power teaching?

My first thought was WOW! -- this is how I want to teach! The students are paying attention, engaged, hanging on her every word, teaching each other...

Does it work? The more I watch I wonder if it's too busy, are the students just playing a game, talking all at once (some are even talking to classmate's backs?)... are they actually learning the material? I realize "test" is a dirty word among classroom-level educators, but does this method/style produce positive results?

Inquiring minds need to look into this further...*

*farther?

***

one hour and 52 videos later...

It helps to start at the beginning; I would love to sit in a classroom all day and observe this in action.

why be nervous?

My university supervisor came in for her first visit, and I choked. Not literally, although that would have been a lesson the students would remember for a long time ("dude, did you see his face turn blue?!?!?"), but as I introduced the lesson I jumped in 3 or 4 steps beyond where my lesson plan said I would and uttered several more ums and uhs per minute than acceptable. I did recover nicely, if I do say so myself, and the rest of the lesson went well. The students got a little antsy and the volume went up (so say her official supervisor notes) but it was just before recess...

I need to power up the video camera this weekend so I can see myself teach. I'm sure I'll be appalled -- does the camera really add 20 lbs? and increase forehead depth by several inches? and cause that tie to really clash with that shirt?

...

MT out again Mon and Tues, so I'm desperately reading many science chapters to review/prepare the class for a test Tues, and introducing "Mini-Society" as well, which sounds cool. Wonder if I can convince them to name me Supreme Dictator for Life?