Round 1: Make Learning Meaningful

A little over two weeks into the semester, and with three classes of College Technical Math under my belt, I'm excited to share I'm still learning. I knew going into this experience that creating video lessons would be time consuming. I was also quickly reminded how important it is to make them meaningful. After all, a boring lecture is even more boring when done via video. Students want to see the application of math skills as they relate to their program areas. The challenge for me has been how to provide relevant examples that cover 3-4 program areas simultaneously. 

I am fortunate to have a very small class this semester - program students in Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, and Prototype and Design. Contextualizing the math skills for these programs has helped to connect the math with practical skills in their field of study. The students are seeing why math is important and how it is connected. Yet, what I was quickly reminded of early in the semester was how important building rapport and relationships with the students is to tackling more important barriers to learning. 

The Flipped Classroom has given me the chance to really get to know each and every student on an individual level and identify ways to best support his/her educational needs. Several students that are coming right from high school are finding the work time in class to be a huge benefit. They see the ability to work with others from their program area to understand and apply the math a huge plus. Likewise, a few students that haven't taken math in quite some time appreciate the opportunity to practice and ask questions immediately. 

The time I have gained with students to work on practical, critical thinking, story problems has proven to be invaluable to their learning. While creating the videos may be more time consuming than I originally remembered, I can see the benefits pouring in. I'm excited to continue this journey for 13 more weeks, helping students see how successful they can be in math. Dare I say I might be getting the itch to do this full-time?

#BeTheONE

Back in the Ring

After a 3 year hiatus, tonight I re-enter the classroom to teach a college level math course. While my full time job as a Faculty Development Consultant has given me many opportunities to reflect and grow personally, I find myself filled with excitement and anticipation over the first day (or night in this case) of class. Ironically, the prep leading up to this first night of class has been invigorating and passion driven - feelings I have deeply missed.

Of course I'm going to flip my math course - why wouldn't I? The success I had with this approach in middle school should surely translate to success at the college level. I've been a proponent of flipped learning in higher education from the day I stepped foot on the Green Bay Campus of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. The advantages of a flipped classroom far outweigh the drawbacks in my opinion and I'm excited to help 'adult' students see and explore a different approach to learning.

While I've prepared myself for the typical 'why can't you just teach us?' question, I know that my passion and belief in each and every student is what will help them be successful. The flipped classroom will give me more time to get to know each student, their passions, dreams, and aspirations for our semester long class. I'd rather spend the one hour, twenty minutes I have with them twice per week be spent solving problems collaboratively and learning how to approach math as opportunity to critically think, solve, and evaluate together! 

I know that through careful preparation and planning of active learning activities, students will be able to contextualize math into the programs and fields of their choice. While the exact math they learn in class may not always be applicable to their occupations, the ability to see math as a chance to work through difficulties, collaborate, and persevere is a goal I hope to inspire into all.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you each and every week as I will reflect on what did and didn't work. Check back each week for updates, tips, strategies, and even questions as I look to grow through this process. After all, we cannot grow and learn if we do not reflect! #BeTheONE

Why Flipping Worked for Me

What inspired you to start Flipping?
As I reflect upon what inspired me to consider Flipping my Math Classroom, there are two distinct events that I can pinpoint that helped my inquisitive mind make the leap and try something 'radical' at the time. I was a relatively young teacher at the time, only 3 years of teaching under my belt.

The first event that triggered a change in mindset came from a discussion with an 8th grade student that shared in confidence she wasn't able to complete all of her homework. She was confused by the steps involved and she didn't want to get them all wrong. Her parents were not able to help as they did not understand the methodology for graphing lines. She described to me how easy it seemed in class, but how when left to own, she lost confidence and forgot the steps. She was a very responsible and conscientious student that never missed an assignment. She jokingly asked, "isn't there a way you can come home with me and help me when I get stuck?" Well, little did she know that very question prompted me to start thinking about how to make that happen?

The second event was much more a series of events and happenstance. As students would come into class, particularly in the afternoon, they looked as if they were zombies and half asleep. They showed little to no life after already repeating the same cycle for most of the day - be to class on time, sit down in your desk, listen to teacher lecture, raise hand to answer question, look at clock to see when class was over, listen to teacher lecture, fill out a worksheet, wait for bell to ring, go to my next class, and repeat! The boredom on their faces was painful at times.

I was never that teacher that demanded control of the classroom - I knew students were sick and tired of the same old routine. I tried many times to find ways to make class engaging, and dare I say fun. One particular activity revolved around slope and impact it had on a car rolling down a ramp. After spending 10-15 minutes describing what the students would do in small groups, handing out supplies, and demonstrating, I would cut the students loose and let them explore to determine how the slope of a board impacted the distance a car traveled. And almost every time, without failure, the bell would as students were just getting into the activity and getting the hang of it. One particular class, two boys, usually disengaged and half asleep, actually thanked me for making math class fun and allowing them to play to learn!

