What YouTube’s new kid-freindly app means to music teachers

I love using YouTube in my classroom. The wide variety of authentic popular music videos, classical performances and reenactments, and lyric or karaoke videos allows me to engage my students in a visual way many of our students expect. But when I log onto YouTube, there are things I can’t control and it leads to awkward moments from time to time.

YouTube is taking the next step in addressing those awkward moments with their new kid-friendly app. Aimed at parents and their children, it will nonetheless enhance how teachers can use the service in their classrooms, as well. Once it’s fully operational, there won’t be advertisements for beer or liquor, previews of PG-13 movies with questionable language and content, or inappropriate recommended videos following the completion of your fully appropriate video.

True, there are ways around the ads using other websites. I’m not interested in usurping YouTube’s ability to make money even if they are doing just that to countless artists. This new kid-friendly app will hopefully lead to an acceptable online version of the service and perhaps some of the districts that ban YouTube will reevaluate their stance and those that currently use it can do it in a safer way. No more standing next to the mute button for me!

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