5/4/12 #flipclass chat ramblings...Plans for summer and what to do next...

This tweet from tonight says it all:

@kadaniels @a_mcsquared I think my head buzzes after every#flipclass chat. Too many things to sort thru. Gotta go thru my tweets and blog!

@crystalkirch I like your recap blog post after #flipclass helps me sort my buzzing brain as well! AGAIN AGAIN more #flippingwithkirch

I've got to sort through all of these conversations so I can make meaning of the PD that the weekly #flipclass chat provides.  Otherwise, it turns into another "fun" hour of chatting.

Tonight, here's what's on my mind:

1. My summer "to-do" list (way too many things on here right now!)

• Recording #flipclass vids for 1st semester, planning more hands-on, active, in-class activities for Ss to apply their learning.  I want to develop my units beyond video-classwork. (projects, hands on, application, etc)
• Okay, so I need to record Math Analysis Units A-F and Algebra 1 Chapters 1-5. I would love to get all of my recording done over the summer, but that will definitely take some scheduling and planning to get it all done.  I find that I need to get "in the groove" and then I like to just crank out the videos in a 4-5 hour stint.  With Camtasia, I like to add a bit more to the videos now, so that is a little more time.  I'm thinking I'll do all my recording one day, all my editing the next, etc.
• I do need to re-record some videos from this year, but I think getting all the original videos done is a priority first.
• I honestly don't know where to begin with coming up with ideas for more active in-class activities (not the most creative person on that front), but I figure if I find a few here or there that work it will continue to mix it up and I'll find what works for me :)
• @Smacclintic Same here - I want to develop more ideas for formative assessment procedures #flipclass
• I have a few different ways for formative assessment - mini-quizzes, students making videos, WSQ interviews and conversations... but I would like to have a few more tools in my toolbox.  On the lookout!  Post here if you have a great idea to share!
• I also want to work on my class blog/website and have everything embedded and organized well. #flipclass
• I've been using kirchmathanalysis.blogspot.com for the last few units for my Math Analysis class and like the ease of organizing and embedding.  I will still use Edmodo for communication with students, but I do want to develop my class blog. 
• If you have a class blog and are willing to share ideas, please post in the comments so I can gather/steal ideas :)
• I also want 2 develop the "big ideas" &"guiding questions" 4 each unit that can lead to great discussion and deeper understanding#flipclass  @bennettscience Big key for me as well, now that I have a year under my belt. I want the big ideas and pictures to flow smoothly #flipclass
• I have started this in the last few units, but I really want to sit down and go through each lesson and decide what I want my students to be able to talk about from this lesson and how they all connect together.  I don't see this as a hard task, just a time consuming one.
• I'm hoping to "convince" a few other tchrs at my school to flip (1 on board already!) and work w/ them this summer sharing ideas#flipclass
• Our AP Bio teacher is planning on flipping/doing gamification next year and I hope it goes well for him!  I'm not sure if anyone else is super interested - there have been several that have mentioned it in passing, but I'm not sure how serious they are.  With the crazy stuff going on at our school this year, I don't know how much I want to "push" it right now.  I am getting visited next Monday by our District Technology Specialist, our Math Curriculum Specialist, and our Director of Secondary Education.. so if they like what they see I may be talking about it a lot more!
• @bennettscience Molding my class for sure. A few tech stuff, but mainly just trying to make it BETTER for next year #flipclass
• My big focus for next year is getting my class focused OFF the videos and more on quality in class activities, applications, and making meaning of the content.  Can't wait to collaborate more and share ideas!
• Also looking fwd to getting PD via online #flipcon12, #ISTE, and of course @jonbergmann and @chemicalsams book! #flipclass Lots of learning!
• Speaking of sharing ideas, I am so excited for these three great PD opportunities this summer!  I can't wait to meet everyone as well!  If you are going to be at ISTE in San Diego this summer, leave a comment and let me know!  I'd love to make sure to meet up with you at some point!

2. Getting student feedback

Scott MacClintic ‏ @Smacclintic Be sure to survey your students at end of year to get feedback as you plan for next year #flipclass

@Smacclintic Can everyone share their #flipclass end of year surveys on twitter? I'd love to collaborate so I ask all the q's I want :)

@crystalkirch good idea....I will share link to google form once it is ready #flipclass

• Please post links to any student surveys you have given (I just gave a mid-year one and results are posted in four recent posts before this one).  I want to give an "end of year" one that has the students look back and evaluate as a whole the Flipped Classroom.

3. How to start a year "flipped" & Training students from Day 1

Big summer task: Deciding how to present #flipclass to Ss on Day 1. Jump right in, or wean them off traditional? How much in-class training?

There were several different perspectives on this.  Many people said "jump right in", many others said "start slowly and mold as you go along".  So much for finding an answer to my question :) I guess it's really not that easy.  This is going to be a HUGE pondering for my summertime.  I have this question on my "Week 14 reflection" for my students this week so I'll post their opinions next week. 

My "jump-right-inners"

• John Tague ‏ @jtague252 @crystalkirch this year I jumped in on day one. No need to transition to a new method. #flipclass is how we operate. 

