While I have presented on the flipped classroom nearly a dozen times, to a variety of audiences (Middle/High School Teachers, Health Science Instructors, College Deans, Higher Ed. Instructors, and more), I can say, without a doubt, that the most frequent question I have received is, "But what if my students don't watch the video or complete the pre-work for my class?"
Although a very valid question and concern, I often respond very candidly to the audience, enticing them to look at their current instructional practices and how a flipped classroom addresses this very issue. My first response generally follows the line of, "What do you currently do if students come to class without their homework done, or haven't read the assigned reading, or failed to complete the project you assigned?" This response usually helps to lay the ground work for the remainder of my response. Undoubtedly, you will have students that fail to come to your class unprepared with the information you gave them to be a successful class participant. But then I challenge the audience to examine the activities they have planed after giving pre-work.
If you have activities planned that require very little pre-knowledge, or can be completed by looking to others for help, you may want to reconsider that given activity. If students can skate through your class by merely recalling what was taught, or retelling what they have learned in a different way, you are not challenging them enough, or allowing them to tap into their creative genius side. If students can answer your questions without having viewed a video or read an article, then you're not asking the right questions.
Don't get me wrong, checking for information accuracy is important. But how you go about checking for accuracy can make a world of a difference in whether or not students complete the required pre-work. For example, recent studies show that many of your younger students thrive on game-based educational experiences. Any way you can incorporate competition and gaming in your classroom, you are sure to raise engagement. One of the best FREE on-line tools available to do this is through Kahoot, a trivia, game-based web tool that allows participants to answer questions while playing against one another. Gone are the clickers and apps for this tool, as it's completely web based! Better yet, Kahoot will report out the results in a neat and easy Excel file for you to evaluate when you have time. Learn more at getkahoot.com
If you fear technology, no worries! Try building a small group discussion outline for students to share information with each other and provide feedback to others. A simple 3-2-1 activity would suffice. Ask students to identify 3 items they learned from the pre-work (objective), 2 items they found interesting (subjective), and 1 question they still have. Have each group member share their items with their small group, and then allow the other members to respond. By giving students an opportunity to share what they learned, as well as others a chance to respond, you are creating evaluation and synthesizing into your classroom early!
After checking for information accuracy, you need to plan your in-class activities strategically. Can you build an activity that allows students to create, analyze, and synthesize the information they were to have gained by completing the pre-class work? Did you provide them 'just' enough information outside of class to entice them to be successful in class? Do you have options for your students in how they can complete a given task to demonstrate their understanding of a concept.
You see, as the educator, you have to build excitement and wonder into your classroom. Your students want to be challenged by what you ask them to complete. They want the pre-class work to be meaningful so that they can use it to create a product that not only you will be pleased with, but also themselves. If your students aren't completing the pre-class work or video, you might just want to step back and take a look in the mirror - what are you doing to encourage they have it done???
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Where Do I Start?
After presenting and discussing the flipped classroom and the benefits to student learning and engagement, I'm often approached with questions about, "where do I even begin?" While the idea of flipping a classroom is enticing to many educators, many are daunted with the tasks that might be required to begin. How do I create a video? Where do I host my video? What if my students don't have access to technology? While all are very excellent questions to ponder, sometimes we need to remember to focus on the learning objectives we want students to accomplish given a flipped lesson. The benefits in the long run help to generate class discussions and activities that time may not present in a traditional classroom setting. Yet, the looming question still exists - WHERE DO I START?
Allow me to offer the following guide to flipping a class.....or perhaps flipping a lesson!
1) Start Small - Don't think you need to flip an entire class for an entire school year. Start with one chapter, or even one lesson - maybe a lesson that you know students in the past historically struggled with.
2) Build Your Lesson Backward - This is the trick to building an effective flipped lesson. What do you want students to accomplish after the lesson is finished? What outcomes must the students be able to demonstrate to prove they have learned and how can they show you? What activities do you have planned for class time?
3) Check For Information Accuracy - Provide students with a notes check, entrance ticket, quick assessment, class discussion, text protocol, etc to ensure students are prepared for you in-class activity. This is a critical component to flipping to hold students accountable for obtaining information outside of class.
4) Design Your Flipped Instruction - What is the bare minimum information your students will need to complete the in-class activity successfully? How can you provide them with that information - reading a text, case-study, or article; watching a demonstration on video, or even a video lecture?
Through designing your lesson backward, you will be able to keep focused on the most important aspect of flipping a class or lesson - student learning. By identifying what you want students to accomplish, you can build the rest of the flipped lesson to meet those demands.
Best of luck flipping!
Allow me to offer the following guide to flipping a class.....or perhaps flipping a lesson!
1) Start Small - Don't think you need to flip an entire class for an entire school year. Start with one chapter, or even one lesson - maybe a lesson that you know students in the past historically struggled with.
2) Build Your Lesson Backward - This is the trick to building an effective flipped lesson. What do you want students to accomplish after the lesson is finished? What outcomes must the students be able to demonstrate to prove they have learned and how can they show you? What activities do you have planned for class time?
3) Check For Information Accuracy - Provide students with a notes check, entrance ticket, quick assessment, class discussion, text protocol, etc to ensure students are prepared for you in-class activity. This is a critical component to flipping to hold students accountable for obtaining information outside of class.
4) Design Your Flipped Instruction - What is the bare minimum information your students will need to complete the in-class activity successfully? How can you provide them with that information - reading a text, case-study, or article; watching a demonstration on video, or even a video lecture?
Through designing your lesson backward, you will be able to keep focused on the most important aspect of flipping a class or lesson - student learning. By identifying what you want students to accomplish, you can build the rest of the flipped lesson to meet those demands.
Best of luck flipping!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Flipping - Do You Need a Video?
"What the recent research on student learning has concluded is that the more actively students are involved in the learning process and take personal responsibility for their learning outcomes, the greater are the learning results."
~ Todd M. Davis & Patricia Hillman Murrell, Turning Teaching into Learning. ASHE-ERIC
Would you be surprised if I told you that Flipping Instruction has been in existence since colleges adopted textbooks? Would it shock you to know that all educators have participated in a Flipped Learning experience, probably without ever recognizing it? Odds are that Flipped Learning experience did not include a video at all!
During this past summer, I transitioned to my new role as Faculty Development Consultant at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I was eager to use my experiences in Flipping to help instructors improve their instructional practices. While I successfully Flipped my Middle School Math class through videos, I quickly learned that Flipping an entire college course may not be as easy. And that's when it hit me - many instructors already Flip some of their lessons without even knowing they have.