It was during the drive home from work that night that two events collided. About a month prior I had attended a conference and sat in on a Flipped Classroom session. I was definitely intrigued by the possibilities, yet a little apprehensive with how my administration team would react. Give the account of the previous days and these two events, I knew the time was now to try and find more time with students while also being more available to them when they struggle. It made perfect sense to create videos to share with students as 'homework' and then use class time for practice, hands-on activities, collaboration, and a break from the 'normal' routine of school.

What was my 1st step to make the change?
The first step was definitely the recognition that a change needed to be made to value the time I had with students. How could I make more of that time and give them control over the speed with which they learned from my examples and lessons. This mindset shift needed to be clearly articulated with my administration team so that they were fully aware of what and how flipped learning would work in my classroom.

I continuously reached out on Twitter and learned from many great instructors that were already using the methodology. While I was eager to get going, I was quickly reminded that not only did my administration team need to know what was happening, so did our students and their parents. That's really were the first step began. I drafted a letter home describing Flipped Learning, what I was hoping to accomplish, and how it would benefit our students. I created a sample video to share as well so that parents could review the content with their child(ren) and see the benefits a video might add to instruction.

Surprisingly, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Many parents struggled in battling with their child(ren) to get their math homework done, only to not be able to help. They saw this as an opportunity for students to learn more, practice more, and become great problem solvers. What I never imagined was important this buy in from the parents was in helping me establish new classroom norms and expectations. Their support and questions made it much easier to describe to students and hold them accountable for coming to class prepared.

Where am I today?
Ironically, I know facilitate training and development at a local technical college in Wisconsin. While my primary role is to help on board new faculty that have no teaching background, I find myself promoting and teaching others how to flip. My experiences in Middle School Math and Flipped Learning have helped me to prepare the next way of higher education instructors for students that want to be actively involved in the learning process. I take great pride in helping others see and realize how powerful flipped learning can be for students.

This New Math?

Southern Door County Elementary School in Door County, Wisconsin recently hosted their 2nd Annual Math Night for students and families to come and discover elementary mathematics and this 'new' math that is being taught. Now, I have the great fortune of being married to the organizer of this fantastic event, so I might be just a little biased. However, having once been a middle school math teacher and still working in education, I hear plenty of talk about Common Core and this 'new' math that students are being taught.

Allow me to set the record straight - there is no such thing as 'new' math. Perhaps the greatest noticeable difference is the way in which teachers teach math now. Gone are the days of drill and kill, practicing 30-50 problems per night. Active learning is becoming widely adopted as teachers are now encouraging math talk, math thinking, and modeling through various manipulatives and models. While skeptics may doubt how powerful math talk is, I have witnessed first hand the benefits that talking about your thinking has provided my children.

Learning math, or anything new, is a delicate process. There are so many little nuances and rules to know and follow. However, we handicap students ability to think creatively when we show them only one way to do something. This 'new' math provides students an opportunity to think for themselves and create strategies for learning that will last a life time - to discover when something goes right or when a mistake is made. As students develop their own processes, teachers can begin to bridge gaps that may exist, or question students further to help them create 'shortcuts' in their own processes.

As we encourage students to talk more about their thought process, we also encourage them to make mistakes. Mistakes are an inevitable process of learning, particularly at a young age. The better teachers become at questioning students and their thought process, the easier the transfer of ownership of learning to students becomes. Only then will students be engaged in learning and becoming better mathematicians.

While we may not fully grasp how teachers are teaching today, we must be aware that the world around us is changing. We need students to be able to adapt and think differently than we were ever taught. If you are a parent or a teacher, I encourage you to ask your child or student to share their thinking process with you. Help them discover how much easier learning can be when we talk about what we are doing.

 

#BeTheONE

Each and every day we are given an amazing gift - the opportunity to pour into the life on someone else. We get to wake up, choose our attitude, and decide upon how we want to approach the course of events and people that await us. We are afforded the opportunity to make the difference in the life of someone else. To show them someone believes in them and their potential to be great.

#BeTheONE was born from the idea that each one of us has this incredible opportunity to intentionally pour joy, hope, strength, motivation, and wonder into the lives of countless individuals. We must be willing to accept that challenge every day in the work you do - whether you are an educator, coach, pastor, doctor, fast food worker, store clerk, student, business man/woman, or police officer.

Every one of us has someone in our lives that was our ONE - the one that believed in us, pushed us, influenced us, and asked us to go beyond what we thought was possible. That ONE person left a lasting impression on our lives and who we are today. Their actions proved we meant something to them and they took the time to mentor us, to tutor us, and to guide us.

Today, and every day, you have the chance to #BeTheONE in someone's life. To show them you believe in them and their dreams. To help them realize they can be greater than they may have ever imagined or believed. For educators, this opportunity should not be taken lightly. You may be the one person in their life that believes, that encourages, and strengthens them. You might be the only consistent in their life. Grasp firmly to this opportunity, helping to shape the future of the world around us. Be the light during the darkness and spread love.

