Getting Lost in Service

The art of teaching in today's classroom has less to do with content and more to do with connections. Long gone are the days of standing in front of class, lecturing to students about content. Today's teachers understand the need to be dynamic facilitators of the learning experience, helping to serve and meet each student where he/she is at. While not an easy task by any measure, today's teachers spend countless hours planning, prepping, and serving students to the best of their abilities. 

Perhaps that is why I transitioned to Flipped Learning years ago - so that I could better serve the unique needs of my students, while also providing more time and access to me as their teacher. I cannot express how important this transition was in helping me ensure that students were more successful in my classroom. While I started out with traditional lecture, it was the barrage of questions and confusion from students on homework that caused me great alarm. I knew what I was doing wasn't benefiting students.

As I transitioned to Flipped Learning, I quickly became a fan of how collaborative students became. They started asking each other questions, using each other as resources, and providing support in difficult projects. It afforded me the opportunity to really get to know my students on a different level and serve them by tailoring my activities and lessons to their interests. It allowed me to meet with students to know what holds them back from being successful and how to help them see they are capable of being good at math. Further, I can check in with 'advanced' students to know how I can challenge them a little more.

I've learned and grown so much over the years using Flipped Learning. While I initially thought it would help me to be more available to answer their questions and confusion, I've realized there is a greater opportunity to serve each student on an individual level - to show them I genuinely care for who they are, what they want to do, and how they can achieve any goal they set out to complete. Serving students has become a passion that I cannot deny. I enjoy finding ways to engage them in math and learning, while also seeing them for who they are! The art of teaching, in my opinion, has become about getting to know each and every student as an individual and helping them pursue success in life. 

Reflections of a Flipped Educator

The fall semester is quickly coming to an end. This was the first semester in three years in which I had the opportunity to teach a math class. Naturally, I taught using Flipped Learning, a method of instruction and classroom engagement that I wholeheartedly believe in and share as often as I am able. Today I reflect upon what I've learned throughout the semester, as well as how I've grown as an educator in today's ever changing classroom environment. 

Students continue to motivate me to want to be better. They help me stay on the top of my game in finding creative and innovative ways to engage them in math. While I realize most college students have a love/hate relationship with math, I am grateful that my approach to learning helps them see how math can be utilized to strengthen their employability skills for a career of choice. Through collaboration, problem solving, and perseverance, students slowly gained confidence in their abilities this semester.

Ever further, I recognized the continued need to help students feel safe and welcome in classroom environment - both in-person and online. The more I was able to connect with them and their interests, the more they came out of their shells and the more responsible they became. Students would email "Running late for tonight's class because...", or even drop me a voicemail to ask questions. It was as if the more I respected and trusted them as students, the more effort and commitment they gave to the class. The value I emphasized on character paid off in big ways.

Personally, I recognized the need to continue to find and adapt activities that would engage students in unique ways. Whether it was mystery problems to solve, teaching others at the white board, or passing the problem, students seemed to enjoy working on math differently using different strategies and activities. Therefore, I continue to connect with my PLN and see what others are doing that I might be able to adapt.

Lastly, I realized how much I missed being with students on a routine basis. Helping to create a sense of belonging while also helping students advocate for themselves is an element that I don't get to often engage in with my current role. I've realized that the passion I have for teaching hasn't gone away, rather it was just laying dormant temporarily. The more I engage with others, asking questions, sharing ideas, and learning how the landscape of tomorrow's classroom is evolving, the more I can tell my passion and heart lie in a classroom. 

Teaching is an Art - Not a Job

This past month, I had the unfortunate opportunity of saying good bye to a young man that was taken from this world far too soon. At the young age of 29, he was tragically killed in a vehicle accident. Set to be married in December and an avid hunter and hockey fan, his death came as shock to his family and friends. While it had been at least ten years since I last saw or spoke to him, I was quickly reminded what a great young man he was. 