There is a large misconception in higher education that Flipping a lesson or class MUST include a video lesson. However, what about those instructors that assign readings to be done outside of class, or a case-study to analyze in order to apply knowledge during the next class. These instructors are choosing to give students information to read and analyze outside of class in order to maximize their face-to-face time, creating authentic learning experiences for students to evaluate and create with their instructor present.
I will be the first to admit, I thought Flipping could only be done via a video - wow was I wrong. Flipping needs to continue to focus on the face-to-face time instructors and teachers have with their students and how to best utilize that time. By giving students the 'must-have' information outside of class, instructors are able to create authentic learning experiences that encourage students to be engaged while creating evidence that learning has occurred.
If you are considering Flipping, make sure to analyze what outcomes you expect to see in your students. What can you ask them to do that you need not be present for as an instructor? What activities do your students need you for that you wish you had more time to spend on? To be successful at Flipping, you have to provide meaningful, creative, and authentic activities during class that illustrate to your students the importance of the learning that needed to occur outside of class!
~ Todd M. Davis & Patricia Hillman Murrell, Turning Teaching into Learning. ASHE-ERIC
Would you be surprised if I told you that Flipping Instruction has been in existence since colleges adopted textbooks? Would it shock you to know that all educators have participated in a Flipped Learning experience, probably without ever recognizing it? Odds are that Flipped Learning experience did not include a video at all!
During this past summer, I transitioned to my new role as Faculty Development Consultant at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I was eager to use my experiences in Flipping to help instructors improve their instructional practices. While I successfully Flipped my Middle School Math class through videos, I quickly learned that Flipping an entire college course may not be as easy. And that's when it hit me - many instructors already Flip some of their lessons without even knowing they have.
There is a large misconception in higher education that Flipping a lesson or class MUST include a video lesson. However, what about those instructors that assign readings to be done outside of class, or a case-study to analyze in order to apply knowledge during the next class. These instructors are choosing to give students information to read and analyze outside of class in order to maximize their face-to-face time, creating authentic learning experiences for students to evaluate and create with their instructor present.
I will be the first to admit, I thought Flipping could only be done via a video - wow was I wrong. Flipping needs to continue to focus on the face-to-face time instructors and teachers have with their students and how to best utilize that time. By giving students the 'must-have' information outside of class, instructors are able to create authentic learning experiences that encourage students to be engaged while creating evidence that learning has occurred.
If you are considering Flipping, make sure to analyze what outcomes you expect to see in your students. What can you ask them to do that you need not be present for as an instructor? What activities do your students need you for that you wish you had more time to spend on? To be successful at Flipping, you have to provide meaningful, creative, and authentic activities during class that illustrate to your students the importance of the learning that needed to occur outside of class!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The Names Behind the Numbers
Recently, the state of Wisconsin released their annual school district report cards. A measurement tool to inform the public on the performance of schools state wide, the report card mentions graduation rates, math and reading scores on state standardized tests, achievement gaps, and attendance rates. While some will use these reports as a tool to choose a school for their child/children, others use the report to point out deficiencies in a school district. Thus, upon identifying a problem area, districts often try to find the next 'bandaid' to put over the blemish and hope their 'cure' works on the next go around of standardized testing.
School districts are quick to jump on the next fad in education and apply it to their blemish in hopes of raising test scores or a report card score. Quantitative data is easy to find, easy to measure, and usually provides some immediate feedback. And school districts rely do heavily on this form of data collection that often has very little long-term effect. School districts ought to invest their time and money in Qualitative Data tools to help answer some of the most difficult and systemic problems facing public education. The problem - qualitative data takes time, effort, and resources. Unfortunately, education as a whole has been missing two quality measurement sticks; student profiles and high quality teachers.
The first, student profile, is a touchy subject that many are unwilling to touch. Let's wake up and face the facts - today's students are coming to school farther behind than compared to students 20 years ago. There are any number of reasons to explain why students are not entering 4K or Kindergarten unprepared, but let's agree to admit they start school already behind. Perhaps mom/dad are both working full-time, some two jobs, just to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. There is little time to read, practice the alphabet, or learn how to count. Rather than placing blame, education needs to accept the fact and educate families on how they can help prepare students for school.
Perhaps this explains the various gaps in reading and math. For just as many students that come to school unprepared, there is an equal amount of students that are entering school prepared or even ahead. The very minute students enter school, a natural 'gap' is already in existence. Thus, school districts are asked to quickly come up with a 'bandaid' that will cover up that gap and hope their plan sticks and lasts long enough to notice a difference. All the while, students go home to two different worlds; the have's and the have-nots. While I applaud school districts for the steps they are taking in educating families about the important role they play in education, we face many battles ahead in closing the natural gap that will exist for ever.
Graduation rates and attendance rates are overused, over emphasized, and highly touted measurement sticks that are too often the result of individual student motivation. Unfortunately, for every student that does not graduate or is absent from school, a district receives a blemish. Thus, districts are left scrambling to find a 'bandaid' that will cover that blemish in time for the next report. All the while, the WHY behind a student choice never gets evaluated.
Perhaps Johnny lives with his single mother of three, and his mom lost her job. Johnny is the oldest and decides he needs to step up and earn a living for his family to survive. Or maybe Jane lives in an abusive home and doesn't want to leave her younger sibling home alone with dad. Yes, I know these are both extreme scenarios. However, the point is that we fail to step back and look at the whole picture. What have we done as a school to support each child that is absent or drops out? Have we reached out to those students and made meaningful connections with them, thus making them miss those people that care about them when they are absent?
Which leads to the most significant and underutilized asset of every school - the classroom teacher! School districts need to invest more time and resources on helping their teachers develop rapport with each and every student. I will be the first to admit - my college degree did nothing in helping to prepare me to work with ALL students. This was an area I had to seek out myself and build upon only through experience. You see, students with a great background and pedigree in education are easy to teach. They often have their homework done, follow directions, and give us little grief in school. But what about the students that struggle or are behind their peers academically.
As a teacher, I enjoyed working with these students the most. Watching them light up as they made gains and realized they were capable of far more than they gave themselves credit for was the best reward I could receive as a teacher. But it didn't happen overnight. It was an investment on my part. Building a rapport with students takes time and is difficult to measure - in part because it's different for each and every student. Yet, school districts are often reluctant to put an emphasis in this area because of the time, effort, and resources it takes to support a teacher in this way.
