I hope I am not the only one old enough to remember the "Gotta Make the Donuts" video from the 80's. Replace the old man with a teacher, and the word 'donuts' with 'videos' and I've described my initial take on how a teacher must feel the first time implementing a flipped classroom. The task of creating the videos may seem overwhelming and feel like a constant undertaking. Therefore, when checking out the flipped class hashtag (and honestly getting sucked in to all the links for more time than I planned...not a bad thing!), I wanted to gain real perspective and useful tips/guidelines from experts and teachers who have worked through the process.
One of the best advice-giving articles outlined 4 important tips. The first tip - "Start with Lesson Goals, then Build Out" - is paramount because I believe most 'newbies' to this format would run right to their computers and begin creating videos. By carefully pre-planning with certain goals in mind, the videos have more focus and purpose. If you haven't clicked on the link to the article yet, do it now and read the 5 fundamental questions under this heading. Genius.
The same article goes on to address imagery, language, and relevance, but it is the final tip about reaching out to parents that sets this advice column apart. The author points out how strange this format will feel to parents and the fact that parents are our partners in educating students in this way. Amen to that! How cool would it be to see parents at Back to School Night and send them home with a link to a video that has a deep, meaningful discussion of your rationale and the need for their support? After reading this and thinking about it at length, I think a teacher who flipped their classroom and did not address parents in some way would be selling themselves short and, ultimately, hindering the level of potential success.
Several other links caught my eye. This Q&A with a high school math teacher taught me that a flipped classroom could dramatically decrease anxiety in class. I didn't hear this perspective from many others and I can understand her point. Furthermore, I enjoyed the tweets that offered technology tips and tutorials, such as advice on Google Docs and how to have a flipped classroom with no student internet required:
My perspective of the flipped classroom is that is takes a great deal of work the first time around, but the payoff for subsequent lessons is enormous. I would have to do some more research to be completely sold on the concept, enough to implement it myself. I leave you with my 6 Word Story about the flipped classroom, and the following question: Could the flipped classroom really become the new norm?
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one who is old enough to remember that commercial!
I really like your focus on getting parents on board. I have to admit that I have two teachers in my school who have, to varying degrees, flipped their classrooms. The teachers like it; the students not as much. So do the students not like it because it is different or because it requires more active engagement from them? I am not sure but I do know they comment that there is less engagement with the teacher and I don't think that is the point of the flipped classroom. In addition, even with schools that have 1:1 programs, that does not mean every kid has access to the internet once they leave school so does that leave that student out no matter how many times we offer places with free WiFi, etc.?
I like your 6-word story--I believe there is a lot that is right about traditional education and the "all or nothing" approach to change doesn't often produce better results than the previous plan.
Kelly P.
Hi Kelly - You have great questions! The answers depend so much on each student and I wonder how this works with limits outside of the classroom as well. When I do my Getting to Know You activities in the beginning of the year, I have students fill out a questionnaire about technology access at home, and availability to stay after school if they need to use the school's resources. I will see some students give excuses like lack of Internet access or no printer when they are missing an assignment, but I refer back to their questionnaire (on which they say they have all of these things) and I know they are making excuses for work left undone. Gotcha! Anyhow, so much depends on the student, teachers, and parents working together. It must be a constant work in progress.
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteGreat post and great 6-word story! I am intrigued by your question of whether the flipped classroom really could become the new norm. In some ways, I think that it could. I don’t believe that it will totally replace our current “normal” teaching strategies, but I think it will become increasingly normal to have flipped classrooms. In other words, I see a future educational climate were some classes a student takes are structured in the way that is now considered normal, some classes are flipped, some classes are fully online, etc. And the new “normal” will be that not every class looks or feels the same!
~Alison
Hey, Laura!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great laugh. I am definitely old enough to remember the "gotta make the donuts" guy. What a hysterical analogy, not to mention, an accurate one. I think I would feel just as overwhelmed.
I wanted to comment on your advice about involving parents in the flipped classroom. This was actually the first thing I thought of when thinking through how this would work in my classroom. Sometimes it's hard to get parents on board with helping their children read or do any type of homework. How would I encourage those types of parents to help their second graders watch a video lesson? Parent involvement is crucial.
-Kirsta