As I waited patiently in what seemed like a never ending line, I caught myself flashing back to those early days of my teaching and coaching career. It was through my early years as a football coach that I met this young man and his family...and all his friends for that matter. Starting in 7th grade, then 9th grade, and finally as a Sophomore on the JV squad. He brought a smile and a wit to every practice, every game! He had this infectious ability to make you laugh, while he worked his tail off to be the best he could be. 

And so here I stood, waiting in line to pay my condolences. Surrounded by young men and women who I grew up teaching and coaching, noticing they are beginning to start families, a harsh reality hit me hard. Here lies a young man, destined for great things and eager to start a family, lying in a casket. Nothing in life is guaranteed. While the events of the day left me emotional, somber, and reflective, I quickly realized I miss teaching. I miss connecting with students on a daily basis, providing them a safe, welcoming learning environment that encourages individuality and risk-taking. I miss getting to know them, what their hobbies are, and what they want to do in life. 

I have a passion for students - a passion for listening to them, believing in them, inspiring them, motivating them, encouraging them, and empowering them. I have a passion to help students see themselves in a different light than others may. I see teaching as an avenue to engage students in life altering ways, not through curriculum but through trust, honesty, empathy, and passion. For some, I might be the only bright spot in a students day. I must embrace that opportunity and help each student feel welcome, safe, and able to share with me! I love building relationships with students and seeing where they are in 10, 15, or 20 years!

As I pursue moving back into the classroom (insert plug for open math vacancies), I cannot wait for the opportunity to invest in each student and get to know him/her. I am also quickly reminded, we are only given today as a gift and we must choose wisely how we live for today. We have the choice to make the best of each day, approach students with kindness, and share our positive attitude with everyone we encounter. 

4 Signs of Student Buy-In for Flipped Learning

Trying to prove your Flipped Learning environment is an effective instructional practice can often be tricky. Some will point to exam scores, while others will look to course success. Districts might even point to persistence from one semester to the next. Yet, Flipped Learning might not always be visible in known data points such as those above. Rather, I try to focus on the four signs below to know if my students are learning and engaged in my Flipped Learning class:

1 - Conversations about Content
Perhaps the greatest measuring stick I use in my Flipped classes come from listening to the conversations students are having. While quite often misconceived as noise, I know my students have bought into Flipped Learning as they start to have conversations about how they learned from my videos, as well as how to apply that learning to our practice problems in class. I can't tell you how many other teachers stop by to ask what's going on? Why are your students so loud? And my response is always the same - just listen to what they are talking about! 

2 - Compassion through Collaboration
While some skeptics of Flipped Learning worry about cheating or 'piggy-backing', authentic learning happens when students become compassionate about one another being successful. Some of the greatest moments I've witnessed in my class are when students sit down with one another and share their thinking and calculation process. While it would be easy to just show an answer, students show genuine compassion for one another in helping each other be successful. What I really love to see is when students start working in different groups all on their own, illustrating the sense of belonging that all students should feel in every classroom environment.

3 - Students Share with You
One of the earliest struggles I had in my teaching career was finding time to interact with students and really get to know who each one was. There is so much value in building rapport that I would argue every teacher needs make time to do so. Flipped Learning has only enhanced the opportunities I have to get to know students. As they learn you care more about who they and what they become versus the grade they achieve, they actually work harder and share more. At the college level, this also means they email when they are absent or ill. They actually model responsibility for their actions because you place a value on the person, not their grade. (It also means you can talk to them about their favorite beer and brewer...a perk of teaching adults!)

4 - Students Ask for More Videos
Recently, my mother became ill and needed some assistance at home. I needed to step away for a few days and didn't have my math videos ready for my night class. My students were very understanding and super supportive of what was happening. Yet, they were completely honest with me as well. After spending one night teaching via 'traditional lecture', the students asked if we could go back to the videos...yes, the STUDENTS asked. It was simple yes for me, however, I wanted to know more. I needed to know the why. One student shared how they like to watch and rewind what is happening so that they hear it, see it, and write it down on their own terms. Another offered how he liked to spend time in class working on problems with others and seeing different ways to solve problems. Still another appreciated how the practice problems provided opportunities to contextualize the content to their area of study. I was amazed at how honest they were with why the valued the Flipped Learning environment and the video lessons.