School districts already demand too much of their teachers - lesson plans, grades, behavior reports, team meetings, district meetings, and the list could go on and on. However, very few of these demands has any impact on teacher-student rapport. If I noticed Jimmy was absent from school today, I needed to find my own time to call home and talk with him. Or I needed to take an extra 5 minutes when Jimmy returned to discuss WHY he was absent, rather than what he missed by being gone from school. Sometimes the invest in the child as a whole becomes greater than the child as a student. However, districts assume this is a skill most teachers inherently possess.
Now is the time to stop spending money on quantitative tools and their results and focus more on the names behind the numbers - the students and teachers. School districts need to stand up for their students and their teachers. Imagine the change a district can make and the impact they can have on student success when they invest in the student as a whole and helping to prepare teachers to work with ALL students of varying backgrounds. Change will not occur overnight, however, change has to start somewhere. One district, even one school, could impact how we look at data, standardized testing, and the whole student.
Even one teacher can make an impact! Are you the ONE!?
School districts are quick to jump on the next fad in education and apply it to their blemish in hopes of raising test scores or a report card score. Quantitative data is easy to find, easy to measure, and usually provides some immediate feedback. And school districts rely do heavily on this form of data collection that often has very little long-term effect. School districts ought to invest their time and money in Qualitative Data tools to help answer some of the most difficult and systemic problems facing public education. The problem - qualitative data takes time, effort, and resources. Unfortunately, education as a whole has been missing two quality measurement sticks; student profiles and high quality teachers.
The first, student profile, is a touchy subject that many are unwilling to touch. Let's wake up and face the facts - today's students are coming to school farther behind than compared to students 20 years ago. There are any number of reasons to explain why students are not entering 4K or Kindergarten unprepared, but let's agree to admit they start school already behind. Perhaps mom/dad are both working full-time, some two jobs, just to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. There is little time to read, practice the alphabet, or learn how to count. Rather than placing blame, education needs to accept the fact and educate families on how they can help prepare students for school.
Perhaps this explains the various gaps in reading and math. For just as many students that come to school unprepared, there is an equal amount of students that are entering school prepared or even ahead. The very minute students enter school, a natural 'gap' is already in existence. Thus, school districts are asked to quickly come up with a 'bandaid' that will cover up that gap and hope their plan sticks and lasts long enough to notice a difference. All the while, students go home to two different worlds; the have's and the have-nots. While I applaud school districts for the steps they are taking in educating families about the important role they play in education, we face many battles ahead in closing the natural gap that will exist for ever.
Graduation rates and attendance rates are overused, over emphasized, and highly touted measurement sticks that are too often the result of individual student motivation. Unfortunately, for every student that does not graduate or is absent from school, a district receives a blemish. Thus, districts are left scrambling to find a 'bandaid' that will cover that blemish in time for the next report. All the while, the WHY behind a student choice never gets evaluated.
Perhaps Johnny lives with his single mother of three, and his mom lost her job. Johnny is the oldest and decides he needs to step up and earn a living for his family to survive. Or maybe Jane lives in an abusive home and doesn't want to leave her younger sibling home alone with dad. Yes, I know these are both extreme scenarios. However, the point is that we fail to step back and look at the whole picture. What have we done as a school to support each child that is absent or drops out? Have we reached out to those students and made meaningful connections with them, thus making them miss those people that care about them when they are absent?
Which leads to the most significant and underutilized asset of every school - the classroom teacher! School districts need to invest more time and resources on helping their teachers develop rapport with each and every student. I will be the first to admit - my college degree did nothing in helping to prepare me to work with ALL students. This was an area I had to seek out myself and build upon only through experience. You see, students with a great background and pedigree in education are easy to teach. They often have their homework done, follow directions, and give us little grief in school. But what about the students that struggle or are behind their peers academically.
As a teacher, I enjoyed working with these students the most. Watching them light up as they made gains and realized they were capable of far more than they gave themselves credit for was the best reward I could receive as a teacher. But it didn't happen overnight. It was an investment on my part. Building a rapport with students takes time and is difficult to measure - in part because it's different for each and every student. Yet, school districts are often reluctant to put an emphasis in this area because of the time, effort, and resources it takes to support a teacher in this way.
School districts already demand too much of their teachers - lesson plans, grades, behavior reports, team meetings, district meetings, and the list could go on and on. However, very few of these demands has any impact on teacher-student rapport. If I noticed Jimmy was absent from school today, I needed to find my own time to call home and talk with him. Or I needed to take an extra 5 minutes when Jimmy returned to discuss WHY he was absent, rather than what he missed by being gone from school. Sometimes the invest in the child as a whole becomes greater than the child as a student. However, districts assume this is a skill most teachers inherently possess.
Now is the time to stop spending money on quantitative tools and their results and focus more on the names behind the numbers - the students and teachers. School districts need to stand up for their students and their teachers. Imagine the change a district can make and the impact they can have on student success when they invest in the student as a whole and helping to prepare teachers to work with ALL students of varying backgrounds. Change will not occur overnight, however, change has to start somewhere. One district, even one school, could impact how we look at data, standardized testing, and the whole student.
Even one teacher can make an impact! Are you the ONE!?
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Do You Let Your Students Drive?
Yet, there is a very unique and humble solution - Let the Students Drive! Who knows their own learning style better than each and every student. Why must we continue to confine students to the same rigor and assessment style that has not worked for decades? As educators, we set the criteria for learning, but why not let the students choose how they show you what has been learned?
While a bit scary, and perhaps intimidating at first, allowing your students to drive their education will engage them in the learning process in ways you could have never imagine. Instead of asking students to recite a formula in math, why not let them create a rap or song to show off their artistic side? Rather than an old-fashioned Power Point, why not allow students to use a web tool to display their knowledge of the food chain? Better yet, instead of writing a paper about the Holocaust, why not allow students to complete Character Sketches through the use of a Blog to role play and interact with classmates?
You see, the more educators try to stay the same, the more students push back. Aren't we the content experts - don't we already know the answers? At some point, we need to teach students how to UNLEARN what they have already LEARNED about learning. Allow students to choose their vehicle of learning. Allow students to choose how to get to the destination. Allow students to fail and challenge our own thinking. Only then can we be the expert that helps guide them along the way and back on the right path when they are wrong. In doing so so, we can help students better develop critical thinking, problem solving, and analyzing skills.
If only we all taught like Pirates, as Dave Burgess would say. We need to teach with Passion, Immerse ourselves in our subjects, build Rapport with our students, Ask/Analyze our current practices, Transform our classroom practices, and be Enthusiastic.
Will you let your students drive the ship matey? Aaargghh
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Preparing Students for Success
Odds are you have already flipped a lesson for your class, but you never realized you did. Let's start by asking the following question - have you ever asked students to complete a reading passage outside of class? If so, you've already laid the foundation to flip that lesson. Now all you need is to structure the in-class activity to support your reading assignment. The power of flipping can now bring your class activities and discussion to life!
