Anonymous+Proxies

Don't ask me to say the title three times fast - I probably won't make it through the first attempt, but these are tools that can be very helpful in the classroom assuming you understand a few things before you get in:

1.) They aren't truly anonymous. Your traffic is being piped through computers all over the world, but people on those computers can see what you're doing, so don't do anything that could get you in trouble. The whole idea of these proxies is that no one else can see what you're doing, but you are putting a lot of trust into those individuals who are hiding your goings-ons....

2.) It's going to be slow. Very slow. 56k Modem slow. Perhaps slower. Don't expect to be able to load up a video in front of your class - if anything, use this to find the video so that you can download it from the link. Just remember that it will take awhile - a long while - to get anything done when you're on a proxy, so make sure that you have the time for it.

With that said, there are a slew of online proxies ([|TechFAQ] lists a few). They require no install - all you have to do is put the web address into the given space and away you go (slowly). Remember, however, that some of these sites have disabled video, and many are already blocked by your school. It can be a game to find one that works for you, and it may not work the next time you use it. These are also usually funneled through just one machine, so the more people who use that site the slower it can be.

If you use [|Firefox], [|Tor] is a quick and easy install. It will always run on your computer, which can be a little bit annoying, but it allows you to connect to a variety of proxies at once - in theory speeding up your connection (but not by much). What happens is that you'll get a little button in the bottom right hand corner of your browser - the Tor Button. Click it when you want to visit sites that your school would rather you not (we're talking YouTube and that sort of thing), and click it again when you're finished. Relatively quick and easy. It does, however require an install, and your system administrator will know you have it as soon as he looks at your computer.

But, these are prices you must pay in order to access what you need to for your classroom!