11 December, 2018

Jingo! Buzzword Bingo spells out school lingo

Demystifying the jargon…Jo Hilario with students from Belmont Intermediate School

Belmont Intermediate teacher Jo Hilario’s YouTube videos have been used across the country to break down the communication barrier between teachers and parents.

Buzz Word Bingo is a YouTube channel, set up by Hilario, dedicated to explaining ‘teacher jargon’ in a series of two-minute videos. “The idea primarily came about from par- ent-teacher talks about learning,” says Hilario. “I saw how busy parents were, so getting everyone together in a room was kind of impossible. I thought, how could I make this accessible?”

Hilario created her first video, explaining teacher judgements, and shared it on the NZ Teachers (Primary) Facebook page. In just 24 hours the video had more than 1,000 views. “I started receiving suggestions and positive feedback and thought hey, this is going pretty well. I decided to keep it going for 12 months, and will post a video every or every other week,” says Hilario.

The channel has three videos so far and Hilario has received a range of positive feedback not only from parents and teachers within the local community, but also across the country. She hopes that her videos will continue to gain an audience to educate parents and teachers nationwide.

Source: Devonport Flagstaff 7 December 2018. View online.