Flipping a lesson or classroom does not need to be a difficult or tedious process. All 'flippers' have the same goal - create a student-centered learning environment that promotes collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and reflection. Many high school teachers and higher-ed instructors struggle to find time to accomplish all these tasks in a 'traditional' classroom setting. Many proponents of the flipped classroom point to these very attributes as reasons to consider flipping your classroom.
The best advice I can offer would be the following:
1) Start Small! You don't need to flip an entire class. Look for "flippable moments" as Dr. Barbi Honeycutt states. Look for confusion in students where you might need to spend more class time discussing. Look for fundamentals that can be taught through a video and practice can be done during face-to-face class time. Look for boredom in students and creating authentic learning experiences in your classroom to keep them coming back for more.
2) Plan BACKWARDS! Identify an in-class activity you have never had enough time to conquer or one that you really want students to take a lot from. Plan that activity first, and then ask how you can provide pre-class material to the students. This pre-class material is any necessary information the student will need to be successful during the activity. Provide them a short video lecture, reading passage, or exploratory cues. Always keep the in-class activity in mind as you provide them information they will need.
3) Integrate moments of reflection. Allowing students time to process and reflect on what was learned is a vital tool for the instructor. This allows instructors an opportunity to identify struggling students and correct any misconceptions immediately. Likewise, it provides pertinent feedback about the activity and how it might be changed in the future. Activities like "Think, Pair, Share", "Think, Write, Share", "Writing Prompts", "Exit Tickets", or "SWOT Analysis" (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) are great activities that encourage student feedback and reflection.
Too many students walk out of high school or college lacking applicable job skills that are required to be successful. I truly believe that the flipped classroom helps address those abilities and provides students an opportunity to be successful. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and off your 'stage'. You might actually like the noise of others for a change.
Flipping a lesson or classroom does not need to be a difficult or tedious process. All 'flippers' have the same goal - create a student-centered learning environment that promotes collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and reflection. Many high school teachers and higher-ed instructors struggle to find time to accomplish all these tasks in a 'traditional' classroom setting. Many proponents of the flipped classroom point to these very attributes as reasons to consider flipping your classroom.
The best advice I can offer would be the following:
1) Start Small! You don't need to flip an entire class. Look for "flippable moments" as Dr. Barbi Honeycutt states. Look for confusion in students where you might need to spend more class time discussing. Look for fundamentals that can be taught through a video and practice can be done during face-to-face class time. Look for boredom in students and creating authentic learning experiences in your classroom to keep them coming back for more.
2) Plan BACKWARDS! Identify an in-class activity you have never had enough time to conquer or one that you really want students to take a lot from. Plan that activity first, and then ask how you can provide pre-class material to the students. This pre-class material is any necessary information the student will need to be successful during the activity. Provide them a short video lecture, reading passage, or exploratory cues. Always keep the in-class activity in mind as you provide them information they will need.
3) Integrate moments of reflection. Allowing students time to process and reflect on what was learned is a vital tool for the instructor. This allows instructors an opportunity to identify struggling students and correct any misconceptions immediately. Likewise, it provides pertinent feedback about the activity and how it might be changed in the future. Activities like "Think, Pair, Share", "Think, Write, Share", "Writing Prompts", "Exit Tickets", or "SWOT Analysis" (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) are great activities that encourage student feedback and reflection.
Too many students walk out of high school or college lacking applicable job skills that are required to be successful. I truly believe that the flipped classroom helps address those abilities and provides students an opportunity to be successful. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and off your 'stage'. You might actually like the noise of others for a change.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
It's Not About the Video!
The time finally arrived this week - I transitioned to my new position at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College as a Faculty Development Consultant, thus leaving the classroom behind. While my first week was exciting and I am joining an amazing team, I quickly realized I have a lot to learn about the Technical College structure and business plan. While my time was filled with many meetings and planning opportunities, I was able to attend a Flipped Class session for Professional Development of faculty at NWTC.
Whether you are currently flipping, or even considering flipping your class at ANY LEVEL, it's vitally important to remember that flipping a class IS NOT about the video lesson. While the video does need to be filled with content rich material, flipping is more about your ability as a teacher to create unique learning opportunities with your students during class time. Through creating unique learning opportunities, you are creating a learning environment that is open and welcoming to students.
Flipping allows teachers to dedicate more face time to students and help them develop deeper thinking skills, collaboration, and analyzation - three skills necessary in any job. While flipping may not be for every class session or topic, it can be utilized to pre-teach material and test student knowledge when they arrive to class. Many of the flipping principles I've outlined on this blog for middle school math can still be used in any flipped lesson.
Take the WSQ Video worksheet for example. This worksheet can still be a guiding force behind student collaboration and discussion of a specific topic. This note taking format can be an excellent guide for students to follow that are new to flipped learning. Likewise, TWIRL discussion groups can help guide the discussion once a video lesson has been watched.
If creating a video lesson is "freaking" you out - don't be scared! Remember, students want you to create meaningful learning experiences for them. Focus on what you can do in your classroom once students have watched your video lesson. The video itself needs to be straight forward and to the point! Provide time in class for students to ask questions and analyze the information presented together. I bet you'll be amazed by the discussion that will now take place.
Good Luck!
Whether you are currently flipping, or even considering flipping your class at ANY LEVEL, it's vitally important to remember that flipping a class IS NOT about the video lesson. While the video does need to be filled with content rich material, flipping is more about your ability as a teacher to create unique learning opportunities with your students during class time. Through creating unique learning opportunities, you are creating a learning environment that is open and welcoming to students.
Flipping allows teachers to dedicate more face time to students and help them develop deeper thinking skills, collaboration, and analyzation - three skills necessary in any job. While flipping may not be for every class session or topic, it can be utilized to pre-teach material and test student knowledge when they arrive to class. Many of the flipping principles I've outlined on this blog for middle school math can still be used in any flipped lesson.
Take the WSQ Video worksheet for example. This worksheet can still be a guiding force behind student collaboration and discussion of a specific topic. This note taking format can be an excellent guide for students to follow that are new to flipped learning. Likewise, TWIRL discussion groups can help guide the discussion once a video lesson has been watched.
If creating a video lesson is "freaking" you out - don't be scared! Remember, students want you to create meaningful learning experiences for them. Focus on what you can do in your classroom once students have watched your video lesson. The video itself needs to be straight forward and to the point! Provide time in class for students to ask questions and analyze the information presented together. I bet you'll be amazed by the discussion that will now take place.
