5 Google Vids PD Strategies for Instructional Coaches To Support Staff & Students

So you've heard about Google Vids—Google's new AI-powered video creation tool that's making waves in the instructional coaching world. Maybe you've read that it can create professional development videos in under 30 minutes. Maybe you're wondering, “Okay, but when would I actually use this?”

Today, I'm sharing five specific scenarios where Google Vids transforms how you deliver professional development. For each use case, you'll see the coaching challenge, how to use Google Vids to address it, and why it works.

If you are looking for more information about Google Vids, please click THIS LINK to see all Vids content on TeacherCast.

---

Use Case 1: Tool Tutorials for Teachers

The Coaching Story

Recently, I met with Sarah, a third-year teacher who was struggling to create differentiated assignments in Google Classroom. She knew the feature existed but couldn't figure out how to assign different work to different groups. After our 20-minute coaching session, she said, “This makes so much sense now! But I know I'm going to forget the steps by tomorrow.”

That comment hit me hard because I've heard it dozens of times. Teachers leave coaching sessions feeling confident, then forget the details when they actually sit down to implement. They're too embarrassed to ask again, so they just… don't do it.

That's when I realized I needed a way to give teachers a reference they could watch anytime—something visual, quick, and easy to revisit whenever they needed a refresher. Enter Google Vids.

The Scenario

Coaches often need to show teachers how to use a specific EdTech tool or Google Workspace feature. Maybe it's Google Classroom assignments, Google Meet breakout rooms, or your district's new attendance system. Whatever it is, teachers need step-by-step guidance they can reference on their own time.

How to Use Google Vids

1. Open Google Vids and click “Help me create”
2. Type your prompt: “Create a 5-minute tutorial on setting up differentiated Google Classroom assignments”
3. Let Google Vids generate the first draft (about 60 seconds)
4. Record your screen showing the actual steps in Google Classroom
5. Upload your screen recording and replace the AI's stock footage
6. Let Google Vids handle transitions and timing
7. Add your own voiceover or use AI narration
8. Share the link in your weekly newsletter or coaching follow-up email

Time Saved

What used to take 2 hours of recording and editing now takes 30 minutes due to Google Vid's powerful AI and familiar to use Google Workspace integrations.

The Impact

Teachers bookmark these videos and return to them repeatedly. When new teachers join your school mid-year, they have instant access to training that used to require scheduling one-on-one time with you. You create once, and the video continues serving your staff for months.

---

Use Case 2: PD Session Pre-Work Videos

The Coaching Story

I used to start every professional development session the same way: 15 minutes of housekeeping. “Here's what we're covering today, here's what you need to have open, here's the login information, here's where to find the resources…”

Meanwhile, half the teachers were scrambling to find their passwords, and the other half were sitting there ready to go, visibly frustrated that we weren't starting yet.

One teacher told me after a session, “I wish I had known what to prepare beforehand—I would've come ready.” That feedback changed how I approach PD. Now I send a short pre-work video 48 hours before any training session, and we hit the ground running from minute one.

The Scenario

You're running a professional development session and want teachers to arrive prepared. They need to know what accounts to log into, what materials to bring, what tabs to have open, and what the session will accomplish.

How to Use Google Vids

1. Click “Help me create” in Google Vids
2. Prompt: “Create a 3-minute video explaining what teachers should prepare before our Google Classroom training session”
3. Customize the script to include specific details: login credentials location, materials to download, optional pre-reading
4. Add screenshots of what teachers should see when they're properly set up
5. Choose whether to use AI voice or record your own welcoming message
6. Share the video link in your calendar invite and reminder email 2 days before the session

The Benefit

Teachers arrive prepared. Your in-person PD time becomes exponentially more productive because you're not spending the first 15 minutes on logistics. You dive straight into the meaningful learning.

---

Use Case 3: Monthly EdTech Newsletters

The Coaching Story

Every month, I send out a newsletter highlighting new tools and tips for teachers. The problem? My analytics showed that barely anyone was reading it. Teachers would tell me, “I want to stay current with new tools, but I just don't have time to read long emails.”

So I started testing video summaries—just 2 minutes highlighting the must-know tools and tips from that month. My open rates stayed the same, but the click-through rates on resources tripled. Teachers started commenting, “Love these quick videos—I can watch while I eat lunch!”

Video makes information accessible in a way text just doesn't. Some teachers prefer reading. Some prefer watching. With Google Vids, I can offer both without doubling my workload.

