Thing 22 - Online Video

In the past I have searched for videos for my Spanish language classes on YouTube, on TeacherTube, and on StudentTube. By far YouTube has had the most useful videos to use in the Spanish language classroom but it is blocked by a firewall at my school. I have tried to find ways to save these in another format to use in the classroom with little success. Now our district has a new video policy that requires that all videos shown in the classroom (that are not currently approved as a part of the curriculum) must have school board approval in order to be shown in the classroom. The short story is that it is very difficult to be spontaneous, current, and authentic with online videos in the classroom even though my YouTube searches have produced authentic native speaker videos. The TeacherTube and StudentTube sites usually have English-speaking student projects that offer some good ideas but do not have the authentic pronunciation that I am trying to use with video supplements. I liked the YouTube videos that I had found although the use of these required solid preparation and previewing. Despite the value that these offered, YouTube is banned in my building and it is very time consuming to appeal to the Board of Education to show videos in the classroom. For now I am using podcasts and the text approved materials.