Good Luck!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Building Relationships
Last week I was able to sub for our elementary physical education teacher that was on our 8th Grade class field trip to Washington DC. Since I wasn't able to chaperon the trip, I was asked to sub for him and jumped at the opportunity. Now, let me be the first to tell you that elementary phy ed is no walk in the park.
My body was not ready for the continuous games of tag, stretching, and plain old fun. Not to mention the constant tattling, bickering, and rules infractions. While it was all quite an adjustment, I did notice a common trend through out the week - the better I was able to establish a rapport/relationship with these students, the better the students behaved and followed rules.
That's when it truly hit me - being a teacher is less about course content and more about building relationships with students. As teachers, we often fulfill many roles in the lives of our students; teacher, counselor, parent, friend, coach, and role model. While most teachers never signed on for all of these roles, the greatest teachers embrace them and understand the importance they play in educating our children.
While we all chose our field for specific reasons, we sometimes have to sit back and remember that not everyone is as passionate as we are about the subject. I came to the realization a long time ago that many of the math skills I teach students they will probably never use directly in their career (solving rational expressions or Pythagorean Theorem aren't necessities in most jobs.) Instead, I use math as a tool to help students build skills that will make them successful in whatever line of field they choose.
All students need to learn accountability, hence we have daily assignments and tasks in math. All students need to be good at critical thinking, which is why I include challenge problems in math. All students need perseverance to stick with difficult situations, which is why I give students Enrichment tasks during each chapter. The sooner I realized that the math wasn't the important skill for students, the sooner students and I were able to develop a relationship that was based on looking out for their best interests.
With out doubt, I encounter problems on a daily basis. However, because I have built a relationship with students, I am able to handle every situation in my class on an individual basis. My students know I have their success in life on the forefront of every decision I make. My students trust me and give me their trust and respect on a daily basis.
More often than not, my end of the year surveys come back with students stating "I've never learned so much math in one year", "This was the best math experience I can remember", and "Thanks for making math fun!" As I read these statements, it often chills me that students had negative experiences in math because teachers were too worried about the content rather than the student. For those reading this, I urge you to put your rational thinking aside for a moment and ask how you've built a relationship with your students. What can you do differently next year to help students see their full potential and help them build skills for their future!
My body was not ready for the continuous games of tag, stretching, and plain old fun. Not to mention the constant tattling, bickering, and rules infractions. While it was all quite an adjustment, I did notice a common trend through out the week - the better I was able to establish a rapport/relationship with these students, the better the students behaved and followed rules.
That's when it truly hit me - being a teacher is less about course content and more about building relationships with students. As teachers, we often fulfill many roles in the lives of our students; teacher, counselor, parent, friend, coach, and role model. While most teachers never signed on for all of these roles, the greatest teachers embrace them and understand the importance they play in educating our children.
While we all chose our field for specific reasons, we sometimes have to sit back and remember that not everyone is as passionate as we are about the subject. I came to the realization a long time ago that many of the math skills I teach students they will probably never use directly in their career (solving rational expressions or Pythagorean Theorem aren't necessities in most jobs.) Instead, I use math as a tool to help students build skills that will make them successful in whatever line of field they choose.
All students need to learn accountability, hence we have daily assignments and tasks in math. All students need to be good at critical thinking, which is why I include challenge problems in math. All students need perseverance to stick with difficult situations, which is why I give students Enrichment tasks during each chapter. The sooner I realized that the math wasn't the important skill for students, the sooner students and I were able to develop a relationship that was based on looking out for their best interests.
With out doubt, I encounter problems on a daily basis. However, because I have built a relationship with students, I am able to handle every situation in my class on an individual basis. My students know I have their success in life on the forefront of every decision I make. My students trust me and give me their trust and respect on a daily basis.
More often than not, my end of the year surveys come back with students stating "I've never learned so much math in one year", "This was the best math experience I can remember", and "Thanks for making math fun!" As I read these statements, it often chills me that students had negative experiences in math because teachers were too worried about the content rather than the student. For those reading this, I urge you to put your rational thinking aside for a moment and ask how you've built a relationship with your students. What can you do differently next year to help students see their full potential and help them build skills for their future!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Moving On . . .
"Your biggest hurdle isn't your opponent, it's yourself!" ~ Brandon Todd
Before any fellow flippers panic by reading the title, I am not moving on from Flipping - rather I am leaving the classroom and entering the realm of leadership at a local technical college here in Wisconsin. While I have greatly enjoyed my time in the classroom and have found Flipping to be very beneficial for my students and for me personally, I strongly believe it's time to share my talents with others in a leadership role.
My official role is a 'Faculty Development Consultant' within the Talent Development Department (sounds like I will be adding more acronyms to my arsenal)! My responsibilities include helping Full-Time and Part-Time Instructors maintain and enhance instruction, management, assessment, and use of technology. What an exciting opportunity for me to share what I am so passionate about.
I truly hope I am able to bring Flipping with me to the Technical College level and encourage instructors to change how they value their time with their students. I have become an avid activists for others to pursue Flipping their instruction - placing value not on the videos but rather the unique learning experiences one can provide students in a classroom setting. You see, videos are simply an instructional tool to free up the limited time you engage with students. By freeing up more time, we are able to create unique and more meaningful experiences that students can take with them into their field.
At a technical college, many students are working 30 - 40 hours per week. Asking them to complete homework to show competency of a lesson is sometimes difficult, if not impossible. Imagine though if they needed to watch a 15 minute video lesson on a specific topic for class. That video could be watched on the bus ride to work, during a lunch break, or any spare time a student has. Instructors can now use their lecturing time to create meaningful opportunities for student learning.
While I recognize that Flipping is not for every class and not every lesson, I encourage others to give it a chance and see how it can change the culture in your classroom environment. Experiment with Flipping to see how it can be a means to engage your students during the time that you see them.
I will continue to use this Blog as a means to provide information about Flipping. I've created new pages to explore Flipping in different contents and suggestions for how Flipping could be used. Those pages will continue to be "under construction" infinitely" as I continue to learn and grow. Likewise, I have also started a second blog, "Resources For Teachers" as a means to provide much coaching, mentoring, and advice on a wide range of topics.
Please help me spread the word to others about my blogs and help other teachers grow. Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, tips, strategies, or ideas for others to look at, think about, and ponder as we grow together. Best of luck finishing the school year...keep your chin up, head held high, and make a difference in the lives of every child you encounter.
Before any fellow flippers panic by reading the title, I am not moving on from Flipping - rather I am leaving the classroom and entering the realm of leadership at a local technical college here in Wisconsin. While I have greatly enjoyed my time in the classroom and have found Flipping to be very beneficial for my students and for me personally, I strongly believe it's time to share my talents with others in a leadership role.