The Scenario

Coaches often send a monthly newsletter highlighting new EdTech tools, tips, and resources. You want teachers to actually engage with the content instead of archiving the email unread.

How to Use Google Vids

1. Prompt Google Vids: “Create a 2-minute video summarizing 3 EdTech tools teachers should try this month”
2. Add tool logos and quick 10-second demos of each one
3. Use a consistent template each month for branding (create this once, reuse forever)
4. Add your own personality with a brief intro: “Hey everyone, it's Jeff with your November EdTech roundup…”
5. Export and embed the video in your newsletter

Engagement Boost

Video newsletters get 3x more engagement than text-only versions. Teachers who would never read a 500-word article will watch a 2-minute video during lunch or while supervising recess.

---

Use Case 4: Coaching Session Summaries

The Coaching Story

After coaching sessions, I always sent follow-up emails: “Here's what we covered, here are the resources we discussed, here's what to try next.” These emails were helpful—in theory. In practice, they got buried in teachers' inboxes within hours.

When I'd check in two weeks later to see how implementation was going, teachers would say, “Oh yeah, I meant to look at that again, but I couldn't remember exactly what you showed me.”

Now I send a quick 1-minute video recap right after our coaching session—with the teacher's name in it, screenshots of what we discussed, and clear next steps. Teachers can watch it again whenever they need a refresher, and my implementation rates have skyrocketed.

The Scenario

After coaching a teacher one-on-one, you want to send a quick recap of what you covered. You want them to remember the key strategies and have easy access to resources when they're ready to implement.

How to Use Google Vids

1. Immediately after the coaching session, open Google Vids
2. Prompt: “Create a 1-minute video recapping key takeaways from today's coaching session on differentiation strategies with [Teacher Name]”
3. Personalize the opening: “Hi Sarah, thanks for meeting with me today…”
4. Add screenshots of the resources or tools you discussed
5. List 2-3 specific next steps the teacher committed to trying
6. Send the video link within an hour of the meeting while it's still fresh in their mind

The Impact

Teachers remember and actually implement what you covered. They can revisit the video whenever they're ready to try the strategy, and they feel supported even when you're not physically in their classroom.

---

Use Case 5: Welcome & Onboarding Videos

The Coaching Story

Last January, we hired a new teacher right in the middle of the school year—you know, when everyone's heads-down in survival mode and nobody has time for anything extra. I was supposed to onboard her on all our EdTech tools, but my schedule was packed.

She kept catching me in the hallway asking basic questions: “Where do I find the PD portal? Who do I email for tech issues? How does your school use Google Classroom?” I felt terrible that I couldn't give her the time she deserved.

That's when I created a series of short onboarding videos covering all the essentials. Now when new teachers start, they get a welcome email with links to five short videos. They can watch on their own time, pause and rewatch as needed, and I'm freed up to support them with the complex questions that actually require my personal attention.

The Scenario

New teachers join your school mid-year and need to get up to speed on your EdTech tools, processes, and resources. You don't have time to repeat the same orientation information individually, and new hires need to learn quickly.

How to Use Google Vids

1. Create a series of short onboarding videos (2-3 minutes each)
2. Topics to cover:
   • “Your First Week: Setting Up Google Classroom”
   • “How to Use Our School's PD Portal”
   • “Who to Contact for Tech Support”
   • “Accessing Our Shared Drive and Resources”
3. Use the same template for visual consistency across all videos
4. Record yourself welcoming new teachers to build connection
5. Store all videos in a shared Drive folder
6. Link to the folder in your welcome email and new teacher onboarding checklist

The Scalability

Create these videos once, use them forever (with minor updates as tools change). Every new teacher gets the same high-quality onboarding experience whether they start in August or March, whether you're available that week or swamped with other priorities.

---

Ready to Create Your First Video?

These five use cases are just the beginning. Once you start using Google Vids, you'll find dozens of opportunities to create quick, helpful videos that scale your coaching impact.

• New to Google Vids? Start here: Google Vids: Don't Wait to Try it! by Cammie Kannekins

---

Which Use Case Will You Try First?

I'm curious—which of these five scenarios resonates most with your coaching work? Are you drowning in tool tutorial requests? Spending too much time on PD logistics? Struggling to scale your coaching beyond one-on-one conversations?

Pick one use case. Create one video this week. See how your teachers respond. Then decide if Google Vids deserves a permanent spot in your coaching toolkit.

My guess? It will.

---