In an effort to make history more accessible and engaging, history and social sciences teacher Dr. Kamasi Hill has started to create his own educational videos for students.
Through these videos, Hill’s goal is to break down complex topics, highlight stories and make class both entertaining and educational for his AP African American Studies and AP U.S. History classes.
Hill’s video lessons are key to his teaching approach and reflect his passion for keeping students engaged. He created the videos after noticing a lack of existing content for AP African American Studies, a course that is relatively new and has limited resources available for teachers.
“I already enjoy creating content, so I thought I’d make the videos myself,” said Hill.
He decided to share the videos on YouTube, launching “A Griot’s History Channel” to extend learning beyond his classroom and designate a place for students to review lessons and study for exams. The channel currently consists of 20 videos. Constructing the videos takes time, and the process requires hours of planning, editing and revision. Hill is involved in every step of the process.
“I have been working on most of these videos since August,” said Hill. “I write the scripts and voice the videos myself.”
School administrators have also recognized the value of Hill’s work. Principal Dr. Quiana McNeal emphasized the importance of the videos to students.
“I think it’s important to give all students an opportunity to engage in advanced-level content that really relates to their own lived experience,” said McNeal.
Although Hill started out producing the videos for his own students, his work has reached teachers all over the nation. Students in his own classroom say the videos have made a noticeable difference in their learning.
“I have already gotten feedback from many teachers around the country, thanking me and sharing their excitement,” said Hill.
Hill’s hands-on approach allows him to better support his students’ understanding.
“[Dr. Hill’s] videos help me understand class material, especially when I need to go back to a specific topic to study for an assessment,” said student Kassidy Capone-Cruz. “I watch the videos pretty frequently because they give me a short yet effective explanation on certain unit topics when I’m studying.”
The videos are an extension of Hill’s teaching, providing students with added support, explanations and opportunities. They also allow him to highlight historical perspectives and stories that are not widely available or covered through online resources. The purpose behind the videos remains the same: to help students review and understand history.