My official role is a 'Faculty Development Consultant' within the Talent Development Department (sounds like I will be adding more acronyms to my arsenal)! My responsibilities include helping Full-Time and Part-Time Instructors maintain and enhance instruction, management, assessment, and use of technology. What an exciting opportunity for me to share what I am so passionate about.
I truly hope I am able to bring Flipping with me to the Technical College level and encourage instructors to change how they value their time with their students. I have become an avid activists for others to pursue Flipping their instruction - placing value not on the videos but rather the unique learning experiences one can provide students in a classroom setting. You see, videos are simply an instructional tool to free up the limited time you engage with students. By freeing up more time, we are able to create unique and more meaningful experiences that students can take with them into their field.
At a technical college, many students are working 30 - 40 hours per week. Asking them to complete homework to show competency of a lesson is sometimes difficult, if not impossible. Imagine though if they needed to watch a 15 minute video lesson on a specific topic for class. That video could be watched on the bus ride to work, during a lunch break, or any spare time a student has. Instructors can now use their lecturing time to create meaningful opportunities for student learning.
While I recognize that Flipping is not for every class and not every lesson, I encourage others to give it a chance and see how it can change the culture in your classroom environment. Experiment with Flipping to see how it can be a means to engage your students during the time that you see them.
I will continue to use this Blog as a means to provide information about Flipping. I've created new pages to explore Flipping in different contents and suggestions for how Flipping could be used. Those pages will continue to be "under construction" infinitely" as I continue to learn and grow. Likewise, I have also started a second blog, "Resources For Teachers" as a means to provide much coaching, mentoring, and advice on a wide range of topics.
Please help me spread the word to others about my blogs and help other teachers grow. Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, tips, strategies, or ideas for others to look at, think about, and ponder as we grow together. Best of luck finishing the school year...keep your chin up, head held high, and make a difference in the lives of every child you encounter.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Room For Improvement
As I reflect upon the past week of school, I can't help but think about one class in particular that seems to be falling further and further behind. Those of you that teach middle school or high school know exactly what I'm talking about. It's that one class you dread to teach each day, not because you don't like the students, rather because you know you know you can't possible help ALL the students in that class get to where they need to be.
While I could throw up a myriad of excuses, the most glaring reason is tied to student to teacher ratio. For me, this class happens to be my largest class of the day, AND it also happens to be the last period of the school day. And while I've tried mightily to connect with every student and encourage them to use their class time wisely, the reality is that I am still struggling to help those students that struggle.
In a 43 minute class period, one set of hands in this class is not enough. There is a huge disparity in this class between students that understand the content and want to be pushed versus those that either don't understand or are unmotivated to learn. Yet, as I've added enrichment activities to push the accelerated learners, I haven't found enough time to meet with those students that need help. Throw in the regular middle-school socialization and you've created a recipe for distraction!
As I continue to fine tune my version of the Flipped Classroom, I have become very curious in co-teaching. Imagine having two sets of eyes and hands in the classroom to be able to meet with students more regularly. I would imagine that having two teachers in the classroom would help differentiate and group students more easily. One teacher could focus all their attention on the low level learners or unmotivated learners and help guide them along the process.
While my concerns are not unique to me or to the flipped classroom, I know many of us a teachers have created unique solutions. The power of teaching is to share those ideas and help build others up. And so I ask for suggestions, ideas, or advice as I continue to move forward in education and look for ways to build treasure chest of hidden gems.
While I could throw up a myriad of excuses, the most glaring reason is tied to student to teacher ratio. For me, this class happens to be my largest class of the day, AND it also happens to be the last period of the school day. And while I've tried mightily to connect with every student and encourage them to use their class time wisely, the reality is that I am still struggling to help those students that struggle.
In a 43 minute class period, one set of hands in this class is not enough. There is a huge disparity in this class between students that understand the content and want to be pushed versus those that either don't understand or are unmotivated to learn. Yet, as I've added enrichment activities to push the accelerated learners, I haven't found enough time to meet with those students that need help. Throw in the regular middle-school socialization and you've created a recipe for distraction!
As I continue to fine tune my version of the Flipped Classroom, I have become very curious in co-teaching. Imagine having two sets of eyes and hands in the classroom to be able to meet with students more regularly. I would imagine that having two teachers in the classroom would help differentiate and group students more easily. One teacher could focus all their attention on the low level learners or unmotivated learners and help guide them along the process.
While my concerns are not unique to me or to the flipped classroom, I know many of us a teachers have created unique solutions. The power of teaching is to share those ideas and help build others up. And so I ask for suggestions, ideas, or advice as I continue to move forward in education and look for ways to build treasure chest of hidden gems.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Digital Learn Day '14
As Digital Learn Day of 2014 has come and gone, I can't help but reflect on all of the amazing digital learning opportunities that students had within our school. From coding, blogging, and Google Docs to creating videos and avatars, our students were blessed with a plethora of opportunities to learn how technology can be incorporated into their school day. One can only hope our teachers recognized the power of technology.
The highlight of the day, for me personally, was opening up my Flipped Classroom to others to share how we Differentiate Mathematics through Flipped Learning. In attendance was an amazing group of teachers, a principal, a commissioner of CESA, a school board member, and a parent. Their intrigue with Flipped Classrooms and our ability to meet the needs of all students amazed them.
We started out our morning with a short presentation on why I chose to Flip my math classes, and what it now looks like in my classroom. Much intrigue centered around our TWIRL Group Discussions and Challenge Problems. The participants were eager to see this in action...I could only hope our students wouldn't disappoint. (Check out the Prezi - Click Here)
As we entered our classroom, students were well prepared for our guests. A lively discussion about the video lesson was taking place amongst the students, and I chimed in my two cents to help explore "Angles of Polygons" and why the formula uses 180. To my surprise, students were eager to volunteer and didn't shy away because of the 'strangers' in the room.
As students transitioned to their group challenge problem, the open house participants were blown away by how much mathematical conversation was actually taking place. I cannot boast enough about how well the students handled the pressure and worked together to solve two challenge problems. Students even managed to snap pictures and email their work to me via our iPads. One participant even stated through her Twitter account, "Great classroom visit today with @CliffGoodacre in a flipped math class. It's refreshing to see how engaged 8th graders can be in geometry!" Talk about a great compliment for our students.
Upon finishing our class visit, four of our students agreed to join us in our meeting room for a student panel. While I knew these students were nervous, they handled themselves very well, answering each question with poise and honesty. As their teacher, even I learned a little bit more about them as students and their apprehensions about a Flipped Classroom.