Perhaps I could point to students grades to measure their success in my classrooms. I prefer to let the grades become a natural consequence of the rapport I build, safe environment I create, and the compassion students show one another. It's rather funny how some will simply say "C's get degrees!" And they certainly do....as long as those C's are: Compassion, Collaboration, Cooperation, Creativity, Character, Choices, and Consistency.

Complete Transparency

I've seen many questions surfacing lately in my circle of educators regarding testing, grades, and learning. There is no doubt that many schools and districts are measured on the first two, but I often wonder how true, authentic learning is really measured. Do we define it to a set of numbers that show growth? What about a GPA that tells the cumulative story of a student? Can a district really be measured on standardized test scores?

What frightens me is that in do so, we lose the value of seeing students as individuals with unique goals, ambitions, talents, and passions! While I understand much of that criteria is used to derive funding, illogically in my opinion, I am cautiously optimistic that many parents are starting to see that set of data as irrelevant in whether or not their student learns. And to help that movement progress forward, we as educators must be willing to be completely transparent with our students, parents, colleagues, and administrator teams.

When talking about Flipped Learning, I'm often asked how I got the students and parents to buy in to this 'new' approach to teaching math. My answer quite often shocks people - I am completely transparent and honest with them! I start the beginning of every school year not introducing Flipped Learning, but rather introducing learning as a growth process through which we are using math as the vehicle. We are simply using math to learn character, problem solving skills, critical thinking, grit, and collaboration - all skills necessary in any potential career choice for students. 

Perhaps the greatest moment comes when I share the following analogy with students and parents alike. Imagine I asked you to sit down at a piano and begin playing Mozart...you most likely could not do it right away. It would take time, maybe lots of time to learn many new skills related to the piano. Math is much the same. I am going to ask you to learn new skills that you may not have mastered in the past, or may even never been introduced to. Just like anything you've become good at, I'm asking that you give math a fair shake. I will most likely be teaching math in a way you've never been taught before - Flipped Learning!

After describing what Flipped Learning is, I reassure them that they are going to fail at some point in my class. They will fail at watching a video, completing a practice set, understanding a new concept, or any number of things I ask of them. Failure is inevitable...however, it's how you respond to that moment of failure that will define how good you become at math. Are you honest with yourself,  your group members, and your teacher? Are you willing to change habits that you developed? Will you make excuses or develop grit to persevere through the tough, challenging concepts? 

My goal is to really show them that learning is all in their control. That each one of them possesses a unique skill set that can be used in my class. It's through this transfer of learning and ownership that I establish a sense of growth through math...dare I say a growth mindset. I cannot tell you the number of parents that thank me after each initial open house, or first few weeks of school how appreciate they are of the approach to teaching and learning I have taken. Their sons/daughters don't dread math - they rather look forward to it! And why - all because I commit to complete transparency from day 1.

4-C's of Flipped Learning

As schools at all levels look for ways to empower students in learning, I have witnessed a great transform take place in how students approach Flipped Learning. In trying to create that 'perfect' classroom environment, I have recognized my truth and honesty with students from day one goes a long way in building trust with them. What I have found to be extremely successful is to share with them what Flipped Learning is and how each student will benefit from this approach in math class. And that starts by making them aware of my 4-C's to Flipped Learning.

Character: One of the greatest lessons students learn on day 1 is that Flipped Learning helps to build their character. I share with students that they are building character through responsibility, accountability, honesty, perseverance,  valuing others, and critical thinking. I share with students right away that some of the math they learn may not be used again or in life, and some of the math might be used quite a bit. The key is to understand that they develop critical thinking skills and problem solving skills that they can take with them into any field they are interested in. This admission to students allows them to see that your honesty is of high value.

