos, now it’s
time to get the schools and educators to pick them up.
It’s not the same as YouTube, where you upload it di-
rectly to the platform and promote on social media to
bring in viewers. Getting into the classroom requires a
more personal approach with direct pitches.
Treat your conversation like you would any con-
tent pitch. Reach out first to see if there’s interest in
working together. Teachers are always looking for
new ways to engage their students, which you can use
to your advantage. Talk about your experience and
take time to explain why your specific videos offer up
material that will benefit a class (super easy if you’ve
stuck to your local education standards).WHO TO TALK TO
Every school website has all the information you
need for contacting various faculty members. ABill Nye the Sciene Guy was a classroom staple in the mid-90s. Bill’s
whacky yet informative style appealed to students and teachers alike.