Yet, for me, there has been a great deal of reflecting through this open house and the questions participants generated for me. High on my list is the transition to High School math for our students. Does the Flipped Class in 8th grade help or hinder their growth if they go back to a traditional class in high school? This is a deep conversation that I need to have with our High School Math Department.
Likewise, I also need to start collecting data - both student achievement data and student/parent feedback data. Both pieces of information can be critical to the direction my class continues to take!
In conclusion, my Digital Learning Day experience was filled with great pride and joy in sharing what my Flipped Class has become and how we differentiate our learning to help make it more personalized. I also take great pride in my life-long learning and am eager to answer some of the questions thrown my way to back up what I already know and see on a daily basis.
Remember, Mistakes are Proof You are Trying!
The highlight of the day, for me personally, was opening up my Flipped Classroom to others to share how we Differentiate Mathematics through Flipped Learning. In attendance was an amazing group of teachers, a principal, a commissioner of CESA, a school board member, and a parent. Their intrigue with Flipped Classrooms and our ability to meet the needs of all students amazed them.
We started out our morning with a short presentation on why I chose to Flip my math classes, and what it now looks like in my classroom. Much intrigue centered around our TWIRL Group Discussions and Challenge Problems. The participants were eager to see this in action...I could only hope our students wouldn't disappoint. (Check out the Prezi - Click Here)
As we entered our classroom, students were well prepared for our guests. A lively discussion about the video lesson was taking place amongst the students, and I chimed in my two cents to help explore "Angles of Polygons" and why the formula uses 180. To my surprise, students were eager to volunteer and didn't shy away because of the 'strangers' in the room.
As students transitioned to their group challenge problem, the open house participants were blown away by how much mathematical conversation was actually taking place. I cannot boast enough about how well the students handled the pressure and worked together to solve two challenge problems. Students even managed to snap pictures and email their work to me via our iPads. One participant even stated through her Twitter account, "Great classroom visit today with @CliffGoodacre in a flipped math class. It's refreshing to see how engaged 8th graders can be in geometry!" Talk about a great compliment for our students.
Upon finishing our class visit, four of our students agreed to join us in our meeting room for a student panel. While I knew these students were nervous, they handled themselves very well, answering each question with poise and honesty. As their teacher, even I learned a little bit more about them as students and their apprehensions about a Flipped Classroom.
Yet, for me, there has been a great deal of reflecting through this open house and the questions participants generated for me. High on my list is the transition to High School math for our students. Does the Flipped Class in 8th grade help or hinder their growth if they go back to a traditional class in high school? This is a deep conversation that I need to have with our High School Math Department.
Likewise, I also need to start collecting data - both student achievement data and student/parent feedback data. Both pieces of information can be critical to the direction my class continues to take!
In conclusion, my Digital Learning Day experience was filled with great pride and joy in sharing what my Flipped Class has become and how we differentiate our learning to help make it more personalized. I also take great pride in my life-long learning and am eager to answer some of the questions thrown my way to back up what I already know and see on a daily basis.
Remember, Mistakes are Proof You are Trying!
Saturday, February 1, 2014
We Not Me - Ours Not Mine
Why is it that as teachers, we are sometimes the worst role models in the world? We cut to the front of the lunch line because we are limited on time. We chew gum because we drank coffee. We use our cell phone because... and the list goes on and on. Yet, we expect our students to follow the very rules we struggle to follow as adults.
This leads me to my philosophy of education and the drastic change that needs to occur. These are OUR students, not mine, and is about what WE do as educators and schools, not ME as a teacher. I truly fear that as budgets have become tighter and communities urge school districts to operate more like a business, we are going to only further hinder education by creating a greater need to isolate as teachers. Not to mention the adoption of Teacher Effectiveness in Wisconsin and its close relationship to pay increase. Are teachers really going to share what they do in fear that their colleague may become rated better and earn more?
One of the greatest attributes of my Flipped Classroom has been the collaboration and teamwork students have displayed to help each other understand video lessons and challenging questions. For one of the first times in my class, I feel I am adequately promoting the idea of looking out for others! And as I have continued to share my ideas here, through Technology Conferences, Twitter, and with colleagues, I feel I am not unique in saying that I truly care more about what OUR students learn than the paycheck I earn!
Let's face it...odds are we all got into education for generally the same reason, "To make a difference in the lives of students!" It should not matter if I teach students math, my colleagues Mr. Dagit and Ms. Rodig teaches students math, Mr. Booth in Elkhorn, WI teaches students math, or Mr. Johnson teaches students math in Canada. If I can share something with them as teachers that will help students grow, don't I have an obligation to help? Isn't that the greatest impact I can have as a teacher?
Keep fighting the good fight. Always remember, "Mistakes are Proof that you are Trying!"
This leads me to my philosophy of education and the drastic change that needs to occur. These are OUR students, not mine, and is about what WE do as educators and schools, not ME as a teacher. I truly fear that as budgets have become tighter and communities urge school districts to operate more like a business, we are going to only further hinder education by creating a greater need to isolate as teachers. Not to mention the adoption of Teacher Effectiveness in Wisconsin and its close relationship to pay increase. Are teachers really going to share what they do in fear that their colleague may become rated better and earn more?
One of the greatest attributes of my Flipped Classroom has been the collaboration and teamwork students have displayed to help each other understand video lessons and challenging questions. For one of the first times in my class, I feel I am adequately promoting the idea of looking out for others! And as I have continued to share my ideas here, through Technology Conferences, Twitter, and with colleagues, I feel I am not unique in saying that I truly care more about what OUR students learn than the paycheck I earn!
Let's face it...odds are we all got into education for generally the same reason, "To make a difference in the lives of students!" It should not matter if I teach students math, my colleagues Mr. Dagit and Ms. Rodig teaches students math, Mr. Booth in Elkhorn, WI teaches students math, or Mr. Johnson teaches students math in Canada. If I can share something with them as teachers that will help students grow, don't I have an obligation to help? Isn't that the greatest impact I can have as a teacher?
Keep fighting the good fight. Always remember, "Mistakes are Proof that you are Trying!"
Monday, January 27, 2014
Flex Time in the Flipped Class
There is no such thing as FREE TIME in our Flipped Math Class (that would indicate a freedom to do whatever you want!) Rather, we use a philosophy called FLEX TIME - a time that is flexible to each individual student to choose an activity that will continue to build their math skills and knowledge. This Flex Time has been an ever growing and learning curve for both teachers and students. We have slowly began to build our arsenal and offer students many more choices to become better at math. We have found that by giving students more choice and freedom, their learning has become more authentic and meaningful. Below is a list of some of the activities we use during our Flex Time!
