Timothy Betts
As he was working on his master’s degree five years ago, Upper Mid teacher Timothy Betts created his own YouTube channel that presents history in a fun way. “In order to make the content come alive, I had to speak the language of the students,” explains Mr. Betts. “Video is the main medium for consuming information for this age group.”
In parodies of popular songs, Mr. Betts explores topics such as the lost colony of Roanoke (set to Frozen’s “Let It Go”) and the United States Constitution (set to the song of the summer “Despacito”). His unique and engaging presentation of the material is wildly popular, with his channel averaging 300,000 views per month!
Over the summer, he shared his process at an Education on YouTube panel at a convention in London and in a podcast on technology and video in the classroom. Mr. Betts’ interest in the medium has translated into projects for his students as well.