Will you join me in this movement - this opportunity to #BeTheONE

To learn more about #BeTheONE - visit my #BeTheONE Blog

The Brain that Works...

I was fortunate enough to work on a team that recently hosted the 1st Annual ELIcon - Excellence in Leadership & Instruction Conference in Green Bay, WI. While I was busy with logistics, coordination, and customer service, I was able to enjoy our keynote speakers and walk away with a few thoughts and reflections. One in particular continues to resonate with me - Dr. Skip Downing, founder and owner of On-Course Workshop. His workshops are dedicated to helping colleges improve student success and retention. Although our conference was aimed toward Higher Education, there is a notion that Dr. Downing shared that carries true throughout all levels of education and life.

"The Brain that Works is the Brain that Learns!"

Nine simple words that can carry such weight with educators across any realm. For far too long, classrooms have been repositories of information in which teachers spit out knowledge and asks students to regurgitate what was supposed to be learned. The brain has never been asked to work harder than to simply recall. As waves of teachers begin to abandon teaching to the test and take a stance against standardized testing, schools find themselves at a cross-roads: to continue to encourage teaching the way its been done, well forever, or to adopt new teaching practices that encourages the brain to work.

Enter Active Learning Environments...perhaps known by many other names, active learning environments grant students the opportunity to explore, tinker, question, converse, build, and learn by actively seeking answers to questions unknown. Teachers become facilitators of learning, constructing environments that encourage growth through failure. How is it that any teacher can create an active learning environments? By fostering these three ingredients; Connections, Curiosity, and Collaboration.

Every student wants to feel important to someone - to feel like they matter and can be successful. Every students needs to be influenced and motivated to work harder. When teachers attempt to make connections with students they begin to build a bridge between the impossible and possible. As connections are made and grow, only then can teachers push students to unimaginable heights. Only then do students feel comfortable in taking risks, in failing.

After the connection is established, teachers can begin to give students the freedom to be curious. To explore into the unknown by finding creative ways to solve problems, present solutions, and share ideas with classmates. Teachers must be willing to model an environment of curiosity themselves. Either by flipping their classroom, providing pre-class work, or simply allowing students to teach, teachers will open the door to spark student interest. Once you've gotten to know your students and their strengths, you can help build off them by encouraging students to use them more often.

Finally, every student is going to need to collaborate and communicate with others in the fast-paced world. Teachers that use an active learning environment will not only encourage, but intentionally build collaborative opportunities into what they do. Think, Pair, Share topics, case-studies, or group challenge problems are great ways for students to share their thinking process and collaborative efforts with classmates.

No matter how you think of learning today, we must recognize that the brain needs to work in order to learn. Teachers need to find creative ways in which students feel comfortable controlling their own learning. Failure is an option and we need to help them understand how to persevere and grow through learning. Active learning gives teachers the ability and students the opportunity to put their brains to work!

Connecting with your Learners

In preparing for an upcoming conference on Student Engagement, I struggled to identify 3 -5 strategies that would help increase student engagement in any classroom. The struggle was not in coming up with the strategies - I could list 20 - 30 if needed. My struggle existed in that creating and using activities alone will not necessarily increase student engagement. Don't get me wrong, engagement activities can definitely be worth the time and effort you put into them. However, wouldn't making meaningful connections with learners go a lot further?

To illustrate this point, allow me to ask you the following questions. Who was the most memorable teacher you've ever had? Keeping this teacher in mind, what are three adjectives you would use to describe him/her that made them memorable? Odds are, the three words you chose have very little to do with your grade in that class, the subject he/she taught, or the age of that teacher. I'm more willing to bet that your three words describe the rapport he/she had with you, the connection you made with him/her, and how he/she treated you as an individual!

If this is true, shouldn't more focus be placed on how to create and sustain meaningful connections with learners? Isn't it in the best interest of each learner to understand how he/she best learns, what's going on in his/her life, and to know how we can help each one be successful in his/her endeavors?

American Journalist Chris Hedges puts it this way. "We've bought into the idea that education is about training and 'success,' defined monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and challenge. We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not careers. A culture that does not grasp the vital interplay between morality and power, which mistakes management techniques for wisdom, which fails to understand the measure of a civilization is its compassion, not its speed or ability to consume, condemns itself to death."

If we believe in Mr. Hedges statement, the question becomes how do we teach compassion in our classrooms? Ironically, the answer is quite simple - WE MODEL IT! We must not only recognize that each learner is an individual, we must harness their potential by engaging them in conversation that allow us to get to know them. What are their hobbies, what are their goals for your class, what is their weekend like, and how do they prefer to learn are only a small sample of questions we should consider. While this effort may take some time on your part, isn't that time more valuable than just diving into your content? How else will you be able to help each learner individually if you don't know who they are?

Aristotle once said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." We have an opportunity to reshape how we teach - will you take the opportunity to become the most memorable teacher your students ever had?