1) Sumdog.com - Sumdog is a web-based gaming site that helps students build on a wide variety of math skills from K - 6. Create free accounts for students, enter them into contests by state, nation, and the globe. Watch students have fun as they build their basic math skills.
2) Word Clouds - By using tagxedo.com or wordle.net, students have been developing word clouds for the chapter vocabulary. Through these word clouds, students begin to notice what words are used the most and essential to the chapter content. Tagxedo even offers unique word cloud layouts that students have really had a blast using.
3) Challenge Problem Video - We encourage our students to use technology and video taping skills by recording themselves solving a challenge problem. Often, they will use our Smart Board or white board to become the "teacher" and share the video with us. Students have really started to take off with this idea, and some have even become using software to enhance their videos. Yet, other students have begun to explore the Educreations App for the iPad - which allows for some pretty cool video casting.
4) Tic-Tac-Toe Tasks - This activity asks students to complete three activities from a Tic-Tac-Toe board that will create a "winner" when they've finished their three tasks. We use many enrichment and textbook resources to have students take the current unit a little deeper. The key to this Flex activity is offering student choice to control their own learning.
5) Tutoring - During our Flex Time, some of our students have mastered a certain skill or objective and become tutors to peers that might be struggling. We have only begun to explore this option, but feel there is a ton of potential in peer-to-peer tutoring, when done correctly.
6) Prezi.com - Students use Prezi to create a Unit Review presentation as a tool to review unit content. Students will often capture pictures of their work, and upload them to their Prezi as examples of a specific skill. The more students continue to use Prezi, the more they continue to explore and find to create some amazing presentations.
7) Watching Video Lesson - Only about 60% of our student population has viable Internet options to watch our Video Lessons. Therefore, we do encourage some of our students to use their Flex Time to view the next video lesson. Because watching each video lesson is critical to our Collaborative TWIRL Groups, we really want to make sure each student has the ability to view the lesson.
While this list is not finite, these are the options we have given our students during their Flex Time. While it creates more work for me us teachers to make sure we have everything prepared for each chapter, the benefits we have seen in our classes remind us that we are doing something right. As we continue to provide more choices and options for our students, they continue to amaze us with their work ethic, learning, and responsibility for their own learning.
As we continually remind our students, "Mistakes are proof that you are trying!"
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Empowering the Un-Motivated
Undoubtedly, every year teachers have their handful of students that seem less interested in their class and more interested in the opposite sex, the next big game, or when they get to home and chat. While most of these students have the skills necessary to be successful, they are highly unmotivated and struggle when pushed. As teachers, there is a delicate balance needed between pushing these students and empowering them in their classroom.
Enter the flipped class...my means of reaching the various needs of ALL our students. You see, the flip class puts less emphasis on the video lesson and more emphasis on the learning opportunities created within your classroom. Simply put, I value the time I have with students too much to lecture to them for 30 minutes. I want the time I have with them to be more productive and meaningful.
How do I empower the unmotivated you might wonder? It's a rather simple approach. First and foremost, I get to know them as an individual. I need to build trust and respect with them so they understand my intentions are genuine. I seek out their interest and hobbies, the methods they feel work best for their learning, and their struggles within my class and school. This picture that they paint for me provides valuable information moving forward.
After I have build this trust, I am able to begin pushing them slowly to show me what they know and have learned. In the flipped class, students are all at different places of learning. Some are experts, while others are only beginners. My ability to differentiate between these students is critical to empowering them to push themselves. Frequently, I offer enrichment activities to students that have shown they have mastered a skill.
Many of these enrichment activities take a skill learned and dig a little deeper. Group work is often involved and students like to see how a topic might be related to something in 'real-life'. I am also able to tailor some of these enrichment activities to student interest - hence I can reach the unmotivated rather easily. Students enjoy their FLEX time in my class and the ability to work on something that interests them and they enjoy.
Meanwhile, I am able to meet with those struggling learners and provide them a bit more attention to help them overcome an obstacle they have encountered. If an unmotivated learners fails into this category, I can again fall back on the relationship I have built with them to help them see where they can go. These small-group, guided instruction opportunities have proved very valuable to many unmotivated learners and they begin to realize they are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for.
I cannot speak for every teacher, but I can speak for myself. I know I got into teaching to make a difference in the lives of as many students as possible. My flipped class experience has truly helped me maximize the students I can reach and enable ALL students the opportunity to learn and grow in math as they are ready. Creating more face-to-face time with students has been critical in empowering all students to want to become better at math!
"If you aren't making mistakes....then you aren't trying!"
Enter the flipped class...my means of reaching the various needs of ALL our students. You see, the flip class puts less emphasis on the video lesson and more emphasis on the learning opportunities created within your classroom. Simply put, I value the time I have with students too much to lecture to them for 30 minutes. I want the time I have with them to be more productive and meaningful.
How do I empower the unmotivated you might wonder? It's a rather simple approach. First and foremost, I get to know them as an individual. I need to build trust and respect with them so they understand my intentions are genuine. I seek out their interest and hobbies, the methods they feel work best for their learning, and their struggles within my class and school. This picture that they paint for me provides valuable information moving forward.
After I have build this trust, I am able to begin pushing them slowly to show me what they know and have learned. In the flipped class, students are all at different places of learning. Some are experts, while others are only beginners. My ability to differentiate between these students is critical to empowering them to push themselves. Frequently, I offer enrichment activities to students that have shown they have mastered a skill.
Many of these enrichment activities take a skill learned and dig a little deeper. Group work is often involved and students like to see how a topic might be related to something in 'real-life'. I am also able to tailor some of these enrichment activities to student interest - hence I can reach the unmotivated rather easily. Students enjoy their FLEX time in my class and the ability to work on something that interests them and they enjoy.
Meanwhile, I am able to meet with those struggling learners and provide them a bit more attention to help them overcome an obstacle they have encountered. If an unmotivated learners fails into this category, I can again fall back on the relationship I have built with them to help them see where they can go. These small-group, guided instruction opportunities have proved very valuable to many unmotivated learners and they begin to realize they are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for.
I cannot speak for every teacher, but I can speak for myself. I know I got into teaching to make a difference in the lives of as many students as possible. My flipped class experience has truly helped me maximize the students I can reach and enable ALL students the opportunity to learn and grow in math as they are ready. Creating more face-to-face time with students has been critical in empowering all students to want to become better at math!
"If you aren't making mistakes....then you aren't trying!"
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