This allows me to show them how important their character becomes, not just in math class but in life. They learn that it is their responsibility to watch the video lessons and take accurate notes. They learn through group discussions that they are accountable for what they did and did not learn, and to ask questions when they are confused. They see that by being honest about not watching videos, others might be more willing to help them. We talk about persevering through difficult problems by using strategies learned in class to help them develop grit. And we demonstrate how valuing everyone in the class as an individual will benefit their learning in the long run. I spend a lot of time the first week building character in students so that I can set the bar high and empower them to be learners.

Collaboration: Perhaps the single most important element of my Flipped Learning environment, collaboration takes time to get right. Teaching students to fight the urge of 'copying' from one another takes patience and guidance. Teachers must be willing to demonstrate to students how collaboration works in a Flipped Learning classroom by modeling effective questioning techniques and dialogue. We spend time in the first few weeks to walk through and model group discussions and how to ask questions of each other without being critical. We demonstrate how to not directly answer questions, yet seek out more details about thought process. We talk about the non-visual language and the perceptions we give others when we don't speak or roll our eyes. Students really begin to understand that learning in my class is a community.

Choice: Students learn and see they have a lot of flexibility in my classes when it comes to choice. I don't believe in assigned seats (which subs don't like very much). I inform students that they develop character by making wise choices about whom to sit by, whom to group up with, and whom they seek out assistance from. I encourage them to change up their groups often so that they can learn different thinking skills and problem solving skills from classmates they may not always work with. I also give students a list of assignment options to choose from to demonstrate and reflect what they've learned each unit. In a sense, I create the sandbox for students to 'play' in, but I don't define the tools they can play with in that box. If they want to create a song - go for it. Develop an online blog - awesome! Or even design and edit a short film! The more choice I give students, the more ownership they take in their learning. And the more ownership they take, the more authentic the learning.

Creativity: What I started to witness over the years was that in providing students a safe, welcoming learning environment I actually designed a framework in which they become creative learners. Because each student knows they are building character through collaboration and choice, they begin to take risks to demonstrate their learning. Some draw on desks, others using chalk, and some technology. Students begin to work with students for different reasons and draw upon the creative individualism of each other. The talents and passions start to show and students share in awe and congratulations as projects and activities are completed. Students never cease to amaze me with their 'hidden' talents that come to life in math class. All because they know it's safe to fail, safe to learn, and encouraged to take risks!

The Power of Teaching Others

As I continue to teach this semester utilizing Flipped Learning and Instruction, I realized some of my students were trying to fly through the practice sets without checking or verifying their work and answers. Many are very knowledgeable and smart, yet their inattentiveness to details was causing them to become slightly confused when using the distributive property with polynomials. The light went on - it was time for an intervention!

Through the Flipped Learning Environment, I have been afforded 'extra' time with students during our class time. This time has become invaluable to helping them be successful. Thus, it was only natural that I try to encourage (okay, strongly require) them to work with a partner on the practice sets one particular class. Little did they know what was coming next.

While some worked quietly by themselves and collaborated very little, I knew a twist would help motivate them to collaborate on a deeper level. With about two minutes left on their 'work clock', the designated work time, I let them know that they would be presenting to the rest of the class on the practice set I gave them. I'm quite sure I've never heard them talk so much as I did in those two minutes.

As the partners came up to share their work, their reasoning, and their solutions, the impact that sharing had on them was profound. One student stopped midstream, fully admitted he made a mistake, and asked for help from classmates. Others made 'simple' math errors that classmates were quick to question in a professional manner. What I didn't expect to happen were the thank you's and offering of "oh yeah, I made the same mistake too!" 

For me, this particular evening proved to provide another set of samples of why Flipped Learning is such a valuable instructional tool and methodology. It's not often that you can build 'soft skills' into a math class, yet this intervention did just that. As I asked students to teach one another, the accountability, respect, collaboration, and valuing of others rose to levels I could not predict!