1. @jtague252 And your "training" of expectations, procedures, etc, just came along slowly with it? #flipclass
2. @crystalkirch trained parents the first night. Ss caught on quickly. Of course occasional reminders still needed thru out. #flipclass
3. Rick McCleary ‏ @rickmccleary @jtague252 @crystalkirch How did you do it? Walk them through a smartboard presentation?
4. @jtague252 @crystalkirch Can you post a link?
5. @rickmccleary @crystalkirch intro to flipclass video is on my YouTube channel jtague252. #flipclass

• GS Arnold ‏ @arnoldscience @crystalkirch I was a jump right in Worked best at my school this year I think...when I tried easing in the sem b4, didn't work #flipclass
• Kris Shaffer ‏ @krisshaffer@bennettscience @crystalkirch @DaretoChem Since I start w/1st-sem Ss, I say "welcome to music school, let's go!" #flipclass#coldturkey
• Audrey McLaren McG ‏ @a_mcsquared @crystalkirch I just jumped in. They never knew what hit them#flipclass

My "wean-ners"

• Marc Seigel ‏ @DaretoChem  @crystalkirch my Ss said ween in. need to break bad habits of traditional methods #flipclass

1. @DaretoChem So start off with some "traditional" lectures and slowly make it more and more flipped? #flipclass
2. @crystalkirch I would flip the activities. keep lectures, but put all videos up anyway. absent or struggling Ss go right to video #flipclass
3. @DaretoChem Good idea. Start with St-centered & st-responsible activ. from start even if I'm still "teaching" up front for a bit #flipclass

My "in-between-ners"

• Brian E. Bennett ‏ @bennettscience  @crystalkirch @DaretoChem On my note, I tend to jump in, but slowly. Don't wean, but expose and support. #flipclass
• Marc Seigel ‏ @DaretoChem @bennettscience @crystalkirch I also jumped right in but w/Honors. CP needed more coaxing as they tend to come from traditional tchrs

How much training?

• Brian E. Bennett ‏ @bennettscience @crystalkirch More than you think you'll need. Have redundancy and contingency built in. #flipclass

1. Crystal Kirch ‏ @crystalkirch  @bennettscience I'm thinking watching vids in class the first few weeks? lots of modeling of WSQing and stuff for sure #flipclass
2.  @TheRobotFairy @crystalkirch @bennettscience thats an excellent idea. You (I) can model how to pause and take notes effectively while generating questions
3. Brian E. Bennett ‏ @bennettscience @TheRobotFairy @crystalkirch That's what @chemicalsams and@jonbergmann did w/ their kids, works well w/ mine, too. #flipclass
4. @bennettscience @TheRobotFairy @chemicalsams @jonbergmannGr8 idea. Want them to get used to taking control from day 1#flipclass

4. WSQing is cool :)

I still think it's super cool that my WSQ idea is being used in one way or another in a lot of flipped classes.  Just goes to show you that not every midnight idea turns out to be a bad one :).  If you haven't read through my posts on WSQing, see the tab up top and read through its development.  There are still several aspects I would like to change for next year, including (these are still ideas in my head, but I'll throw them out there!):

1. A different way to work with the question part so it is more meaningful for students... a running journal separate from the WSQ?  A "question wall"?
2. Go fully handwritten or fully online?  Still going back on pros and cons of each. I need to stay consistent regardless. 
3. Mix up the "summary" portion more often. I'm using key questions ("guided summary") now, but I think I want to mix it up between regular summaries, guided summaries, and other things. I just don't know what those other things are yet :).  The goal of the summary is to act as a PROCESSING activity for the students after watching the videos, and to get them thinking & writing about the math before they come to class where they will read, listen, and speak about the math.

Brian E. Bennett ‏ @bennettscience I want to emulate @crystalkirch's WSQ's for science next year. Love the idea of collaborating w/ groups every day. #flipclass

@fnoschese @crystalkirch Watch-Summary-Question. Uses them to guide through #flipclass content. Awesome tool. http://bit.ly/yqu7oj

@bennettscience @williamsjrkelly Watch-Summary-Question. Pg called "WSQing" on blog that describes it a lot http://flippingwithkirch.blogspot.com

@bennettscience @crystalkirch also gives an opportunity to connect to big ideas of curriculum. #flipclass

5. Encouragement and Reminders

@bennettscience @meremagee Feels like that is what I missed a little this year, had several that took ownership, but not all #flipclass.

@arnoldscience @meremagee Yeah, you'll never get 100%. But, I get more than traditional style. #flipclass

@bennettscience @arnoldscience @meremagee Great point-I still haven't reached "them all", but I'm reaching more :) #flipclass

Reminder to myself: 

This is not the "magic bullet". It's not going to fix everything.  But it sure as heck has transformed not only my teaching, but my students' learning, in ways that I could have never imagined.  While the majority of my students are liking the flipped classroom overall, there are still those that hate it.  I don't think that is ever going to change.  However, I am okay with that because what I am seeing from my students on a daily basis is evidence enough to me that this "change" in teaching style and in my expectations of their understanding (more than just rote practice/memorization) is beneficial to both their learning of math as well as their development as students/leaders/people.